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Blog #1

What is the most impactful lesson or experience you’ve had in your PR studies?

One of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned since studying Public Relations is how to relate to and empathize with others. Coming into college, I was extremely outspoken about my beliefs, values, standards, etc. and didn’t care who heard, what people thought, or how it made them feel. That all started changing when I realized that some of those beliefs I held so near and dear were shifting a little.

As I began my PR journey, I was taught to look at perceptions of companies, of people. What does (blank) thing say about them? What does (this one thing) give the impression of? All kinds of questions would race to my mind as a way to “protect” whatever brand it was from any doubts of their target audience. If I could think of every possible negative thing that could be said or questioned, I could do my job of protecting their image and brand. This was ingrained into the way I looked at companies and at people I interacted with on a daily basis — trying to see what they were doing that could be done better to give them the best perception possible.

After shifting my mindset this way when it came to brands, I unintentionally shifted my mindset the same way for myself. How did (such and such thing that I said) make this person feel? How could I have used my words better to explain how I felt? What can I do to place myself in their shoes and understand them better? These are the types of questions that have changed the way I interact with people on a daily basis. Sure, there are days I slip up and I don’t filter myself or my actions, but I’m constantly trying my best to improve upon my communication with others. And it’s all thanks to this little (or big) thing called public relations.

Blog #5

What would you love to learn how to do?

This is a question that I feel like I could have gone a million ways with. And honestly, the direction I’m going with it is probably something that many people would find extremely boring. But I look at it as my first steps toward freedom.

For a long time, I’ve been a part of a family that didn’t necessarily hurt for money. My parents have always taken care of the bills, provided spending money when I went on trips with friends or spent the afternoon at the mall. Money isn’t something I’ve ever been taught about. It was more just something I asked for and usually received it as long as my reasoning was good enough.

But a lot of that changed as I saw my older siblings get married and start their lives, both with some student debt they needed to pay off. I was exposed to the famous concepts of Dave Ramsey who inspires people to create budgets and boundaries with their money so they can one day be debt free. As I’ve watch on sibling pay off over 110k in student loan debt and another sibling start paving the way towards meeting a similar goal, I’ve really been inspired.

For me, it’s not about paying off debt. But it’s about using budgets and saving money for goals that I’ve set forth for myself. I’ve had many conversations with my siblings as I’ve been preparing to live on my own in a home I’m responsible for paying rent and utilities for. We’ve talked about what my short-term and long-term goals are in life. Do I want to get married in the next 5 years? I could start putting some money away for a wedding. Do I want to own a home in the next 10 years? I could start putting some money away for that, too. What about traveling and visiting friends who now live in different states? Save for that too.

I’m a person who needs structure and a place for everything. When I have a bunch of money sitting in my account that I’m not sure what to do with, I tend to spend it on a lot of things that I definitely don’t need. As I’ve began this process of budgeting and saving, I’ve learned so much about setting goals, prioritizing, etc. But as I said, to me it’s a means to financial freedom and being able to do what I want or need to do with the money I have.

Blog #4

As I scan the news, all I see is information about COVID-19. I hate to make this blog post about the same news we see plastered every place we turn, but I think that it’s important to find the good among the chaos and uncertainty. For that reason, I’d like to show some of the great things companies are doing to contribute to the relief efforts of this virus and families who have to make adjustments.

Upon first glace on Social Media Today’s website, the top 5 stories all have to do with this topic. Here’s the list:

TikTok Pledges $10 Million to World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Response Efforts
Google Pledges $800 Million to COVID-19 Relief and Support Efforts
Facebook Adds New Tools for Facebook Live Amid Rising Demand and Usage
Instagram Launches New Co-Watching Feature to Help Users Connect Amid COVID-19 Lockdowns
50 Must-Have Remote Working Tools and Apps

There have been so many impacts of this virus on different aspects of our lives, social media being one of them. Though it’s not the most important thing that’s been impacted, social media is what many people use as a form of contacting and updating people on what they’re doing. When the entire country is basically on a lockdown, more people than ever are turning to social media as a form of interaction as well as to preoccupy themselves during the day.

With the increase in users, each app is having to adapt so they can cater to their guests the best. Not to mention, internet providers are scrambling to make sure they can support the millions of people using it every day. I think this is important to notice and credit the companies for making a shift to cater to their users and make it the most enjoyable experience during these times.

Blog #3

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/contribute/

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/topic/content-marketing/

The blog I chose to write for is Social Media Today in the Content Marketing section. I chose this section because a lot of these blogs focus on tips for different aspects of media. The approach I want to take is content marketing for a sports team.

Begin blog submission:

What is one of the top things you think a fan of a sports team wants to see? Obviously, an actual game is up there at the top of the list. Specifically, on social media, they may want some game updates posted so they can check it every so often if they’re not able to sit down and physically watch the game. One other aspect that a lot of people forget that their fans want, is to know the team they’re supporting. But, what does this look like? Here are three ways you can open the door between the team you’re working for and their fanbase.

Player and Coach Profiles: This is one of the most personal ways you can allow your fanbase to feel like they really know not only the players they’re cheering for, but also the coaches. Find a time to film the player or coach answering a series of questions about their background, that they love about the program, what they love about fans, etc. Even finding a funny, random question such as, “what is your most embarrassing moment,” is something that can be asked and provide a lot of laughter. It also shows vulnerability and trust in your fanbase, that the player or coach is willing to open up about different aspects of their life.

Behind-the-Scenes of Practices or Events: Fans always want to know what it’s like to be a part of the team, what their practices are like, or what happens behind-the-scenes of events they attend. Utilize Instagram Stories or bring a videographer along to make a video out of the experience. Showcases drills from a practice or team huddles allows the viewer to see just how much hard work goes into training, as well as the bond of the team. When you follow along behind-the-scenes of an event they’re attending, it shows the perks and the glamour of what they’re doing. But, volunteering for charity or at a nursing home could also qualify as an event. Show your players and coaches interacting with others and volunteering to let their fanbase see the good work they do outside of training and playing games.

Funny Videos or Bloopers: We’re all human. Sometimes, fans idolize the athletes they’re watching and forget that in some cases, they’re half their age and just trying to do their best. Create a video with funny clips throughout the season, whether they’re from practices, games, events, etc. Showcase the players’ and the coaches’ personalities.

Blog #2

This past week, a video went viral. This video showed a 9-year-old boy with dwarfism, Quaden Bayles, saying he wanted to die due to the bullying he endured at school. Celebrities started pouring out their support, even to the point of raising thousands of dollars to send this bullied little boy to Disney. But a few days later, the question of Quaden’s age started circulating the internet.

Within hours, the tragedy people saw in the initial video was compromised and considered suspicious. This was all because one person spread unverified information that had potential to be true.

Today, I read an article written by Daily Mail that provided 5 instances which dispute the information provided by the original source that called Quaden’s age into question. With appearances on television and posts from his mother on social media, the timeline of his age adds up.

The other problem people had with this is that Quaden is a model and makes a fairly good amount of money from it. Having a vacation paid for to Disney when he has enough money to pay for it himself caused problems for some. But, is it wrong to let people do something nice for you? Just because you’re a model, does that mean you don’t have mental health problems and daily struggles?

The biggest takeaway from this story that I have is how one person’s criticism can taint the credibility of a person in a rapid-fire way. How do we as PR professionals control the narrative of a client or even be prepared for something to take a turn in the wrong direction? These are the questions that really made me think about how I can utilize the skills I’ve been given to be prepared for anything in the future.