Hollis Guerra

The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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As our world gets more fraught and complex, audiences are increasingly choosing news sources which are more visual, reports are more watched, less read, with YouTube continuing its rise. The implications of this trend for deep understanding of difficult issues is worth pondering. More people are concerned about how to grapple with the rising torrent of fake news, and many having doubts about how AI might be deployed by newsrooms. Edelman has partnered with the Reuters Institute for this annual report as we are all in the business of communicating and good, credible and trusted information is critical to everyone in that process

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Communications best practices apply to IR, just as they do for all strategic communications. Learn more about IR website essentials in the in-depth guide from PR Newswire ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e9wW2QaH #IR #InvestorRelations #Comms

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Authenticity is key for senior executives to be influential on LinkedIn, but not every leader finds it easy to engage genuinely. 🔸In episode 342 of our For Immediate Release podcast, Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I explore how communicators can help executives craft authentic online personas and build influence and trust, focused on LinkedIn, with practical examples. I also dive into this topic in a new blog post published today, arguing that authenticity opens the door to success. Communicators must guide leaders who struggle with authenticity, identifying formats or mediums that play to their strengths. Take a read and listen to our discussion ⬇️ #Authenticity #Communication #LinkedIn #FIRPodcast https://lnkd.in/eMu9D48j

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Comms Pros know - more than most - words matter. But sometimes, we use language that undermines our value. In-house stakeholders aren’t “clients.”  → We’re shoulder-to-shoulder partners. P&L centers shouldn't be called “The Business.”  → We're part of the business, not a subordinate function. Reinforcing an "us'" and "them" mindset is a disservice: It positions us as a less strategic function and makes us less effective. Ultimately, our job is to protect & promote brands and reputations. - Our roles are critical. - Our opinions are essential  - Our voices / expertise truly matter. We're Strategic Partners, not Service Providers.

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In today's data-rich environment, PR practitioners who embrace data-driven decision-making are gaining a significant edge in developing more effective, targeted and measurable campaigns -- H Patel, FINN Partners https://odwpr.us/3zBzyYe

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I LOVE election season. So much opportunity to secure coverage for brands. Here are five tips to navigate the bustling weeks ahead effectively. Get in touch if you want to explore how your brand can make a ‘splash’. Sigh. #election #pr

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The main expectation for comms and marketing leaders in 2025 is that they master the art of doing more with less as they work at connecting with consumers, a new SourceCode Communications study says https://odwpr.us/4eyO01K

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ICYMI: Integral Ad Science enhances its #misinformation reporting on YouTube, empowering brands to ensure safer ad placements and protect their reputation. More details in the Mi3Australia article https://bit.ly/3N3srLB #BrandSafety #IAS #YouTube

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GenAI is part of nearly every tech headline. In fact, according to CB Insights Research, there are almost 800 generative AI companies, with about two-thirds being Series A or earlier, and less than 15% being mid- to late-stage startups. That means marketing teams at companies that sell GenAI tools need clearly articulate what makes them different and better. Learn more about the essential components of PR and marketing for AI tools in this new blog post by Peggy Tierney Galvin, Force4's chief strategy officer. #GenAI #marketing #PR

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💡How are newsrooms using AI?💡  🌟 As AI continues to evolve, marketers and PR pros need to know how it affects journalism. Understanding how AI software influences story discovery and content creation enables teams to refine their pitching and press release strategies. 📰🤖 🔍 Consider these recent examples of AI projects supported by AP's Local News AI initiative and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation: 🎙️ Michigan Radio, a University of Michigan NPR affiliate, uses an innovative tool that scrapes city council meetings from video sharing services, transcribes them, and generates tailored alerts. The result? Better visibility into public meetings and proactive notifications aligned with journalists’ beats and interests. 📺 Television station WFMZ-TV in Allentown, Pa., uses AI software that sorts and prioritizes news releases and story pitches from emails and other outside sources. And then, it enters the information into a content management system. 🤔 Thoughts? 👇 🔗 Learn more about the AI projects mentioned at https://lnkd.in/ep9H9QCM J.P. Escobar Jason Fink R. Kurt Osenlund Isha Kamani Hollis Daniels Melanie Shaw Chris Hayes #ArtificialIntelligence #Journalism #MarketingStrategy #PR #AIinJournalism #Innovation #FutureOfNews #TechAdvancements #Collaboration

