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		<title>How ‘joined up’ PR and social media opens doors and drives sales</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1698/how-joined-up-pr-and-social-media-opens-doors-and-drives-sales/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1698/how-joined-up-pr-and-social-media-opens-doors-and-drives-sales/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:29:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sharon Cain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brand Yorkshire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LinkedIn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1698</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Quest PR is delighted to be included in the latest edition of the fab Brand Yorkshire business-to-business magazine aimed at CEOs, MDs, professional services and owner managed businesses. Below is our article on the importance of fusing PR and social media to turbo charge your business goals.     The seismic internet developments have revolutionised the way small [...]]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/blog.jpg" rel="lightbox[1698]"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1701 aligncenter" title="blog" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/blog-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="343" height="219" /></a></p>
<p> <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/questpr">Quest PR</a> is delighted to be included in the latest edition of the fab <a href="http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&amp;pnum=&amp;refresh=L0w614JcD0s8&amp;EID=1b893d64-805a-4c96-a887-ba7cc257379e&amp;skip=">Brand Yorkshire</a> business-to-business magazine aimed at CEOs, MDs, professional services and owner managed businesses.</p>
<p>Below is our article on the importance of fusing PR and social media to turbo charge your business goals.     <span id="more-1698"></span>The seismic internet developments have revolutionised the way small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) communicate &#8211; and social media has unleashed a plethora of vibrant platforms through which businesses can engage, share and learn with existing clients, prospects, peers and business partners.</p>
<p>In a climate where already saturated sectors face the prospect of a double dip recession, the challenges of falling sales, low brand recognition and peer-awareness are intensified. Investing resource in integrated campaigns will facilitate the prolonged road to recovery.</p>
<p>With more and more contracts and referrals clinched via <a href="http://blog.jonesmyers.co.uk/">blogs</a>, <a href="http://uk.linkedin.com/in/sharoncainmdquestpr">LinkedIn</a> and Twitter &#8211; coupled with the ‘Facebook for Business’ online guide to stimulate business promotion via social networking – companies who bury their heads in the sand will find their social media savvy competitors stealing a proverbial march.        </p>
<p>Social media is most powerful as part of a ‘joined up’ communications programme which complements and drives business goals &#8211; whether they be annual targets for turnover, gross margin, costs and profitability, or a five year exit strategy in which PR and social media are integral to boosting a company’s profile and desirability to derive maximum sale value.   </p>
<p>All indications reinforce that companies whose social media strategies turbo charge their business plan and work in tandem with their traditional PR and marketing campaigns are best placed to enjoy business growth as well as saving time and costs.    </p>
<p>Quest PR, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, champions this approach and has trained hundreds of owner managers and entrepreneurs to adopt it &#8211; with powerful results &#8211; in regular workshops launched in April 2010.</p>
<p> <strong>Achieving PR and social media stand out  </strong></p>
<p>Many of us are familiar with the expression ‘Content is king’ and there many similar skills required to ensure success with marketing, PR and social media. Most crucial is compiling strong collateral to stimulate and interest your respective audiences.  </p>
<p>In the same way that weak storylines, overtly promotional press releases or bland comment from organisations seeking to position themselves as ‘experts’ in their sectors will not see the light of day in traditional print and broadcast outlets, businesses who push sales-led or outdated/boring content which fails to add value to their social media audiences will lose their followers and credibility.</p>
<p>In a relentless cyber climate where 100 million users on LinkedIn, 640 million on Facebook and 175 million on Twitter are vying for their voice to be heard – planning and rolling out interesting and provocative content to engage, share and learn with your followers is pivotal to success.</p>
<p>Furthermore, with 60 per cent of online content predicted to comprise video by 2013, incorporating video as part of your integrated campaign on your website and in blogs is vital. </p>
<p><strong>Rolling out content across multiple platforms </strong></p>
<p>The formula below fuses marketing, PR and social media through economies of scale.</p>
<ul>
<li>Plan your content to avoid a ‘scattergun approach’ &#8211; what are you communicating  that is new, unusual or different to achieve stand out from your competitors? Set up a marketing, PR and social media planning template to enable you to see and follow through the joined up formula.     </li>
<li>Don’t fall into the trap of ditching your traditional PR activities. As former print and broadcast journalists with organisations including Sky TV and BBC, we advocate harnessing these profile-building channels. Continue to test and measure and keep doing what works well – whether it is press releases, commissioned articles, winning awards to help secure contracts or attract top talent, or being invited on radio and TV as an industry expert. If the latter we’d advise being media trained to ensure you are invited back time and again. The increase in online media likewise presents unprecedented opportunities to boost your profile, your expertise and your search engine optimisation (SEO).    </li>
<li>Listen before launching into social media – and seek out the relevant platforms to bolster the business goals. Where are your clients, prospects and partners engaging – and with who? Use tools such as Google alerts to see who is saying what about your brand, your industry and your competitors. This intelligence gathering will steer you to the appropriate tools and platforms. </li>
<li>Get close to your influencers such as your top referrers and the media. Take advantage of the proliferation of journalists on Twitter seeking stories, case studies and comment.</li>
<li>After researching your target audiences, get your ‘ducks in a row’ by planning and launching your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube profiles. Keep focused on who you are following and why – and sustain rich content to ‘feed’ these channels.</li>
