It's a clip show

I'm using an influx of new followers to my Twitter feed, which includes a link to this blog, as an excuse to do a recap of the most-read posts from Spin This in 2011, with a little added commentary to make it all worth your while. Here goes:

1. Matt Lauer, meanie

This was not only the most popular post of 2011, but has gotten the most hits since I started this blog in July 2010. I'll admit to walking back a bit the argument I made in this post that my fellow PR practitioners spend too much time worrying about the perception of the public relations industry. It sparked a healthy conversation with Frank Strong, PR in Pink, and Gini Dietrich about the consequences of negative stereotypes of our field, and how we should go about combating them. My prescription -- that we should simply let our good work speak for itself -- was a bit naive; if that was all that was required to maintain a good reputation for a person, organization, industry, etc., than no one would have any need for our expertise in the first place. The bottom line is that our clients and employers do need us, not just as communicators but as strategic advisors, to help them make sound decisions, and they won't trust us to do so if they see us as nothing but spin artists.

2. Brand Journalism 101

In this post, I talked about the opportunities that digital communications tools provide those of us in marketing and PR to tell our stories directly to our target audiences, bypassing the news media and other traditional filters. It's about giving your audience value: information that is useful to them but that also advances your organization's strategic goals. Some people call it content curation. Whatever you call it, it's the reason why there's never been a better time to be in public relations.

3. Stop this man before he speaks again

Just when it appeared that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings couldn't do any more damage to this once vaunted brand, he gave an interview in October to the New York Times Magazine in which he seemed to blame his company's customers for the debacle that was Qwikster. Previously I had discussed the difference between a genuine crisis and a PR crisis, and noted that Netflix had both on its hands, thanks to its CEO's verbal diarrhea.

4. Print is still fit for news

We're not dead yet, says the traditional news media, given a media use survey that found affluent audiences -- the ones that are often most coveted by marketeers -- still get most of their news from TV and print, and prefer to read magazines in print rather than online. The bottom line for professional communicators: Know your audience, know their preferences, and don't forget the old tricks even as you master new ones.

5. It's the message, stupid

This post was of particular to interest to my Pittsburgh readers, but is of relevance to everyone. I dissected the public relations battle between hospital giant UPMC and insurance giant Highmark. I concluded that despite a preponderance of negative publicity, UPMC was coming out ahead because it was consistent in its message that it had a plan that would allow Highmark subscribers to continue to have access to UPMC physicians. The lesson here is that the messages conveyed by media coverage may be more important than the tone of that coverage.

Well, that's likely it for 2011. Have a Happy New Year, and thanks for all your support. Let's do it again next year.

Next I'll show you my vinyl collection

Blogging seems positively quaint in the age of Twitter and Facebook, but Mike Sansone says that blogging should be the foundation of your social media outreach, and he makes a powerful argument:

I'm all for Twitter and Facebook... and Slideshare and Flickr and Foursquare too. They are fruits of the Social Media tree, extra rooms in our Social Media storehouse. We can really branch out and connect from those places. We can throw rice against a wall and see what sticks. Brainstorm. Even improve our findability.

But the foundation of what we do and think, what we believe, and the most important inventory we have online is that space we call "blog" and the content or conversations that live and endure there (link).

Now, he's overstating the case. Blogs are not indispensible, but for most organizations, a powerful web site is, and the point is still the same: Facebook and Twitter are great for sharing content, but not so great for creating content. I manage a blog for my employer, and it wouldn't get any traffic at all were it not for Twitter and Facebook. But neither of those outlets would let us tell some of the great stories we've produced on the blog. As for this blog, I get more comments on Facebook when I link to a post than I actually get on the blog, but that's fine. If my Facebook friends see that what I've posted is interesting enough for others to discuss, they will be more likely to click on the link.

If blogging is retro, then print is positively paleolithic, yet Joe Pulizzi thinks it's about to mount a comeback. I think he may be on to something. One of his most interesting points is that as fewer organizations rely on printed magazines and newsletters, those that remain are more likely to stand out and grab your attention. Print also is a way to reach people who aren't yet engaged to the point that they are friending you on Facebook, following your Twitter feed, or even opening your email newsletter. It's a way of waving your hands in front of their face to get their attention -- assuming you've created a good product. It's a conversation starter.

And let's not underestimate the visceral appeal of holding a magazine, book or newspaper in your hand. You don't have to be a Luddite to appreciate it. I'm an iPhone junkie, but on Saturdays, I refuse to use my Wall Street Journal app for fear of ruining the experience of reading the weekend edition when it arrives in the mail. Many colleges and universities have weighed the pros and cons of ditching their print alumni magazines in favor of all digital, and some that do end up regreting it. Maybe it's just tradition they are holding onto, but if it's done well, with detailed storytelling and fetching artwork, a magazine has few rivals when it comes to getting your message across.