By: Ines TorresInstagram is a growing social media platform and has become a place where you can brand yourself. I consistently receive compliments and questions on how I am able to make my Instagram so “me.” Here are four tips and tricks on how to effectively portray your own brand on Instagram!
1. Have a catchy bio A good Instagram bio is so important! It reflects a piece of who you are. Choose witty words that represent what you do or like. For example, I am Christian, and my faith is the biggest part of me. I also love coffee and cannot live without it being the sleepless and busy person I am. So, I combined the two in my caption and made it short and cute. “All I need is a little bit of coffee & a whole lotta Jesus.” 2. Choose your color palette and filter People only take a few seconds to look at your page and immediately decide if you are someone they want to follow or not. This is why photos on your page should look cohesive. Remain consistent with your color palette and filters. A great and easy photo editing app I recommend is VSCO. There is almost an endless array of filters you can create. If you are not sure where to begin, take a look at this Pinterest Page that has so many ideas for your very own filters to create on VSCO. 3. Creating your feed It is hard to determine if your pictures will look cohesive next to each other on your page. This is where the UNUM app comes in. It is a free app that is specifically designed to see how your photos will look next to each other before posting. You can move your photos around and place them where they look and fit best. With this handy tool, you will not have to wonder what to post next! 4. Use relevant hashtags Now that you have established what to show your viewers, it is important that you reach the right audience. A good way to use hashtags is to only use relevant words to those who you want to attract. Don’t go all willy nilly and write all the hashtags you can think of. Also, do not use the exact same hashtags for all of your posts. The reason being, the Instagram algorithm will think you are spam and decrease your reach. Therefore, customize your hashtags according to your post. For more about organic growth, check out Vanessa Lau’s YouTube channel where she goes into more detail about all things Instagram. These are just a few recommendations but there are so many similar apps out there. Just explore and you will find what is right for you. Have fun with all these tips and soon you’ll find the perfect way to brand yourself.
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By: Ines Torres de Jesus The thought of running a national, pre-professional organization on your campus may seem overwhelming and quite scary. While it will have its challenges, don’t let a little challenge discourage you from continuing and enhancing your Chapter. It will be one of the most rewarding experiences you will have during your college career. When I ran for Chapter president it was something I didn’t think twice about. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect or what I had gotten myself into. Now, I know that it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The following advice is from my personal experience, but I sincerely hope these tips encourage you to follow your goals and prepare you for your journey as Chapter president.
1. Know Your Voice
By: Johan Alfaro  Kris Ruby, CEO and owner of Ruby Media Group, delivered a masterclass to Prof. Newton’s Digital Public Relations Toolbox class via Facebook live this past Wednesday. Ruby is one of America’s pre-eminent social media professionals and is a frequent on-air TV contributor and expert on social media, tech trends and crisis communications. Ruby dropped priceless knowledge to the class through a Q&A format, allowing students to ask any questions they had about PR misconceptions, career advice and the future of the field. The first major topic she touched on was the misunderstandings people have about PR. She shared that the number one misconception is the belief that PR officials control what the media shares, when in reality the media control what is disseminated, not PR’s. PR professionals pitch stories to the media and the media determines what stories they want to share. She stated her personal agency’s mission and internal process is to “package, pitch, and promote.” “No matter how great our pitch is, if we look at the impeachment hearings right now, 4pm is not the ideal time to be pitching the media about someone winning an award, because I know the media cycle is going to be focusing on impeachment hearings,” Ruby explained. Strategizing in PR was a topic that Ruby emphasized throughout the conversation and class. She advised that as a publicist and PR practitioner, one needs to constantly strategize when and where we are going to push our messages. When asked about what she reads to stay informed, she stated that she has Google Alerts set up for various parts of the industry, plus her client’s industries as well. She advised that learning and becoming an expert on your client’s industries is key, and that she enjoys getting new information about SEO, algorithms, and social media changes on a daily basis. “Those are the things that I need to read to be informed about PR strategies for clients,” Ruby said. She recommended the class listen to her podcast with Inbound Success about who should consider using PR, when to use it, how much you should expect to pay, and what kinds of results you should expect if you hire an agency. You can listen to that podcast episode here “Public Relations Podcast Inbound PR.” Another topic that Ruby touched on was truth and ethics in the field of media relations. As the middleman between clients and the media, PR professionals have the ethical responsibility to make sure the truth is always clearly communicated to the media. “You need to have a solid understanding of ethics in PR,” Ruby advised. “I think that if you have that, then it can drive everything else that you do. The truthful way is always the best way for longevity as a public relations professional.”