The amount of Twitter followers and the amount of people you are following brings up the old battle between quantity vs. quality. Can you have too many Twitter followers? Apparently, yes you can. According to Josh Lyons blog, “Trailblaze Social Media with Josh,” the quality of Twitter followers or the quality of people you are following is far more important than the amount. In fact, according to Lyons, following too many people on Twitter can make the account look like a spammer. Twitter efforts will be more effective if messages are tailored accordingly and reaching the actual audience they are intended for. Lyons offers a couple tips to consider before going on your next Twitter following binge:

• Keep the follower/following ratio close. Not more than a 10% difference
• Go to Twellow and follow your target audience. Follow 50-100 people a day

For the blog and more information visit http://joshuajlyons.wordpress.com/.

JeffCutler #jpeeve @spj_tweets sources who promise you info and then avoid you for days as the clock keeps ticking

Huskyswag @spj_tweets local releases from places thousands of miles away #jpeeve

Worldisstatic Most things celeb-related + using Twitter as a legitimate “source.” #jpeeve RT @spj_tweets Do you have a #journalism pet peeve? Use #jpeeve.

newsjunkie365 @suzanneyada: When a journalist talks about the media as if they’re not actually a part of it. #jpeeve

jeffsonderman “Professional” journalists who hate on amateur journalists with fear, instead of embracing them with hope. #jpeeve

therealalyshea @spj_tweets sources who insist on talking off the record before they talk on the record. #jpeeve

loudandskittish @lavrusik Add to that:  “Future of Journalism” writers who only write about what WON’T work #jpeeve

To join the journalist pet peeve (#jpeeve) conversation visit http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23jpeeve.

Meet the Pro:

Name:  Christine Perkett
Title:  CEO and Founder
Company:  PerkettPR

It’s Business Time:

How long have you been in public relations?
16 years

Client Base Includes:
We work with both start ups and established companies worldwide − crossing technology, healthcare, higher education, consumer, and lifestyle industries.

Area(s) of Expertise:
Technology products and services, telco, security, CRM, healthcare services and products, location-based services, online communities, and sales and marketing software

What are some common mistakes you made as a younger PR professional, and how do you suggest people avoid them?
I am lucky that I didn’t make any huge mistakes that are memorable.  I’d say the biggest mistake in general was not speaking up or pushing back.  This includes pushing back on managers when I knew we were going about something the wrong way.  I’d see managers “yes’ing” the client to death and putting us in position of failure − either to not please the client or to not please the media, for example.  It also includes pushing back on media − when a reporter gets aggressive or angry about not getting an exclusive, for example.  PR executives need thick skin − and we can’t be “yes men,” we have to be strategic and that means pushing back on a client who hired us for our expertise or a reporter who’s asking for something we can’t deliver.

I’d advise younger PR professionals to learn early how to find their own voice and use it − wisely, of course, which means offering an alternative solution or better idea when you do speak up.  Don’t be afraid to make suggestions − I love suggestions that are for the greater good.

What suggestions do you have to make and maintain positive relationships in the work environment, with the media, or within the industry as a whole?
Give back and recognize people − I think that’s the theme today.  I see so much more of it in social networks.  I joke around that I’m closer than ever to industry colleagues − my “frenemies” − but it’s a great thing because we’re learning from each other as we share insights, advice, and accomplishments.  Not so much failures − no one seems to want to share those (laughs).  By giving back I mean, congratulate your colleagues (in your company and your industry), read/comment/share reporters’ articles all the time − not just when you want to pitch them, and get to know people.  Ask about them, comment on what they’re doing − pay attention to others and let them know they matter to you.  Celebrate others.  It’s not hard − but it makes a big difference.

What is your favorite part of your job?
Rewarding employees − especially when it’s unexpected − who truly deserve it (internally); hearing genuine happiness from clients when, together, we succeed (externally)…  And having clients come back to us time and time again because clearly, they believe in our work.  That’s an awesome feeling.

Up Close and Personal:

Home state: I grew up in Illinois, Wyoming, and Michigan.  I left college for a while and moved to Connecticut.  The longest place I’ve ever lived is Massachusetts, so I guess it depends on your definition of “home.”