<li>Having developed your profiles, followers and ‘likes’ launch a blog with 3-4 posts to make it look more established. Tailor your PR material such as ‘How to’ top tips, new appointments/promotions, crystal-gazing or simplifying complex legislation into blog posts. Blogs enable reporters to better understand your business and expertise and more journalists validate interviewees after checking out their blogs and their LinkedIn credentials. Line up guest posts with key influencers with a flourishing social media following who will promote their guest contributions across their channels. Allocate time to comment on influencers’ blogs.</li>
<li>Get video blogging (v’logging). Include a ‘meet the team’ v’log in your launch blog. Video’s powerful medium gives businesses a personality and vehicle to showcase their expertise and their ethos. In our experience, video is a magnet for your prospects to feel like they know you before commissioning your services. SMEs’ hunger to complement their PR and media training skills with video blogging ‘nous’ has been the catalyst for our journalist-led team to extend our training courses to include video blogging where we teach clients to write, prepare, film, present and edit video blogs. Google loves video and a video blog is 50 times more effective than a written blog in SEO terms.</li>
<li>Increase your blog following via automated platforms such as Hootsuite or TweetDeck which will inform your followers across LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter when your blogs go ‘live’. These platforms enable you to schedule content in advance – an enormous benefit for time-strapped SMEs.</li>
<li>Draw on PR and blog content to drive and engage in LinkedIn discussions and increase traffic. Be disciplined about the number of groups you join, and stay on track with your content. If setting up your own LinkedIn discussion group, ensure you have adequate resource to sustain it in order to keep your company at the heart of your discussions.</li>
<li>Tailor your rich PR and social media content into regular e-newsletters featuring advice, forecasting, case studies and media appearances. Preview upcoming blog topics and invite recipients to join the blogging debate.</li>
<li>Measure your return on engagement. As with traditional marketing and PR campaigns, establish up front what success will look and feel like. In addition to driving sales and leads, some businesses measure success via blog analytics and the number of blog comments and guest post invitations.</li>
<li>Allocate a level of resource and ownership for your integrated campaign and be disciplined about adhering to it. Allow for additional set up time and stick to your planning schedule. Finally, sustain the killer content and momentum. In line with the adage that ‘enthusiasm is the electricity of business’, keep your campaign fresh and vibrant.  </li>
</ul>
<p>For maximum impact fuse your marketing, PR and social media through a ‘Tell them, tell them you’ve told them – and tell them again’ formula as reinforced in our 12-step plan.</p>
<p>For example, the ‘tell them’ could, be commissioning and writing a PR article for your trade or regional press, the ’tell them you’ve told them’ can entail you adopting this article for a blog post and asking your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter followers to comment on it. For the ‘tell them again’ you can tailor and revise the content to spark a LinkedIn discussion and also adapt the content for enewsletters.</p>
<p>With further tough times forecast, plummeting stock markets and major budget cuts on an unprecedented global scale, now is the time to reignite your communications strategy by maximising and fusing the old and the new. Investing time and focusing on ramping up and integrating traditional PR and marketing with social media and video will keep you ‘in sight and in mind’ when customers and prospects are ready to buy. Without a presence and voice, they may well approach your competitors who are engaging with them regularly through social media platforms.     </p>
<p>Share your thoughts and tips with us.</p>
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		<title>Get Mobile Access with Audio &#8211; guest post from Jon Buscall</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1661/get-mobile-access-with-audio-guest-post-from-jon-buscall/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1661/get-mobile-access-with-audio-guest-post-from-jon-buscall/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:36:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sharon Cain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jon Buscall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jontus Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1661</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The development of native apps for mobile devices like the iPad and iPhone is often an expensive process. Many of the small-medium sized businesses I speak to are struggling to find the necessary budget to develop content for these platforms, despite the increasing significance of online mobile marketing and communications. Unfortunately for them iPhones, Androids [...]]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Jon.jpg" rel="lightbox[1661]"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1666" title="Jon Buscall" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Jon.jpg" alt="" width="239" height="289" /></a><br />
The development of native apps for mobile devices like the iPad and iPhone is often an expensive process. Many of the small-medium sized businesses I speak to are struggling to find the necessary budget to develop content for these platforms, despite <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aUQLIPdtg8&amp;feature=player_embedded">the increasing significance of online mobile marketing and communications</a>.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for them iPhones, Androids and tablet PCs are now almost ubiquitous on the Stockholm subway. Every day I see commuters gazing into their Facebook app, online newspaper, Twitter client or so on.<span id="more-1661"></span></p>
<p>There are, of course, those commuters that prefer to while away the journey listening to music, audio books and radio.</p>
<p>For businesses looking to tap into the mobile market but without the budget to invest in app development, as well as those looking to bring a new flavour to their marketing and communications, audio podcasting is potentially a less expensive but equally significant tactic to get your content consumed by people on the go.</p>
<p>What&#8217;s more, people are increasingly listening to podcasts. According to <a href="http://www.edisonresearch.com/">Edison Research</a>, for example, podcasting is doing better now than ever before. In 2010:</p>
<ul>
<li>45% of all Americans were aware of podcasting</li>
<li>23% of Americans said they listen to podcasts, which has increased from 11% in 2006.</li>
</ul>
<p>Edison Research estimated that 70 million people have listened to or viewed a podcast in the US alone!</p>
<h2>Cost of Entry</h2>
<p>Assuming you can cover hosting costs of approximately 15 USD a month and the necessary salary to cover a couple of hours work per episode, the cost of entry to business podcasting is relatively low compared to the thousands often required for app development.</p>
