The social media press release is one of my favorite topics. When Maggie Fox, Collin Douma and the crew at Social Media Group released Digital Snippets (TM) back in December, the SMPR became a frequently discussed topic again after a few months of dormancy. The end result of that flurry of interest has been the recent news that the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) is leading the charges to try and standardize a format.

I met up with Maggie and Collin at South by Southwest (SXSW) last week to chat about Digital Snippets, SMPRs, the IABC and more.

The standardization effort from the IABC group is worth watching, but a little disconcerting to me. Standardization implies conformity and the output of each effort in the arena of social media press releases, and Digital Snippets for that matter, varies depending upon the audience, intent, client and more. My hope is that the group will not put the SMPR in a box and say, “If it doesn’t fit in there, it’s not right.” Judging by the panel working on the effort, led by friends and leaders in this effort Brian Solis, Chris Heuer and Todd Defren, among others, it’s in good hands.

More information about the social media press release can be found here, here and here. The IABC’s group work will be chronicled here. For more on Digital Snippets, visit them at digitalsnippets.com or learn about the Social Media Group and their work at SocialMediaGroup.ca.

Technorati Tags: Digital Snippets, social media press release, social media release, smpr, IABC, Maggie Fox, Collin Douma, Jason Falls, SME-TV

By Jason Falls and Geoff Livingston (Posted simultaneously on The Buzz Bin)The following chart from eMarketer.com shows a Burst Media survey indicating the best source for automotive information according to U.S. in-market internet users in December.

The most trusted place? Websites that other than an automobile company’s site (and blog). Thirty-nine percent — much higher than even the 14 percent of friends and family — said they go to automotive websites to find out information about cars and trucks. Certainly Consumer Reports might be included in that array. Auto company websites came in fourth place at just over nine percent.

GM’s WOM Approach

Public relations and marketing pros should be able to recognize this trend. It’s an old one.The credibility of earned media versus paid-for or corporate generated content.Instead of print, now we’re talking about it online.Earned media has always been the heart of brand credibility and word of mouth buzz.

Ironically, this data comes on the heels of the recent Washington Auto show. Geoff took time sit down with GM’s, Mark LaNeve, GM’s head of marketing and advertising, Beth Lowery, GM’s environmental and technology officer and Christopher Barger, director of Global Communication Technology (and social media lead).

In discussions with the three executives it became apparent that their social media strategy 1) understood and recognized this important survey’s results, and 2) that social media was part of a much larger word of mouth strategy.

Chris highlighted their strategy involves getting beyond the company’s blogs (most notably Fastlane) to engage other bloggers and influential writers.The company believes in social networks, and rather creating its own effort, has sought out communities that have already formed (for example user groups on Facebook). These moves acknowledge that GM understands its own social media efforts are not enough to foster necessary Word of Mouth. GM needs other voices.

Further, GM understands that the heart of WOM is great product.Over and over again LaNeve and Lowery discussed great marketing began with product design. GM’s cars are the heart of their strategy. By creating dynamic cars and then getting them into consumers hands, GM believes its marketing will take of.

Lowery said that design is driving the story, that great experiences – reality – was driving the company’s buzz. They are trying to engage their customers one car at a time. Internet experience and excitement is created from the driving experience. And consider just a few of the many, many results:

• Crave on the CTS
• The Konformist on the Chevy Malibu
• Autoblog Green on the Hummer HX concept

The company is also much more transparent about its design process, making its challenges and hopes open. Lowery says transparency is engaging suppliers and customers alike, bringing them into the process.

Sound familiar?GM’s onto something and its no coincidence that its WOM strategy is working.They are focused on great products, engaging their community on its terms, and fostering excitement.

Another Argument For Context In Social Media Releases

The conversation about social media releases (SMRs) was rekindled with the Social Media Group’s launch of Digital Snippets ™ (created for Detroit’s other automotive giant, Ford). One of Jason’s suggestions for improved future versions of SMRs was more context. And now that suggestion is supported by these findings.

