DISQUS

andrewgrill · 10 months ago

My issue is that there is "real" blogging, and then there is "PR blogging" which is still writing stories to PR a point of view, client or product. I've been independently blogging for years.

Can you "teach" a PR to blog in a corporate way or should they be able to blog on their own first to then do "PR blogging".

Anyway - isn't PR blogging an oxymoron?

I blog at http://andrewgrill.com/blog on mobile advertising.

barryhurd · 10 months ago

I think PR blogging is possible if the person at the keyboard can have enough self-control to not boast about the company or the client every single paragraph.

For instance: there is a tremendous amount of client education that can occur through a blog for a PR firm. If you have three clients asking the same question, chances are the firm has 10 clients actually repeating the same problem.

There are also a tremendous number of resources an insightful PR firm should be pointing clients and prospects at.

I also don't think that a PR agency blog should be used to talk about your own client projects unless it is really something fantastic. I don't think I have ever written about a client project here on 123 and if I did, I would probably have five requests the following week asking "why didn't I get highlighted?"

I try to share my insight and experience here... not advertise my projects.

P.S. Love your writing, I've been reading some of your articles for the past 3-4 months. It is hard to find decent conversation on the mobile advertising trend.

andrewgrill · 10 months ago

Barry - thanks for the feedback on the blog *blush*.

Your points are valid - but how do we get this message across?

The parallel issue with mobile advertising is that the internet models are being moved onto the mobile (WAP banners) – just as TV started off as “radio with pictures” – ie the existing medium and methods are being bolted on and we hope it works. It doesn’t. A new way needs a new approach.

Just as with PR, it's a case of "we've got to do a blog!!!" without looking at the unique nature of blogging and applying this new channel to an existing business process - PR.

Just as with anything, those of us that "get it" will succeed.

Stay in touch.
Andew

geetarchurchy · 10 months ago

Any PR agencies that offer their clients a social media package, whether that be running their own blog, or launching a product through a Facebook page, must show that they know how it works by doing it well themselves.

there is no point in writing one blog entry every 6 weeks on your agency blog, whilst you are in your client's ear telling them to post every day - they have every right to say 'well you don't, so if you're not putting time into it, how can it be worthwhile for us?'

I'd also argue that Prospective clients who want to know how any agency thinks and get a grip on their philosophy, will bypass the corporate homepage and check out the blog first - first impressions are of course, most important, even if the blog looks shoddy, if the content is of a good standard and regular, it is an indicator that agency knows the importance of social media.