Facebook continues to be in hot water. Today, a New Scientistinvestigation has found that data from 3 million Facebook users who used a popular personality app, including their answers to intimate questionnaires, was left exposed online for anyone to access. 

Online privacy is becoming more of a concern for consumers and now even advertisers. Recent news has some companies second-guessing the social media platform. 

Brand Distrust
Some brands are and having losing confidence in Facebook. A few large companies are already scaling back on their Facebook advertising. Proctor & Gamble and Unilever have been threatening to pull their advertising.  And according to Digiday, Adidas has already stopped buying video ads on Facebook and has not ruled out other cuts, said another executive, whom Adidas briefed on the matter.

Now, don't shut down your page or pull your ads from Facebook just yet.  Once the dust settles and Facebook has fixed its kinks their advertising platform will be better because businesses and Wallstreet are demanding it. 

The Cost of Advertising
Facebook users may be inclined to share less data. The less data they share, the harder it is for advertisers to target their audience. If it becomes more difficult, the cost could go up too. 

Advertising on Facebook isn’t getting any cheaper, Digiday says that in the first quarter of 2018, the average price per ad on Facebook jumped 49 percent, according to Facebook’s latest results.

But, Facebook advertising is still far less expensive than traditional advertising. It's targeting tools are also increasingly effective. 

Facebook also continues to develop sophisticated artificial intelligence to analyze user data. This will put the social media platform on top of the advertising marketplace. 


Don't Rely on One Source
Like anything else, don't put all your eggs in one basket.  Companies should be doing is exploring other advertising avenues for their brand.  Marketing managers should focus on other efforts to acquire new customers. The two things business owners should think about what additional ways can you market to people? And how are going to identify with your customer?

Keep Advertising
The worst thing a business can do is stop advertising. While you may need to tweak your advertising platform and plan, you must figure out how to cut through the noise. Do your research, reach out to professionals or hire an in-house marketing and advertising team. But you must reach your target audience somehow and advertising will help you get their easier. 

Crisis Planning
If there is one take away from Facebook's data scandal is that a crisis can hit any company large or small at any time. It is more important now that ever that you have an effective crisis plan in place. And review it often. The number one thing a company can do is be prepared and stay on top of the story. 


Don't let Facebook's recent issue scare you off the platform, but I highly recommend you dive deeper into your digital advertising strategy and ensure that your message is getting to the right people. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this and if you have switched to other advertising platforms. Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter! 

Your business just won an award or you are part of a huge project in the area.  You have a story to tell – a really good one. You’ve told the press about it, but they don’t seem interested. Don’t worry just yet, you may have to tweak a couple of things. Here are six ways to help you get the attention of the media and influencers.

Know the Media
Take the time to connect and communicate with journalists who cover your industry. And I don’t mean that you have to wine and dine them. Frankly, they are so busy that they don't have time to grab a cup of coffee.

The key to connecting with the media is to read and watch their stories. Share and comment on their stories through social media. There is no better compliment for a journalist than receiving great feedback on their stories. Start with Twitter, mostly every journalist is on that platform. Go there. Find them. And share their stories. The more you share and comment on their articles, the more they will get to know you and your business.

Kill the Press Release
Press releases are becoming archaic. Sometimes they are needed. For example, if you have an announcement or an event to tell the media or public about, a press release comes is the way to go. And if you do write one up please keep it short. Journalists are extremely busy and you need to grab their attention in a couple of lines.

It’s all About the Pitch
A pitch is your story summed up in a couple of sentences with key talking points. When writing it I want you to ask these questions. Why is your story important to the reporter and their readers/viewers? What is the takeaway? What are you doing that’s different?  Did something just happen in the world that you can talk? If so, tell the media! The key is to think like a journalist!

HARO
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is my favorite resource and it’s FREE!  This online service is where reporters, bloggers, and producers put out the stories that they are working on and request sources to provide content. From small blogs to Forbes to Dr. Oz, the media outlets on here are amazing.  The stories come out Monday-Friday at 5:30 am, 12:30 pm and 5:30 pm. The key is to act quickly. If you see a story that would be a good fit for you or your business, respond immediately, even if their deadline is tomorrow.  We have garnered dozens of press mentions by using the service and I highly recommend that you join. Did I mention that it is free?

Reach Out to Influencers
Do you know these folks who have 200 thousand followers on Instagram and Youtube? They may not be journalists, but they have a large and loyal audience. When they talk about a product, that company’s sales skyrocket. If you want your brand to be noticed, then these are the folks to go after. Just make sure that they are the right fit for your brand.

Write, Write and Write
The more that information that you provide as an expert, the better chance you have to get news coverage. Look into becoming a contributing writer for media outlets in your industry. Many blogs are looking for contributing writers. For example, Huffington Post and Entrepreneur Magazine have a dedicated page for people to pitch their articles.