<p>You can get started with as little as a USB mic, computer and free audio editing software. <a href="http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/">Garageband</a>, which ships with every Mac, is great for audio recording and editing and you&#8217;ll get great results too with <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/">Audacity</a>, which is also free, and works on both the Mac and Window platform.</p>
<p>Sure, you can take your show to the next level by investing in a dynamic mic, mixing desk and digital recorder, but even this kind of set-up won&#8217;t exactly break the bank.</p>
<h2>The Real Business Benefits</h2>
<p>Personally, I realised the benefits of podcasting after <a href="http://jontusmedia.com/best-practice-b2b-blogging/">one very short piece of audio content</a> landed me two major consulting gigs within one day of publishing it on my website.</p>
<p>In the year since I started podcasting not only has <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-online-communications/id370768604">the podcast I produce </a>opened up more training and speaking opportunities, it&#8217;s helped me to grow my network, generate leads and ultimately more business.</p>
<p>I always ask new customers how they found Jontus Media and although most come through the website or recommendations and referrals, many tell me the the podcast persuaded them to get in touch. I&#8217;ve been told: &#8220;I felt I knew you,&#8221; on more than one occasion.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-wildpaw-dog-podcast/id396550540">British canine behaviourist</a> who I make a podcast for recently had an episode of her show downloaded 4000 times in twenty-four hours.</p>
<p>Now this figure might pale into insignificance compared to the number of people that might glance at your glossy add in a newspaper or magazine, or even online; but a podcast enabled my client to be literally talking to each of those listeners, generating a real sense of who she is and what her skills are.</p>
<p>Through her podcast she was able to speak to 4000 people, and this in turn gave her the opportunity to stand out from the competition, connect more closely with her audience, and communicate directly with those that enjoy consuming audio content on the go whilst they commute, workout or go for a walk. And let&#8217;s not forget that this also gave her a great chance to build trust and belief in her skills and services.</p>
<p>Karen herself says: “Podcasting has opened up a direct, friendly channel to my potential clients, building trust in my brand and delivering it straight to their ears”.</p>
<h2>Portability &amp; Access</h2>
<p>So if you can&#8217;t quite invest in app development to boost your mobile content marketing – and even if you can ! – you might want to look into how podcasting is a wonderful tactic to build new business relationships online.</p>
<p>To listen to an interview with QuestPR&#8217;s very own Sharon Cain in conversation with Jon Buscall, <a href="http://jontusmedia.com/15-is-your-business-embracing-video/">click over here</a>.</p>
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		<title>Google+ &#8211; Should Businesses embrace or discard it?</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1616/google-should-smes-embrace-or-discard-it/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1616/google-should-smes-embrace-or-discard-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:06:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Thomas Atcheson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1616</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many new social media sites heralded as ‘the next big thing’ have come and gone, but when Google+, a new social media site has been developed by Google &#8211; you have to sit up and take notice. Despite all of Google’s failures in social media with Google Wave and Google Buzz, Google+ has attracted a [...]]]></description>
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<p>Many new social media sites heralded as ‘the next big thing’ have come and gone, but when <strong><a href="https://plus.google.com/up/start/?continue=https://plus.google.com/&amp;type=st&amp;gpcaz=4a6a8424">Google+</a>, </strong>a new social media site has been developed by Google &#8211; you have to sit up and take notice.</p>
<p>Despite all of Google’s failures in social media with Google Wave and Google Buzz, Google+ has attracted a great deal of interest and a high uptake, attracting 20 million users in three weeks.<span id="more-1616"></span></p>
<p><strong>So what is Google+?</strong></p>
<p>It’s basically a micro-blogging platform which is half Twitter, half Facebook. It manages your contacts like Twitter. You chose who you want to follow and put them into ‘circles’ which allow you to just look at updates from particular groups of people. </p>
<p>Google +1 is the equivalent of a “like” on Facebook and several company websites are already including the +1 button alongside their “follow on Twitter” and “Like” buttons.</p>
<p>Updates can integrate images, video and external links, are unrestricted and are shown as a stream of information, with the latest information at the top.</p>
<p><strong>How original is it?  </strong></p>
<p>There are some original ideas. Most relate to the Hang Out area. Google+ has integrated its chat service into Google+ and allows you to break out of the micro-blogging area to chat to friends by text or video, making it an alternative for Skype.</p>
<p><strong>Is it for companies or for individuals? </strong></p>
<p>Google+ is designed for individuals rather than companies. There have been company accounts deleted already, making it impractical to promote your business in the same way as Twitter or Facebook.</p>
<p>It is a way of promoting an individual’s profile and reputation and is a good platform if you have something to say or are a ‘thought leader’. The chat features might also be useful for collaborative workers involved in offsite project work.  You’d need to put some effort in to updating your profile, although being attached to the world’s biggest search engine must come with some advantages.</p>
<p><strong>Is it worth the time investment?  </strong></p>
<p>Many companies have invested substantial money and time into creating their profiles on existing social media platforms.  The real question is whether businesses will pour the same level of investment starting from scratch on Google+ &#8211; particularly when the medium is unable to support brands and companies?</p>
<p>I personally can’t see a deluge of them embarking on it &#8211; meaning it will remain a niche social media.</p>
<p>Other than linking up to other services already available, there isn’t a need for anyone other than the curious technology enthusiast to use the platform. They make up the majority of users on this ‘grown-up’ Facebook.</p>
<p>However it’s worth keeping an eye on as Google creates more and more cloud based services where documents can be created and stored on their systems rather than on your laptop using Microsoft software.  What are your thoughts on the benefits or otherwise of Google+?</p>