. She concluded by telling the class her thoughts on where the media is growing in the industry and the future of PR. She sees podcasts as the most evolving media tool in PR, which she believes is helping educate and combat stereotypes about the field. Ruby sees sites like Ancestry.com and genealogy platforms becoming the next big popular platforms. If you missed the Facebook Live PR class with Kris Ruby and want to hear everything she had to say about the realities of PR, you can still watch it on the Ruby Media Group Facebook page here. ABOUT KRIS RUBY KRIS RUBY is the CEO of Ruby Media Group, an award-winning public relations and social media agency. She has more than 12 years of experience in the PR industry and has secured massive earned media wins for clients looking to increase exposure in the media. Ruby is also a national television commentator and political commentator. She has appeared on Fox News 100-plus times covering big tech bias, politics and social media. She is a sought-after digital strategist and consultant who delivers high-impact social media training programs for executives. Over the past decade, Ruby has consulted with small- to large-scale businesses, including Equinox and IHG Hotels. She has led the social media strategy for Fortune 500 companies as well as private medical practices, and is a social media strategist with 10-plus years building successful brands. She graduated from Boston University’s College of Communication with a major in public relations and is a founding member of The Young Entrepreneurs Council.  By: Johan Alfaro Kris Ruby, CEO and owner of Ruby Media Group, delivered a masterclass to Prof. Newton’s Digital Public Relations Toolbox class via Facebook live this past Wednesday. Ruby is one of America’s pre-eminent social media professionals and is a frequent on-air TV contributor and expert on social media, tech trends and crisis communications.
Ruby dropped priceless knowledge to the class through a Q&A format, allowing students to ask any questions they had about PR misconceptions, career advice and the future of the field. The first major topic she touched on was the misunderstandings people have about PR. She mentioned that the number one misconception is the belief that PR officials control what the media reports, when what they really do is package, pitch, and promote what the media decides to run through. “No matter how great our package is, if we look at the impeachment hearings right now, 4pm is not the ideal time to be pitching the media about someone winning an award, because I know the media cycle is going to be focusing on the impeachment hearings,” Ruby explained. Strategizing was a topic that Ruby emphasized throughout the conversation. She advised that as a publicist and PR official, one needs to constantly strategize when and where we are going to push our messages. When asked about what she reads to stay informed, she stated that she has Google alerts set up for various parts of the industry, plus her client’s industries. She advised that learning and becoming an expert on your client’s industries is key, and that she enjoys getting new information about SEO, algorithms, and social media changes on a daily basis. “I feel that those are the things that I really need to read to actually be informed about PR strategies for clients,” Ruby said. She recommended the class listen to her podcast with Inbound Success about who should consider using PR, when to use it, how much you should expect to pay, and what kinds of results you should expect. Another topic that Ruby touched was on understanding the truth and ethics. As the middleman between clients and the media, PR professionals have the ethical responsibility to make sure the truth is being sent to the media. “You need to have a solid understanding of ethics in PR,” Ruby advised. “I think that if you have that, then it can drive everything else that you do. The truthful way is the best way for longevity as a public relations professional.”. She concluded by telling the class her thoughts on where the media is growing the most in PR and what online platform she believes will be the next big thing. She sees podcasts as the most evolving media tool in PR, which she believes is helping educate and combat stereotypes about the field. Ruby sees sites like Ancestry.com and family tree sites becoming the next big popular platform. If you missed the Facebook Live chat with Kris Ruby and want to hear everything she had to say about the realities of PR, you can still watch it on the Ruby Media Group Facebook page. Influencers and companies now bank off of the social media platform creating content that is profitable. By: Matthew Buddhasiri  When Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom first thought of the concept for Instagram in 2010 (then called “Burbn” after his affinity for Kentucky Whiskeys) never did he imagine it would become the powerful marketing and promotional tool it has become today. Initially, Instagram was designed as an iPhone app in which the users can edit and post photos to their profiles for their “followers” to see and admire.