College: Ferris State University − Big Rapids, MI

Favorite thing(s) to do when not at the office:
Get out on the ocean on our boat

What’s the last book you read?
I just re-read “Competing on the Edge:  Strategy as Structured Chaos” − it deals with managing amidst high velocity change, which I think the PR industry is facing right now

If you could travel anywhere, where would go you, and why?
I’d like to escape to Bora Bora and stay in one of those glass-bottom huts - with no phone, no laptop.  Just my husband.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A fashion designer

If you were to describe yourself as an ice-cream flavor, what flavor would you be and why?
Ben & Jerry’s “Everything but the…” because it’s got a lot going on, and so do I

Vantage Communications is celebrating its 20th anniversary by giving back to the industry.  The ‘20/20’ contest includes a package of 20 hours of the company’s services per month for six months and will be awarded to the most compelling entry.  Any technology company who does not currently have PR representation is encouraged to enter.  The most compelling entry will win a PR campaign for six months.

For details visit: http://www.pr-vantage.com/free-pr-contest/

Follow Vantage on Twitter and Facebook for regular contest updates.

Good luck!

So, if e-readers are changing the way the masses are consuming news and information, they are also affecting the PR industry. While one major aspect of PR is disseminating that news and information, the another is surveying people’s reactions and attitudes towards that information.

Sideways, the first magazine exclusively available for the iPad, made its debut in June 2010. The magazine’s creators set out to create an innovative reading experience that focused on interactivity to enrich both the solitary and social experience of reading. This interactive reading experience lends itself perfectly for feedback and surveys — Sideways jumped right to it. The July issue surveyed readers and harvested a 20 percent response rate. The impressive response rate shows that iPad users and possibly any e-reader device users are more willing to fill out surveys and provide information in that format as opposed to online surveys.

It will be interesting to see how quickly the industry will adapt to this new medium and method of collecting survey results – and how long it will remain effective.

For more information about Sideways visit http://www.sideways.com/index.html

The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 500 telephone interviews — approximately 375 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees..

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, “How challenging is it for you to stay current on social media trends?” Their responses:
Very challenging 9%
Somewhat challenging 56%
Not challenging 35%

Advertising and marketing executives also were asked, “What do you consider the single best resource for staying current on social media trends?”  Their top responses included:

Conferences or seminars 23%
Networking events or industry associations
meetings 18%
Webinars or online training 17%
Trade publications 15%
Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn posts 14%
Blogs 7%

So what do you think?  Are conferences and events really the best way to stay current or do you have other tried and true methods?

Forbes Magazine has announced that all reporters will now be required to maintain an active blog as part of their completely refurbished blog section of their Web site. Forbes is showing the industry exactly what’s next – traditional and online media becoming more interchangeable than ever.

The forced change makes sense. The best way for traditional media to reenergize is to adapt to the industry trends. Writers should be writing no matter what the medium, and any opportunity for writers to connect with readers is sure to be beneficial for business.

So what’s next?  Are more publications to follow?

To check out Forbes’ blogs visit http://bfn.forbes.com/.

The survey’s quick — takes just five minutes — and as a thank you for their time, each journalist who completes the survey will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift card.

Voting is for journalists only,  so PR pros — send the link to your top journalists now. Votes from this survey directly influence the 2010 Top Tech Communicator awards winners, to be announced this fall.

Journalists can vote at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22AXQ8M6RX9?S=[D].

**Please note:  only legit responses from verified publications/journalist e-mail addresses will be represented in the results.  Non-journalists are not eligible for the Amazon.com gift card

• How the Faceboook PR team uses Facebook in daily activities
• How to live stream your event on Facebook
• How media organizations are using Facebook tools to increase traffic
• A video post of an event for PR professionals at Facebook headquarters
  

Facebook for PR’s fan count is over 6,500 fans and growing by the second. The page will be used to share what they have learned about creating social content, promoting events, optimizing pages, and integrating with tools off of Facebook.  Now, PR professionals have a new resource for innovative social media advice from the people who have clearly mastered it.

When it comes to PR measurement, the only thing that’s currently clear is the lack of standardization. However, it seems that PR is taking a step forward in determining standards and methods as a whole.

Most recently, Weber Shandwick  announced its endorsement of the “Barcelona Principles” for effective public relations measurement.  The seven fundamental principles were formally published last week after being adopted in mid-June by 200 delegates from 33 countries at the 2nd annual European Summit on Measurement.  The Institute for PR, the Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communications (AMEC), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO), and the Global Alliance all support the common standards.

The seven fundamental principles include:

· Importance of Goal Setting and Measurement

· Measuring the Effect on Outcomes is Preferred to Measuring Outputs

· The Effect on Business Results Can and Should Be Measured Where Possible

· Media Measurement Requires Quantity and Quality

· Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) is not the Value of Public Relations

· Social Media Can and Should be Measured

· Transparency and Replicability are Paramount to Sound Measurement

So if there still isn’t standardized measurement, what does this all mean? It’s all open to interpretation, but at the moment it seems to be a step in the right direction.  Now it’s about further defining each principle and assigning designated actions and practices.