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		<title>Viral videos – an untapped resource? &#8211; By David Newman</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1585/the-role-viral-videos-can-play-by-david-newman/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1585/the-role-viral-videos-can-play-by-david-newman/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:00:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sharon Cain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Old Spice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sony Bravia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vlogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[YouTube]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1585</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The importance of social media platforms has been emphasised by Quest PR in a number of previous blog posts. Now we’re going to examine the role of viral videos &#8211; videos which are shared peer to peer, generating huge buzz and free publicity across the web, and which can be posted on YouTube, Facebook and [...]]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Old-Spice-Guy1.jpg" rel="lightbox[1585]"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1595" title="Old-Spice-Guy[1]" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Old-Spice-Guy1-300x184.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="184" /></a></p>
<p>The importance of social media platforms has been emphasised by <a href="http://www.quest-pr.com/">Quest PR</a> in a number of previous blog posts. Now we’re going to examine the role of viral videos &#8211; videos which are shared peer to peer, generating huge buzz and free publicity across the web, and which can be posted on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MXyXVbHWZo">YouTube</a>, Facebook and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/questpr">Twitter</a>.    </p>
<p>There have been a number of big viral successes in recent years. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE">The Old Spice</a> ‘Man your man could smell like’ video generated around 6 million hits in 24 hours and rejuvenated the brand, which then increased its sales by 106% from the previous year.  Other notable videos have been made by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLUAbkRUvVQ">Sony Bravia</a>, also on YouTube, and an interactive trailer for The Last Exorcism film on Chatroulette.<span id="more-1585"></span></p>
<p>Most bloggers analysing the trend agree that a successful video needs to strike an emotional chord with its audience, the two most common and effective emotions being humour and/or shock.</p>
<p>However, engaging content is not the only &#8211; or even necessarily the most important – element of a popular viral video. With about 200,000 videos uploaded to YouTube daily, it is no longer enough to have just a funny or thought provoking video. </p>
<p>Generating external coverage for videos is now big business, with many start-up businesses offering a minimum guarantee of 100,000 hits or no charge. This involves huge networks of friends on Facebook, strategic tagging of videos and often multiple accounts on forums and social media platforms, all to create a ‘buzz’ around these video clips and drive them to new audiences.</p>
<p>So what does the future hold for viral videos? Forward-thinking companies view them as a largely untapped resource, without the audience wariness that accompanies traditional forms of marketing. Social media and YouTube continue to grow in popularity and the rise of the Smartphone means peer to peer sharing can now be done faster and much more regularly. </p>
<p>The continuing success of viral videos may also act as a prompt to PR companies who should doubtless be considering how video can enhance their clients’ marketing activity and public image. The internet already offers great opportunities for wider coverage than press and television outlets combined and clients may well begin to expect more bang for their buck, targeting an audience share that can easily run into the millions, not just the hundreds of thousands.</p>
<p>Which viral video works best for you? Tell us and we’ll see if any popular favourites emerge!</p>
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		<title>In the jobs race does ‘social media savvy’ get you over the starting line?  By Alicia Chadwick</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1558/in-the-jobs-race-does-%e2%80%98social-media-savvy%e2%80%99-get-you-over-the-starting-line-by-alicia-chadwick/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1558/in-the-jobs-race-does-%e2%80%98social-media-savvy%e2%80%99-get-you-over-the-starting-line-by-alicia-chadwick/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:59:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charlotte Hird</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Generation Y]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LinkedIn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work placement]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1558</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Having just completed my second year of university studying PR and Marketing, I’m on a summer placement at Quest PR which has a strong online presence – a factor which was initially a big selling point for me. In my opinion a prominent online presence suggests a positive outlook for a company and shows that [...]]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Alicia-1.jpg" rel="lightbox[1558]"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1559 aligncenter" title="Alicia 1" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Alicia-1-196x300.jpg" alt="" width="158" height="251" /></a></p>
<p>Having just completed my second year of university studying PR and Marketing, I’m on a summer placement at <a href="http://www.quest-pr.com/">Quest PR</a> which has a strong online presence – a factor which was initially a big selling point for me.</p>
<p>In my opinion a prominent online presence suggests a positive outlook for a company and shows that they are moving with the times and adopting new trends.<span id="more-1558"></span></p>
<p>If a business had no online presence it would make me question how proactive and prepared for change they were. With the economic climate as it is, it is important that all companies make the most of all possibilities which could lead them to a brighter future. </p>
<p>There are now so many social media platforms that it is almost impossible to decide which will be most useful in helping you map out your future career.</p>
<p>With an unprecedented number of students and graduates battling for a limited number of positions, it’s important that companies who are recruiting make themselves seen and heard through as many channels as possible.</p>
<p>Generation Y comprise the majority of online &#8211; so it makes sense for employers to target them via <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/questpr">social media</a>  &#8211; especially as 52 per cent of graduates and students find <a href="http://www.vox-pop.co.uk/2010/06/08/52-per-cent-of-pr-graduates-and-students-have-found-work-placements-using-social-media/">work placements</a> via social media.</p>