There are many other ways to get press coverage, but start with these and you’ll be on your way to getting your name out there.

Let me know how it goes!

I have to admit that when Kyle Reyes of The Silent Partner Marketing told me to get on Snapchat, I was apprehensive. I thought it was just for teenagers and twenty-something-year-olds to share pictures. But, I was clearly wrong and I’m now telling all of my clients to get on board. Here’s why.

You are in a new city and looking for a restaurant to eat dinner. What do you do?  You begin to search online. You look at the reviews, website and social media. All three of these play a major role in your decision-making. Here’s what I do.

Have you ever held back on telling someone something? Maybe you didn’t think it was a good idea or you were afraid of what they thought. Don’t do that. Communication is key in both your personal and professional life. Don’t ever hold back. If you do, you may be miss out on a great opportunity.

It’s the fastest growing social media platform out there, but many companies are hesitant to jump on board with it. I’m talking about Snapchat. By some estimates, the app has more than 200 million monthly active users.

Thousands of interns will spend their time filing papers and fetching coffee for the staff, but not for every student. This January, a group of young, enthusiastic students will be taking part in some of the competitive internship programs in the country. The application process is extremely difficult, but if chosen- these interns will have the opportunity to be involved in the most valuable, challenging and educational work.

Are you blabbing? If so, congratulations you are ahead of the game. Blab is that latest live-streaming video platform that is quickly taking off. I guarantee that within the next 6 months you will be hearing a LOT about Blab.

Do you have money in your budget for marketing, advertising, collateral? What about Public Relations? Do I hear crickets?? If you are like many businesses, the answer is probably no. Can I ask you why? Public Relations is one of the most cost-effective methods for small businesses to raise awareness. Perhaps you’ll change your mind after you read this.

I recently got together with some of my television news friends from the good ole’ days. Over the last 10 years, we’ve all gone our separate ways. Some stayed in the television industry, while others went into public relations and marketing. Either way, we all still have a strong connection.

Today we’re talking about looking great for your media interview. Keep in mind, these interviews will be all over social media… so not only do you want to sound your best, but you want to look great too! If you’re lucky enough to have a scheduled interview then you have time to plan. So hit your closet.

When people ask me what I do and I tell them I’m in public relations, their reaction is all very similar. It goes something like this, “Ohhhh…that sounds exciting.” PR is exciting – I love it.  But, for many folks, that seems to be all they know about it. In addition, somehow PR gets meshed into the job category of marketing and communications. Well, it’s not either of those.

Most of us can say that we’ve had a “not so nice” boss at one point in our lives. But, it’s these bosses that help us realize when we’ve got something good. The best bosses are the ones who have the biggest impact on our careers, and inspire us to grow and be successful.

It was 11:30 at night and I just got home from my weekly segment on Newsmax TV in New York City. It’s a 2-hour train ride and another hour in the car to make it back to Western Massachusetts. I do this trip almost every Wednesday.

Do I get paid for it? No. Do I get paid to be on other news outlets? No. Do I have a hairstylist, makeup and wardrobe? No. Do I get paid to write articles? No.

You may be wondering why do I all of this? I’m a single mom of three girls, a business owner and soon to be a fill-in morning news anchor on Western Mass News. You would think that I have enough on my plate. Nah, there’s always room for more! Here’s why you should say yes to opportunities that come your way.

Know Your Reason

I do it because I absolutely love it, but it’s also about the journey. You can’t just snap your fingers and be where you want to be.  What many people, especially younger folks (ugh I can't believe that I just went there), think is that it’s all about the dollar. Getting to the place you want to be and make the kind of money you desire takes time and a lot of hard work. 

This opportunity to be on the news and write articles builds my personal brand and business.  Doing these types of media appearances and articles are extremely important when it comes to raising awareness. It’s how you stand out.

Put in the Work

If you want press attention it’s going to be a lot of work.  You may have to do an interview on a Saturday morning or wake up at 2 am. You will have to put work and family aside to be interviewed or write an article. And no, you don’t get paid by the media to appear on the news, but the press coverage is well worth it. 

Say Yes

We all have goals and we must be willing to do what it takes to achieve them. For me, I have goals to continue contributing on the news and eventually have my own show on the network. In order to get there, I must do all of these things. I must say yes to every opportunity and stop being scared.

I’m sure there are times that you don’t want to do something because you are scared or tired.  But when things make you scared that is when you should say yes to them. Stop letting fear dictate your life and seize the opportunities that will help you advance. Just say yes!

When you got out of the shower today, did you check your phone? How about this past weekend, did you respond to a work email, or return a phone call? I did. You could say that I am addicted to work. I can’t shut it off.