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PRovoke Media recently published its 2024 Comms Index report. While the study focused on senior in-house communications leaders in APAC, the findings apply to what we have seen in North America: Lead generation has emerged as the key business priority, as companies increasingly expect the comms function to demonstrate its value and impact. Of note: ℹ️ Lead generation has moved up to fourth place in business priorities. ℹ️ ESG has dropped to fifth place (social impact) and seventh place (environmental/climate) ℹ️ AI is rapidly gaining ground. Usage and familiarity have increased significantly. ℹ️ The budget for communication is contracting, and the perceived value of communication functions has decreased. ℹ️ Measurement and metrics remain challenging, as higher-value metrics like awareness and behavior change still rank behind media clippings. The findings also remind me of something I recently read from Gartner: 50% of marketing leaders cannot prove marketing's value to their enterprise due to skepticism and traditional beliefs. The precarious macroeconomic environment and the high expectations placed on marketing and communications will continue to be challenging. For agency and client leaders, we need to internalize these dependencies and their potential impact on our work to better guide and support our clients. Thank you, PRovoke Media, for your work. Paul Holmes Arun Sudhaman Diana Marszalek Maja Pawinska Sims Institute for Public Relations #agency #publicrelations #PR

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In today’s Substack, I address an elephant in the room: the growing disconnect between in-house marketing managers and PR agencies. Are we seeing more under-experienced marketing managers who don’t fully understand today’s comms landscape? Is the hiring process broken? I’d love to hear your thoughts. x

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In media relations, the fastest PR team often wins the coverage 🥇 🏃‍♀️ 💨 Delay = coverage killers. So when prospects smartly ask “what do you need from us to be successful?” My answer: access & action. ✔️Access to your bench of C-suite spokespeople ✔️And fast *action* from them when opportunity strikes If you’ve got a good story to tell, don’t let inertia take the wheel. To put it another way? Put up or shut up 🤐 This is the way ✊ #publicrelations 👇

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Meet stakeholders where they are. Comms teams often dive in to diagnosis a problem and identify several actions the business *should* take. But tackling everything at once might not be feasible. Business leaders are navigating a lot and facing multiple challenges, all at once. That means trade-offs are inevitable. Instead of recommending multiple work streams, focus on one or two achievable areas to make an impact. This can be challenging for some. But the best solution also needs to fit the reality of the situation—not just the theory. Progress often beats perfection.

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Well, it's official. There's an election on the way! We've seen all the frenzy around national service and the many campaign trail promises that the main party leaders have been making, but what are the bigger issues that will steer the next government? It's great to be featured in PRmoment again, this time talking about those wider issues and how you can get your PR campaign election-ready! #GeneralElection #PublicAffairs #PR #GeneralElection24

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One of the hottest topics in comms at the moment..is your organisation ready? Learn from the experts on how to prepare in this upcoming webinar. #cybercrisis

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AI search makes earned media even more important…“Being featured in reputable publishers is going to be even more important than before,” to help set you apart and help you stand out! Great insight! #pr #prcomms #AI #earnedmedia

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Build Resilience from the Inside Out. What separates the good from the great in high-pressured careers like PR? According to research, 75% of performance is determined by character - not competence. In this episode of #imPRessions, Peter Rea shares how developing virtues like courage, compassion and hope can help you thrive under uncertainty. If you want to boost your ability to perform under pressure, stream this episode. The Pollack Group

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