<p>I think the key platforms that companies should take advantage of are Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook – because they enable us to communicate, share and learn.</p>
<p>Each platform has a specific role. I use my Facebook account to communicate with friends and family, my LinkedIn profile remains professional (and vastly neglected, and on my list of priorities to tackle as it is will be viewed by my prospective employers!). </p>
<p>Over the last few months Twitter has become my favourite tool. I use it for future employment opportunities and for keeping up with the latest news. I feel it is important that my personality comes through and I can be prone to the odd celebrity Re-Tweet!</p>
<p>Likewise, it is key for businesses and their employees to adopt and, more importantly, maintain the correct tone throughout their communications. We recall the outcry when Virgin staff <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/1879810/Virgin-fire-13-after-staff-insult-passengers-on-Facebook.html">called their customers ‘chavs’</a> because, even though the staff used their own Facebook pages, they are still ambassadors of the airline. And such stories will resonate negatively with customers and potential employees.  </p>
<p>So on the premise that social media is a two way stream – remember that, just as  you potential bosses are watching us, we as your potential employees are keeping an eagle eye on you too!</p>
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		<title>Social Media Savvies – Our Favourite Yorkshire ‘Young guns’</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1482/social-media-savvies-%e2%80%93-our-favourite-yorkshire-%e2%80%98young-guns%e2%80%99/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1482/social-media-savvies-%e2%80%93-our-favourite-yorkshire-%e2%80%98young-guns%e2%80%99/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2011 15:39:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charlotte Hird</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emma Louise Trotter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FrogTrade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Frooly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gareth Davies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LinkedIn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Ord]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Bespoke Cupcake Company]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1482</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Aptly named the social media generation, young people are leading the way in building lucrative businesses both on and offline. Yorkshire’s young entrepreneurs - as highlighted in the Yorkshire Business Insider&#8217;s recent 42 Under 42 awards -  are certainly no strangers to the benefits of online communication tools and are instrumental in shaping the region’s business environment. [...]]]></description>
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<p>Aptly named the social media generation, young people are leading the way in building lucrative businesses both on and offline. Yorkshire’s young entrepreneurs - as highlighted in the <a href="http://www.insidermedia.com/productsandservices/archive/ybi/">Yorkshire Business Insider&#8217;s </a>recent 42 Under 42 awards -  are certainly no strangers to the benefits of online communication tools and are instrumental in shaping the region’s business environment.</p>
<p>Providing inspiration to decision makers everywhere, Quest PR takes a look at some of Yorkshire’s ‘young guns’ who are kicking up a social media storm…<span id="more-1482"></span></p>
<p><strong>Michael Ord</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Michael-Ord.jpg" rel="lightbox[1482]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1486" title="Michael Ord" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Michael-Ord.jpg" alt="" width="155" height="155" /></a></p>
<p>Founder and managing director of ‘virtual high street’ <a href="http://www.frooly.com/">Frooly.com</a>, Michael has applied old fashioned values to new online technology. The concept is simple; to help local and independent businesses create an online presence by providing them with a free website, and then if required give them the option of paying for a private virtual shop. Michael harnesses social media to engage both customers and businesses in his unique concept. A lively <a href="http://blog.frooly.com/">blog</a> discusses product updates, press coverage, tips for retailers and even social media advice. A <a href="http://www.facebook.com/frooly">Facebook</a> page enables interaction between website members and customers, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/finditonfrooly">Twitter</a> ensures fans are kept constantly informed and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelordatfrooly">LinkedIn</a> provides a virtual address book of contacts and clients.</p>
<p><strong>Emma- Louise Trotter</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Emma-Louise-Trotter.jpg" rel="lightbox[1482]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1485" title="Emma-Louise Trotter" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Emma-Louise-Trotter.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>Owner of <a href="http://www.thebespokecupcakecompany.com/">The Bespoke Cupcake Company</a> in Harrogate, Emma turned a part-time hobby into a tasty business! As well as making cakes, Emma expanded the business to create a Bespoke Café where fans can enjoy her delicious produce. A scrumptious <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bespoke-Cupcake-Company/222683291006">Facebook</a> page tempts Emma’s fans with daily posts and photo uploads of the latest treats in store, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/thebespokecakes">Twitter</a> entices potential clients and visitors to the café while <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/thebespokecupcakecompany">LinkedIn</a> provides Emma’s professional profile and interaction with various networking groups.</p>
<p><strong>Gareth Davies</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Gareth-Davis.jpg" rel="lightbox[1482]"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1487" title="Gareth Davies Frogtrade.. pic by Nigel Roddis.." src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Gareth-Davis-211x300.jpg" alt="" width="142" height="202" /></a></p>
<p>Gareth has revolutionised the world of online learning with <a href="http://www.frogtrade.com/">FrogTrade</a>, a website for children which is now used by more than 15 per cent of UK secondary schools. Young people’s entertainment is dominated by online gaming and media and FrogTrade has joined this market with bespoke virtual learning services. An informative <a href="http://garethdavies.wordpress.com/">blog</a> provides updates on the website, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/frogtrade">Twitter</a> keeps schools and customers in the loop, whilst Gareth’s <a href="http://uk.linkedin.com/in/gjdavies">LinkedIn</a> page places clients and colleagues at the touch of a button.</p>
<p>Who are you favourite young guns – and why?  Share your thoughts with us in our comment  box below.</p>
