There’s a great scene in the movie Jerry Maguire. In it, Tom Cruise’s sports agent character has finally lost it with his one client (a football player brilliantly played by Cuba Gooding Jr.). Frustrated by Gooding Jr.’s frosty relationship with the media, Cruise implores, “Help me to help you.” It’s a pivotal moment in the movie for both characters – and it’s one that should be used more in the PR industry. Although it’s true of many industries, public relations…

This is a guest post from PR professional David Mullen, whose insights into the industry always intrigue me. I read his blog often and ask why many of his suggestions on how PR can evolve aren’t standard practice yet, and I’m delighted he’s sharing his views here today. You remember those days. You would run straight to your favorite diversion and play with reckless abandon until the bell rang. Or you’d start there and then visit two or three other…

Being the lone line of defence when pretty much everyone’s after your blood is a thankless task that no-one should have to face, but Scott Monty of auto manufacturer Ford proves it can be done. As the lone social media face of the US car giant, Scott probably has one of the toughest jobs around at the minute: – He has to face negativity surrounding his employers and their part in the auto-bailout – He has to show social media’s…

A recent blog post at ProBlogger.com offered new Twitter users a Top 10 list of the most useful and informative people to follow. Chosen for their ability to show people what Twitter and social media is all about, if contained some of the medium’s heavy hitters. So who would make a list of 10 public relations people to follow on Twitter?

Like any medium or industry, social media will always have its experts and gurus. Those that stand head and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to what social media is all about, and what it means to you. Yet there seems to be an abundance of social media gurus and experts appearing from nowhere with self-proclaimed status as “the person to go to”. Are these new-found gurus the real deal, or does it take a little bit more than declaring yourself as the latest social media guru or expert?

Despite all the benefits and tools that social media can offer – for personal, professional and commercial needs – there’s still a lot of uncertainty about the medium. Confusion about what social media is; what it can offer; and what sites and applications to use. Yet if you really break it down, social media is no different from your time at kindergarten – here’s why.

One of the great things about social media is the people you meet and connect with. From curious newcomers to social media experts and everyone in between, it’s truly a medium for everyone to connect and discuss. To emphasize this, I’ll be taking part in the discussion side of things with an interview/discussion on Comet Branding Radio next week, alongside guests Todd Defren, Jason Kintzler and Mike Volpe. It’s all part of a busy few weeks ahead.

The social media press release was first introduced as a format over two years ago. Aimed at making news releases more palatable to the increasingly online news feeds, there were high hopes that it would become a standard with both PR agencies and media outlets. Yet today there is still no defined social media press release template. Is this down to the format not being relevant enough, or more to do with misunderstanding how to incorporate it effectively into a PR campaign?

While there’s no doubting its potential for bringing people together both online and offline, social media still attracts the naysayers who believe it to be nothing more than a passing fad. Although, like anything, there may be some truth in this, there’s also no denying that when used properly, social media can offer a powerful united voice on the topics that matter. November looks set to continue this worthy trend.

Leading tech blog ReadWriteWeb recently published a report on what the Top 20 bloggers were earning, while also looking at the average paid blog income. The results were varied and surprising. With the current economic crisis, however, many media and web sources are saying that the days of the professional blogger and social media consultants are numbered. Do you agree?