By offering third-party information, placing Ford’s sales pitch materials in proper context within the industry or even model category, the Digital Snippets effort could provide prospective buyers (or interested bloggers) with a framework for their claims, or at least a viewpoint other than Ford’s.

Ford would bolster the trust factor users of the Digital Snippets effort have for the company and make this valuable online resource feel more like a reliable place to find information than the obviously less-trusted company website (i.e. sales pitch).

Context is based on community-first principles. Companies have every right to say “no” to linking to reviews and perspectives that don’t uphold claims their product is better or best. Yes, we would absolutely produce a digital media resource for a client that lacked context if that’s what they insisted upon.

But when consumers say very clearly they trust third-party information more than the company’s in the industry in question, context can only make the company resource resonate more effectively.

Technorati Tags: word of mouth, GM Fastlane, General Motors, Ford, socialmediarelease, social media release, digital media resource, social media, public relations, PR, Geoff Livingston, Jason Falls

Encouraging the evolution of breakthroughs in technology, be it gadgets, processes or just theories, is what defines thought leadership. Maggie Fox and the Social Media Group have done just that with the recent launch of Digital Snippets, a progress milestone in the evolution of the social media press release (or just social media release) and newsroom. They should be applauded and thanked for doing so.

Thanks to Maggie’s work, the conversation about social media releases (and social media newsrooms) has rekindled. Chris Heuer, one of the originators of the social media outreach idea, posted an interesting video Utterz (very cool new feature, by the way) this week to remind those new to the conversation from where we’ve come. In it, he brought to light the consideration of renaming, or perhaps re-framing, the social media release.

Here’s a suggestion and the thinking behind it for consideration. These thoughts all converged this week as Heuer, Brian Solis, Geoff Livingston, Jeremy Pepper and Fox, among others, all reacted to my “not enough context” reaction to Digital Snippets. (Is Defren on vacation? Just asking … and kidding.) While I still hold the opinion that Ford’s Digital Snippets effort is a bit lacking in context, the reiteration of the conversation and reminders of the framework in which each effort resides has dusted off my thinking lobe. (Yes, I’m keenly aware client’s strategy and wishes precede our passionate principles, wholesome as they are.)

As Solis noted in his comments to my Digital Snippets reaction post, the term “social” tacked on to the “media release” or “press release,” in Brian’s words, “… implies conversation … whether hosted internally or externally.” By definition, he is certainly right. However, by perception, the term “social media” is often interpreted as “bloggers.” Sure, that accurately describes the general intended audience, but that excludes an all-too-important group that, in my opinion, is as apt to use and find value in the social media release: traditional media.

I’ve offered internally and to clients my belief that the elements of the social media release, even one without my community-principled context and reference, comprise all of the self-serve resources public and media relations professionals would ever be called upon to provide the “old” media. Because of this, I believe what we call the social media release (and social media newsroom) will become the method of choice for all media, new and old, moving forward. Sure, the need and usefulness of the traditional narrative approach will remain, but perhaps we add an editorial section to the social media release and incorporate it.

So where does this thinking lead us in terms of labeling (dare I say “branding”) what this thing is becoming? As Heuer asked, “What should we call this?”

We’re all producers of media. We all operate in the digital world. (What “old” media outlet doesn’t?) The dissemination of information, whether it is done via social media or the trusty (rusty) old newspaper or newscast, sparks conversation when compelling. So instead of putting a wall up to separate a social media release from a traditional press release, let’s define it as it is: a Digital Media Resource.

Digital – Technology-based, but not limited to technology or the Internet alone.

Media – Any person or entity that produces content.

Resource – A place to find information.

Thus, the DMR is a place for media producers utilizing technology to find information.

Does this cast too wide a net? Is my all-inclusive approach flawed? Are there synonym Nazis out there who will pick this apart?

There are answers to all those questions. Please offer yours here as we continue to define social media releases and social media newsrooms in the hopes of best serving us, our businesses, our clients and (perhaps most importantly) our on- and off-line communities.