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		<title>Popular social media FAQs answered</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1467/popular-social-media-faqs-answered/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1467/popular-social-media-faqs-answered/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 14:43:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charlotte Hird</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FAQs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LinkedIn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ROE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media strategy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1467</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Making social media work for you as a business requires a planned, focused and integrated approach to ensure that your PR, social media and marketing activities are turbo charging your business plan. Business owners, MDs and managers signing up to Quest’s social media workshops leave buzzing with ideas about great content they can roll out [...]]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/faz.jpg" rel="lightbox[1467]"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1469" title="socal media faq" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/faz-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Making social media work for you as a business requires a planned, focused and integrated approach to ensure that your PR, <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/questpr">social media</a> and marketing activities are turbo charging your business plan.</p>
<p>Business owners, MDs and managers signing up to Quest’s <a href="http://www.quest-pr.com/pr_services.php">social media workshops</a> leave <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5MXNdexH_o">buzzing with ideas</a> about great content they can roll out across the social media platforms. They also have a wealth of questions &#8211; some of which are below &#8211; about how to approach and manage their social media campaigns. We’d also love to hear your questions and comments.<span id="more-1467"></span></p>
<p><strong>1)      </strong><strong>Why does my business need a social media strategy?</strong></p>
<p>With the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgp7GwHxV14">wealth of information</a> spelling out how critical social media is to companies’ survival &#8211; and success &#8211; over the next five years, businesses are harnessing it to engage with existing clients and prospects to help drive sales and open new doors.     </p>
<p>The seismic web developments have dramatically changed the way we communicate. We no longer need to frustratingly try to get through to our wish list of prospects on the telephone – only to be barred by those formidable ‘gatekeepers’. We can now find and engage with the right people online      </p>
<p>Before setting off half-cocked, it’s important to put a <a href="http://questprblog.com/683/a-twelve-step-process-for-a-storming-social-media-strategy/">strategy in place</a> to effectively increase your online exposure and traffic. Decide on your key messages and target audience. Develop a ‘<a href="http://questprblog.com/1206/how-to-fuse-your-business-strategy-with-your-pr-and-social-media/">joined up approach’</a> linking your traditional PR with social media for a hard hitting campaign. The effective process of ‘tell them’ (for example place expert comment in your target media),’ tell them you’ve told’ them’ (adapt the expert comment for a blog post) and ‘tell them again’ (tweeting the expert comment, include them in your enewsletters  and start a conversation about the issues in the expert comment on LinkedIn) will pay dividends.</p>
<p><strong>2)      </strong><strong>Should I use every platform?</strong></p>
<p>On a practical level it’s not feasible to <a href="http://questprblog.com/880/are-you-a-social-media-slave/">utilise every social media site</a>. We recommend you initially do some ‘intelligence gathering’ to find out which platforms your influencers, clients and prospects are using and then decide (always referring back to the business plan) which are the most appropriate to cherry pick and target accordingly. For example, if you are a consumer-led enterprise, LinkedIn may not be the most focused way to reach your prime targets. It is commonly accepted that <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Quest-pr-1-champion/134790446557668#!/pages/Quest-PR/133019110059387">Facebook</a> is popular with Generations X and Y while the 40s upwards are more likely to reside on <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/sharoncain">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/A.jpg" rel="lightbox[1467]"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1472" title="social media questions" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/A-273x300.jpg" alt="" width="223" height="254" /></a></p>
<p><strong>3)      </strong><strong>How much time do I need to dedicate to social media?</strong></p>
<p>Initially, you need to do some legwork to create a strategy, develop killer content and build up your connections. Once this is set in motion you can run your social media like a military operation. Dashboard sites such as <a href="http://hootsuite.com/">Hootsuite</a> or <a href="http://www.tweetdeck.com/">Tweetdeck</a> are a one-stop-social-media-shop which allows users to manage all their platforms from one site, where tweets and status updates can be scheduled weeks or months in advance. Our clients spend anything from one hour to half a day a week and say that adopting a ‘joined up’ approach and rolling out great content across multiple platforms (as referred to in the first answer) saves them time.  </p>
<p><strong>4)      </strong><strong>When will it start paying off?</strong></p>
<p>Be patient as Rome wasn’t built in a day! In the adage that the more put in, the more you get out , social media also takes time to build up followers, respect and trust which won’t happen overnight.  Set in place a storming marketing, PR and social media plan and engage and share content with your followers and audiences. By continuing to develop your contacts and produce engaging content you will see it start to take off. The challenge then is to sustain the momentum!   </p>
<p><strong>5)      </strong><strong>How do I measure how my efforts are progressing?  </strong></p>
<p>You can monitor your Return on Engagement (ROE) n OI through various tools including <a href="http://www.google.com/analytics/">Google Analytics</a> measure blog and website traffic and pinpoints what are the most popular posts.  It is important to set in place Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) so you can test and measure your impact on an ongoing basis. There are some great blog posts with <a href="http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-measurement/social-media-roi-revisited-4-ways-to-measure/">tips on this subject </a> </p>
<p>What is your most frequently asked social media question? Post your question below.</p>