Today major companies such as Starbuck, Sephora, and Disney all are using this platform to help promote and sell their products. This new era of self-promotion has also caused the phenomenon of the “influencer,” which is a person with a large following who has great influence over the public and can help to better sell and promote the products due to their knowledge and credibility on the specific topic. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and her sister Kylie Jenner have both created multi-billion dollar beauty empires with the use of their Instagram accounts, using that very concept of self-promotion and turning it into a lucrative business. At any time during the day, if you click on the Instagram stories of Kim or Kylie, you will find at least one of the PR savvy sisters pitching a new beauty product they have coming out to their millions of followers, which in turn creates free publicity and exposure for their products that sell out in minutes. Beauty powerhouse Sephora is also in on the game. They continue to do successful collaborations and numerous campaigns with up-and-coming beauty influencers to promote the sale of their beauty products and makeup. The company creates various sweepstakes and give-away incentives that create engagement with their followers who are quick to purchase an item just to be a part of the contests. With over 18 million followers on Instagram and countless incentive programs, it’s easy to see why the brand is at the top of their game. With a phone in everyone’s hands these days, everyone has the chance to use Instagram as their platform to promote and sell. Who knows...maybe one of you reading this right now will be the world’s next self-made billionaire. Smaller Niche Media like Podcasts are Better than TV Shows. By Victoria Casillas  It is becoming more and more uncommon to hear someone say they watch cable television or listen to talk radio. But where are these people now getting their information on niche topics? Podcasts.
Podcasting is fairly new to the media world, but it is quickly becoming a common source for individuals. Beginning as a way for professors to record their lectures in college, podcasts started taking off in the mainstream around 2011. Today there are podcasts about almost every topic. And Podcasts are especially convenient because they can be listened to wherever you are. It is a useful way to become educated on whatever interests you while on your commute to work or school. That is partially why podcasting is gaining listeners over talk radio and television. Finding a podcast that emphasizes a specific genre or topic helps minimize the unwanted content that may come across broader media channels. The vast amount of information that is offered via the internet primes users to want only the information on the very specific topics in which they are interested. Additionally, streaming services like Hulu and Netflix offer their users a variety of shows and movies on demand, making it more convenient and affordable to invest in a membership with these platforms, as opposed to an overpriced cable service. “It is important to be educated on podcasting so we [PR people] have more to offer,” said Justin Richmond, producer of the podcast “Broken Record” and a journalism professor at CSULB teaching podcasting and multimedia courses. Richmond was a guest speaker for a Journalism 470 course in September and spoke about the “come up” of podcasting and how it’s in its toddler stage of changing the marketing game. He further offered that being educated in podcasting will develop creativity in the field and bring further success. Not sure where to begin when trying to find a podcast? Our CSULB Journalism Professor Justin Richmond can be heard on the “Revisionist History” podcast in the episode “In a Metal Mood.” This episode discusses cultural appropriation through the lenses of Pat Boone, Elvis Presley and Taco Bell. Check out their website at revisionhistory.com for more detailed information on what this podcast is about. How does PR play a role for schools and individual athletes? By: Jocelyn Castillo  On Monday September 30, California became the first state to allow NCAA athletes to profit from endorsements, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into a law a new bill. The bill allows players to receive endorsement deals, and profit from their name, image and likeness.