Other conversations you’ll find interesting:

1. Social Media Release Criticism: Nine Points To Consider
2. On Digital Snippets
3. PR People Please Take This Quiz Before Sending Another Pitch Or Press Release
4. If I Could Change One Thing About The Social Media Press Release
5. 5 Social Media Trends That Will Impact PR

IMAGE: From Lucinda’s Sanchez Adobe.

Technorati Tags: socialmediarelease, socialmedianewsroom, social media release, social media newsroom, social media, public relations, PR, journalism, media

The evolution of the social media release took another step this week with the unveiling of the Social Media Group’s Digital Snippets. The template (click here for the PDF) differs from the Todd Defren and Shift Communications’ industry standard in several ways, mostly in providing a basic content menu of items for the online user instead of the narrative, digital resource hybrid from Shift’s.

See their application of it with Ford Motor Company here.

The new version is being talked about by industry thought leaders like Geoff Livingston and Paul Gillin, among others, but no one seems to notice the void in what I’ve always considered one of the essential elements of the SMR: embracing context.

Yes, the template includes all the buzz words: del.icio.us, Technorati and “third party” but look closer and you see the references are all to outbound traffic. The template basically says you can share information about this product or company (Digital Snippits was developed in Social Media Group’s work with Ford Motor Company) but we don’t really want to make it easy for you to see an independent third party’s review of it.

Sure, there’s a “Community” at the bottom with links to “third party” websites, but embracing the context of your product or service within the community is a key element to building credibility there.

Todd And’s presentation on Defren’s original template clearly circles the purpose-driven del.icio.us bookmarks (third party, but brand selected), Technorati tags and Links To Relevant Coverage as methods of embracing context. The Digital Snippets template seemingly leaves those out.

While I certainly think the Digital Snippets approach is something to be applauded and will certainly be more digestable for the social media-nervous executives, in my opinion, it isn’t a step forward in the evolution of the social media release.

Other Links You’ll Find Interesting:

1. If I Could Change One Thing About The Social Media Release
2. The Unbearable Idiocy Of Brands: Ford Runs Over Its Fansumers
3. Not New, Not Even Improved (not about Digital Snippets, but related)
4. Elements Of The Social Media Release
5. Social Media Release Useless?

Technorati Tags: socialmediarelease, social media release, Digital Snippets, Ford, Ford Motor Company, Social Media Group, social media

The crux of wading into the estuary between social media and public relations is that you want to play nice, but may not be perceived that way. At an advertising agency, the speed of business is more aptly described as business on speed. Still, clients want to connect with social media influencers.

You can’t put the cart before the horse.

Anyone wise to the methodology of social media outreach will tell you it’s about the dialog and relationship. But what happens when Monday morning brings you a new client who needs outreach done immediately to a market segment you haven’t yet had the opportunity to dialog with?

We must touch the influencers with our client’s information, but at the risk of being perceived as disingenuous PR hacks trying to schlep corporatespeak and propaganda. Sure, a hat-in-hand approach can be effective, but the majority of the bloggers I will approach this week will likely discard what I send because they don’t know me.

Is a well-thought social media release and perhaps a comment or two on the person’s blog ahead of time enough to at least put the reason for your email in front of them for consideration? I don’t know, but am about to find out.

Are there other methods of outreach, keeping in mind the immediacy of the issue and the lack of front-end relationship building, you have found effective?

Related Stories You Might Find Interesting

1. Blogger and Social Media Outreach Code For Government by Colin McKay
2. How PR Professionals Can Avoid Bad Blogger Outreach in 3 Easy Steps by Scott Monty
3. Blogger Relations: Good Intentions, Bad Execution, Lessons Learned by Todd Defren
4. Creating a Blogger Outreach Code of Ethics — Take 1 by Kaitlyn Wilkins
5. Are Skateboarders More Savvy Than Social Media Experts by Colin McKay

IMAGE: From sparktography on Flickr.