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		<title>To business leaders, with love – Quest’s tips for CEOs from the Gini Dietrich ebook</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1416/to-business-leaders-with-love-%e2%80%93-quest%e2%80%99s-tips-for-ceos-from-the-gini-dietrich-ebook/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1416/to-business-leaders-with-love-%e2%80%93-quest%e2%80%99s-tips-for-ceos-from-the-gini-dietrich-ebook/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 May 2011 16:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Charlotte Hird</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business to business PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gini Dietrich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sharon Cain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1416</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Quest PR is delighted to be the only UK business included in the ebook Dear CEO: Letters to the C-Suite from Experts on Vision, Culture, Community, and Integration.   The book, edited by public relations professional and business owner Gini Dietrich of Spin Sucks blog fame, is a collection of letters from 32 business leaders [...]]]></description>
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<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/s.jpg" rel="lightbox[1416]"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1417" title="Sharon Cain" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/s-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/questpr"><em>Quest PR</em></a><em> is delighted to be the only UK business included in the ebook<em> </em>Dear CEO: Letters to the C-Suite from Experts on Vision, Culture, Community, and Integration<em>.  </em></em></p>
<p><em>The book, edited by </em><em>public relations professional and business owner </em><a href="http://www.armentdietrich.com/gini_dietrich/"><em>Gini Dietrich</em></a><em> of </em><a href="http://spinsucks.com/"><em>Spin Sucks</em></a><em> blog fame, </em><em>is a collection of letters from</em><em> 32 business leaders who are experts on vision, culture, community, or integration <em>and offers honest and practical advice to CEO’s globally.  </em></em></p>
<p><em>It features advice on everything &#8211; from where to spend your marketing dollars and how to build community &#8211; to creating a customer-centric business and integrating all of your customer-facing departments into one hub. Some talk solely about social media, while others talk about how to integrate the old with the new.</em></p>
<p><em><strong>The first ten people to post their own Dear CEO tip on this blog post </strong></em><strong><em>will receive a free copy of the ebook</em></strong><em><strong>. </strong></em><strong><em>If you’d like to buy a copy of <strong>Dear CEO</strong> visit </em></strong><a href="http://www.spinsucks.com/e-book/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Spin Sucks</em></strong></a><strong><em>. </em></strong></p>
<p><em>Our latest blog post features the ebook contribution from our Quest PR MD Sharon Cain. </em></p>
<p><span id="more-1416"></span></p>
<p>“Dear CEO</p>
<p>“As a former TV journalist and ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’ who has harnessed the power of the media to promote my business – and clinched awards to attract new clients and great talent – I urge you not to slash your marketing and PR budgets this year or any coming year.</p>
<p>Positioning yourselves as experts in your respective industries across broadcast, trade and online media is key to achieving standout and being a magnet for great people to work with you.</p>
<p>With more proven case studies of social media attracting sales and accelerating profiling and expertise, the companies who fuse their marketing, traditional PR and social media are best placed to leapfrog their competitors. This ‘joined up’ approach using powerful content across multiple platforms will win time after time.</p>
<p>“Notwithstanding the dramatic changes – including the constant advancements in technology that our extraordinary business world is undergoing, some things remain reassuringly the same in that everyone loves working with winners and being associated with success. A traditional and proven way to achieve recognition and new clients is to scoop relevant industry and business awards to delight your clients and stakeholders. You can then maximise your success through your PR and social media platforms.</p>
<p>“With margins being squeezed and maximum value for minimum financial outlay being the mantra of this challenging climate, ensure that all your team are strong performers. Avoid making the common mistake that many– including myself – have made by hanging onto the wrong people for too long to the detriment of the business. Get shut fast, review your recruiting process and ensure your key players are involved in candidate interviews. Also steer clear of negative people – they drain businesses as opposed to energising them.</p>
<p>“Closely examine your role as a leader and establish exactly where you add value. Write down your ultimate goals and constantly eliminate or delegate any actions that may distract you from achieving these goals.</p>
<p>“Finally, as tough as it is out there, don’t let important things such as putting something back into your local communities slip off the agenda. There is more to business than making money and running an</p>
<p>ethical business that donates time and expertise to changing lives and communities for the better can inject new life into both benefactors and beneficiaries.”</p>
<p><em><strong>The first ten people to give us a Dear CEO tip in our comment box below </strong></em><strong><em>will receive a free copy of the ebook</em></strong><em><strong>. </strong></em><strong><em>If you’d like to buy a copy of <strong>Dear CEO</strong> visit </em></strong><a href="http://www.spinsucks.com/e-book/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Spin Sucks</em></strong></a><strong><em>. </em></strong></p>
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		<title>Hot social media trends from online marketing experts</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1394/hot-social-media-trends-from-online-marketing-experts/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1394/hot-social-media-trends-from-online-marketing-experts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:33:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sharon Cain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ashley U Porter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ching Ya]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Converse Digital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kikolani]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Krisiti Hines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ROI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social @ Blogging Tracker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media strategy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media trends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Martin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1394</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With more businesses adopting social media it’s helpful to receive insightful information about what’s hot &#8211; and what’s not. And with an estimated half a million bloggers posting 412 posts a minute and 312 comments a minute – learning from those ‘in the know’ takes on an ever increasing importance.  Our latest Quest PR post [...]]]></description>