Newsom signed the bill during an episode of “The Shop,” a talk show from digital sports media company Uninterrupted. Gov. Newsom appeared alongside former NCAA athletes, including Los Angeles Lakers’ Lebron James, Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi, former UCLA basketball star Ed O’ Bannon and former UCLA viral gymnast star Katelyn Ohashi. While the episode aired on Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported that the signing was recorded on Friday. The law will not go into effect until 2023. But, colleges, athletes and the NCAA are all starting to think about how this will change collegiate sports and the individual effects it will have on all three. There are both positive and negative reactions to this bill. The NCAA has stated that there should be a “clear distinction between collegiate and professional opportunities.” Many are saying that the bill could be life changing for young student athletes, especially for those of lower socio-economic backgrounds. While the bill is new, this is not a new subject that is being discussed. For a long time, people have questioned the “fairness” that comes with schools and organizations profiting off of these scholar-athletes. Now, here’s where public relations comes into the picture. With college students being able to profit off of their name and likeness, they are essentially becoming a brand and it will be beneficial for them to know how to properly manage themselves as a brand and a business. While almost all universities have a public relations team that serves to promote the school, raise awareness of alumni events, and even to clean up crisis moments, not too many schools offer an undergraduate public relations program. With scholar-athletes entering the influncer/celebrity realm, it will be important for them to have access to resources, such as classes and professors, that can provide them with knowledge on how to manage their brand. Such students should be interested in pursuing minors or majors in public relations as it will be to their benefit. It almost makes sense to say that all scholar athletes should be required to take one or two public relations courses. With this new law coming into effect in the next few years, we can hope to see an increase in schools offering public relations degrees and minors as well as an increase in the public relations field itself. High fashion can afford to go plus-sized. By: Shani Crooks  I’ll never forget this moment. I’m out with a group of friends from work. We were sipping on cocktails too weak for their price point, munching on greasy foods that we would regret eating in the morning, and listening to music that our parents would not approve of. Three men came over to the table, we all knew why they were there and it wasn’t to get married. And as a desperate attempt to make small talk, theyasked us where we worked. We all responded Saks Fifth Avenue. The men then told us how jealous they were, to which everyone at the table laughed and said their entire paychecks went to buying designer clothes. I couldn’t join in on the conversation. I weighed 197 pounds at the time and wore a size 13 in pants. Luxury fashion houses did not make clothes my size. I then vividly remember looking around the table and I noticed that all my friends were dressed as if they personally knew Donatella Versace. I however, was wearing a cheap polka-dot shirt and white capris pants from Rainbow. We were not equally yoked and it was obvious. I never felt more disgusted with my weight and more isolated than in that moment. Fast forward to the present, and curves are in. More and more women are embracing their body sizes in fact, #bodypositivity is a daily trending hashtag. The celebrities that we idolize now have curves for days and junk in their trunks. While the plus-size fashion industry is booming, high-end fashion brands, like Prada, do not make or carry anything beyond a size 8 (if you get lucky enough you might find a size 12). While my bank account could kiss the feet of the designers who refuse to make clothing for plus-sized women, my intuition is telling me that it is time to make a change.  Brands like Lane Bryant, Torrid, and Fashion Nova have proved that there is a market for plus-sized fashion and curvy women are willing to pay big bucks for it. I understand that these luxury fashion houses have a brand identity to maintain, but upping the size of a pencil skirt won’t make it any less of a pencil skirt. Adding additional sizes to their repertoire won’t make them any less high fashion. Having a curvy woman in your dress won’t make it any less desirable.
