Kris Ruby digs into the truth of PR for Journalism 470 students via Facebook Live

​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.