PR Open Mic

When I found out I was going to have to create an additional account on yet another social networking site…I just knew that I would hate the site.  Luckily, I can admit when I am wrong in my assumptions.

A few months ago for my PRCA 3030, Social Media, and PRCA 3330, PR Writing, classes I was asked by my professor to join yet another social networking site.  Having only three months experience with social networking sites I was not looking forward to going thru the new account setup process or looking forward to remembering yet another user name and password combination.

But…joining PR Open Mic was “easy-peasy” as my 5-year-old would say.  I was pleasantly surprised right off the bat when I set up an account in less than a minute!  After viewing the home page I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Not because the site is overwhelming, but because I really want to learn how to use PR Open Mic to my advantage.

Student Featured Post – Bullying

In light of the tragic death of a student at Rutgers, in addition to several other student deaths that made national news, two additional student posts that I would like to share with readers this week deal with bullying.  Please read both articles and think twice before calling someone names and humiliating them because they are different!

• Bullying – Julianna Rabeler

• Rutgers Student Death A Hate Crime?!?! – Shelby Narwold

Featured Student Posts – Public Relation Careers

Great article by Lo with an embedded video discussing Public Relation Career choices.  This is a must read/watch for any soon to be graduating PR senior!

• Public Relation Careers – Lo Woodward

Student Featured Post – Week of the Tweets

This weeks student featured post is all about Twitter.  Students in PRCA 3330 are assigned to participate in activity going on in Twitterville for one week.  I love the insight and forethought that this student puts into the assignment.

• Week of the Tweets – Byron Tarplin

Setting A Featured Image

Many students in my PRCA 3330 PR Writing class are learning how to develop and craft their writing skills and learning ways of branding themselves and their work so that they present the image the want the public to see first.

A great way to show off  your writing style and complement your posts is to add photos to your posts.  WordPress now has the option of adding a photo as a “Featured Image” and that is the first large photo that readers will see displayed above your latest post in the “featured image” category.

It took me a while to learn to feature an image, only because I didn’t know where to look while adding the picture to my posts.  If you don’t remember to set the image as the featured image when you add it to the post don’t worry you can always set it after you finish editing the post.

Twitter for Public Relations Students

This week in the public relations writing class that I am assisting with the assignment calls for students to spend one week tweeting on twitter.

I decided to update an old post from my PRCA3030, Social Media, class and re-post it with some tips for students in my class.

Listen to this episode

Twitter For Public Relations Students: Episode 1
1. Introduction

2.What is Twitter?

3. Why public relations students should use Twitter

4. A few people I follow and why

5. How to begin using Twitter for Public Relations

• Listen
• Think
• Personal Branding
• Contribute
• Be courteous

Twitterville

Students in my PRCA 3330, PR writing, class have been assigned to spend one week tweeting on Twitter.  Here is a slide show of  a trade book which that I highly recommend for students to read:

View my notes for each slide here on Slide Share’s site.

Student Featured Post – Is Your Story Newsworthy?

Great student post on the newsworthiness of a story.  There are some great tips for writing noobs to help them in getting their stories or news releases published.

• Is Your Story Newsworthy? – Jordan McDonald
  

Featured Student Posts

This week I am featuring two student posts.  The first post offers new bloggers some great advice on how to constructively comment on blogs.  The second post highlights Skippy peanut butter and the controversy surrounding how the company obtained its name.  Great job you guys (girls ;p)!

• Share it or keep it to yourself? – Cait Bailey

• Give Skippy His Name Back – Samone Pittman

Student Featured Post – Fried Oreos

Ok…so this post isn’t really PR related, but I thought it was a fun one to share with everyone.  I’ve never tried “fried Oreos” before and I thought it was odd at first.  After thinking about other wacky concoctions that people have come up with I’ve decided to give the recipe a place in my recipe box.  Who knows when things get cooler I might try these with my son!  =D

• Fried Oreos – Stephanie Thomas