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<p>With more businesses adopting social media it’s helpful to receive insightful information about what’s hot &#8211; and what’s not.</p>
<p>And with an estimated half a million bloggers posting 412 posts a minute and 312 comments a minute – learning from those ‘in the know’ takes on an ever increasing importance.  Our latest <a href="http://www.quest-pr.com/">Quest PR</a> post features some crystal gazing from respected online experts.        </p>
<p><strong><span id="more-1394"></span>Businesses that offer more personalisation and customisation will thrive</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Ashley-U-Porter.jpg" rel="lightbox[1394]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1397" title="Ashley U Porter" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Ashley-U-Porter.jpg" alt="" width="151" height="154" /></a><br />
Online marketing expert <a href="http://twitter.com/ashleyuporter">Ashley U Porter</a> says companies will see a tremendous increase in sales if they tailor their content to their markets. <a href="http://ashleyuporter.com/social-media-trends-prediction/">Social media platforms</a> such as LinkedIn and Facebook and whose goal is to connect people, have multiple ways of linking people with similar interests, therefore companies can harness this information to attract new business leads.</p>
<p><strong>Small businesses will stand a better chance of competing with bigger names<br />
</strong><br />
<a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Ching-Ya.jpg" rel="lightbox[1394]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1402" title="Ching Ya" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Ching-Ya.jpg" alt="" width="124" height="166" /></a><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/wchingya">Ching Ya</a>, author of <a href="http://www.wchingya.com/">Social @ Blogging Tracker</a>, believes that social media will be a <a href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-from-30-social-media-pros/">game changer</a> for many industries where small companies can rub shoulders with bigger organisations. As the old adage says: “It’s not what you’ve got but how you use it.”</p>
<p><strong>Companies generating powerful content will come out on top</strong><strong> </strong></p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Kristi-Hines.jpg" rel="lightbox[1394]"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1405" title="Kristi Hines" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Kristi-Hines.jpg" alt="" width="136" height="157" /></a><br />
Businesses will benefit from placing themselves as experts in their industry. Internet marketing specialist and author of <a href="http://kikolani.com/">Kikolani</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/kikolani">Kristi Hines</a> believes instead of pushing sales pitches, businesses will utilise social media to produce powerful content through blogs, ebooks, white papers and more. She says, “Content development is becoming popular and social promotion – when done correctly – is the best way to get your message out.”</p>
<p><strong>More pressure for social media platforms to deliver ROI </strong></p>
<p><a href="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Tom-Martin.jpg" rel="lightbox[1394]"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1407" title="Tom Martin" src="http://questprblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Tom-Martin-300x288.jpg" alt="" width="160" height="140" /></a><br />
<a href="http://twitter.com/TomMartin">Tom Martin</a> founder of social media marketing company <a href="http://www.conversedigital.com/">Converse Digital</a> says as more businesses begin to appreciate the value of social media, it’s vital that they evaluate the impact that these platforms are generating. </p>
<p>For more <a href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-from-30-social-media-pros/">social media predictions</a> sign up to our <a href="http://www.quest-pr.com/pr_services.php">workshops</a> and harness your social media skills to stay one step ahead of the game.</p>
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		<title>Are you maximising your industry expertise?</title>
		<link>http://questprblog.com/1345/are-you-maximising-your-industry-expertise/</link>
		<comments>http://questprblog.com/1345/are-you-maximising-your-industry-expertise/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:36:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sharon Cain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Online PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Celtic castles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Digital media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LinkedIn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Media Training]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quest PR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roger Masterson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[twitter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://questprblog.com/?p=1345</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The opportunities to position you and your business as an industry expert in today’s dynamic digital world have never been greater. The traditional media channels of print, trade, radio and TV and broadcast media channel  - now complemented by proven social media platforms such as blogs , video , Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn &#8211; enable [...]]]></description>
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<p>The opportunities to position you and your business as an industry expert in today’s dynamic digital world have never been greater.</p>
<p>The traditional media channels of print, trade, radio and TV and broadcast media channel  - now complemented by proven social media platforms such as <a href="http://www.whatifspecialist.com/">blogs</a> , <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipr2Whqjs4Y">video</a> , <a href="http://twitter.com/questpr">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://questprblog.com/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/sharoncainmdquestpr">LinkedIn</a> &#8211; enable us to be authorities in order to boost our profile, showcase our expertise &#8211; and act as a magnet for new business.</p>
<p>The vibrant online castle accommodation provider <a href="http://www.celticcastles.com/">Celtic Castles</a> headed by ‘The Castle Man’ <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermasterson">Roger Masterson</a> is a great example. Celtic Castles has dramatically accelerated its profile and sales since positioning Roger as the expert ‘Castle Man’ with a wealth of knowledge on the castles’ rich histories and facilities. He explains more to Quest’s Sharon Cain.</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="500" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KauhXk8HAPI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
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