A PR campaign is necessary for these brands to successfully transition into the plus-sized market. Here are the seven things they need to do to run a successful campaign: 1. Understand that all curvy women are not shaped the same. 2. Get top plus size models to be in your campaign, like Ashley Graham, Tabria or Majors. 3. Hire photographers that specialize in shooting curvy women. 4. Cater to women in their 30’s - 50’s. They have an eye for high-end fashion, can afford it, and their bodies are not what they used to be. 5. Run a print campaign (Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar are a necessity!) 6. Have a niche, never-before-seen runway show. 7. Use celebrities like Adele to wear these clothes on the red carpet. If these brands execute this PR campaign well, they will gain pounds, British pounds. There is so much money to be made in plus-sized fashion and we are all anxiously waiting for the first brand to do it. Let’s face it, Popeye’s is about to re-launch their chicken sandwich, plus-sized women are here to stay and PR can help these brands get with the program. By Lindsey Gallimore  College is the time to learn as many new skills as possible; and adding a minor in addition to your major or even doubling majoring is a brilliant way to do so. Here are four reasons why you should consider adding a minor or even double majoring:
1. Extra Networking When you only have a major you are limited to one department in terms of networking. But by adding a minor you are opening yourself up to meeting numerous new professors and students. By adding a minor or major you are expanding your network and being introduced to people you never would have met otherwise. While you can successfully network within only one department, being able to network in two different departments on campus will allow you to immensely expand your network. 2. Learn New Skills By adding a minor or another major you are gaining even more knowledge. College is the time to learn as much as possible so why not take advantage of the time and money you’re spending on college to learn as much as you possibly can. You can never learn “too much” in college, so why not gain as many new skills as you possibly can? 3. Gain Information on Specific Fields If your major is PR and you are interested in specializing in one certain area you might want to consider choosing a minor in that field. For example, if you want to work within the music industry you might want to consider minoring in a music related program. Doing this would give you more knowledge in the field you are interested in and might set you above other candidates when it comes to finding a job/internship because you will be knowledgeable not only in PR but in the specific field of PR you are interested in. 4. Personal Growth Finally, one of the best and possibly most overlooked reasons to add a minor or double major is for your own personal growth. Maybe your minor or double major has absolutely nothing to do with your future career choice but is always something you have been interested in. In that case, go for it! If you truly enjoy your minor, you will have fun with it and everyone should have some fun in their college career. If you have the option to take classes just for fun that will also count for credit, go for it! Maybe you won’t learn anything for your future career, but you might learn something about yourself. College is the perfect time to not only learn new skills but to also grow as a person as well. So even if adding a minor or major won’t help your future career, if it is something you love learning about, why not go for it? What do you have to lose? By Michelle Hauff  It’s 2019 and Podcasts are quickly becoming the cream-of-the-crop of the media broadcasting world, if they haven’t already. For the public relations professional, the medium has much to offer. From an additional platform to reach audiences to a place for insider industry news podcasts are becoming a replacement for the water-cooler conversations in the reusable-water-bottle-toting, ever-evolving, modern workplace. If you haven’t jumped on the podcast bandwagon yet, this list is the perfect place to test the (free!) waters.
“The Daily” Okay, here’s the deal. As a human, you should be listening to The Daily, well, daily. Host Michael Barbaro gives in-depth coverage of the most important happenings in the world and why they matter. The podcast is powered by the New York Times which means: 1) It’s legit, and 2) tTey have an extensive network of journalists stationed all around the world, so you get the real picture fast. Consider it your duty as a citizen to be informed of the world around you. You’re welcome! Start here: “The Life and Death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi” “Detail Therapy with Amy Landino” Amy Landino is out to make you a better person, and all you need to do is listen to her podcast. Detail Therapy offers in-depth interviews with gamechanger entrepreneurs of all kinds and delves into what makes them so great. If you’re looking for a little life-inspo for people who do it well, look no further than Detail Therapy. Start here: Dr. Debi Silber – The Art of Emotional Intelligence “Invisibilia” I think it’s safe to say that by understanding the underlying impulses of human behavior and the themes that shape our culture, you can become better at understanding key audiences and their behavior. However, that is no simple task. Thankfully, “Invisibilia” produced by NPR is here for you. It explores complex themes like predicting uncertainty, real life vs. online presence and how avoiding pain has shaped our culture. Learning to understand human motives can take you from simply working in public relations to a true professional. Start here: Post, Shoot “How I built This” with Guy Raz The infamous Guy Raz, host of “TED Radio Hour” created “How I Built This” to dig up the history of amazing innovators and their businesses. On the podcast, he interviews the likes of Shopify creator Tobias Lutke, James Dyson of Dyson products, and Jeremy Stoppelman, the guy behind Yelp. The point of the show is to get the story of their journey, the ups, the downs, the real ugly of what it took to get them where they are today. This one is for those who aren’t afraid to dream big. Start Here: Serial Entrepreneur: Marcia Kilgore “PR With the Pros” This last podcast is brought to you by PRSA, so you know its quality. It’s made with students in mind and offers glimpses into the life of a professional in the field of public relations and their strategies for success. This podcast is great if you want the true rundown of a PR career and also serves as a reminder of the many benefits of joining PRSA and PRSSA for your future. Start Here: PR With The Pros: Steve Radick What podcasts are you listening to? Add your recommendations in the comments below. |
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