We Move Issues

Public Affairs and Social Media

Public affairs campaigns are quickly embracing social media to help move their issues forward. But, how are results measured and quantified, and what are some best practices to reach your intended audience? This vital aspect must not be overlooked if social media is to remain effective.

Technology Changing Campaigns at All Levels

From dog catcher to president, political campaigns are being impacted by technology and the rising crop of web-based communication tools. Naturally, that trend is also seen in New Jersey. The major candidates for Governor are utilizing blogs and social networking web sites to communicate with supporters, persuade fence-sitters and attack their rivals. Political information is now mainlined directly to the voters - the traditional role of the media is slowly but surely diminishing. This is potentially problematic, yet ripe with opportunity for candidates. How that opportunity is exploited by political candidates will play a large role in defining electoral winners and losers.

Beyond Google?

Most folks use Google as their default search engine and may be unaware that others exist. That's because, usually, Google delivers the best search results. The engine is so good that it's become  a verb. Looking for someone or something? Google it. However, a new outcrop of search engines are set to challenge Google as the king of internet search. They'll have a hard time playing catch up, but they may be able to serve a narrower audience with more relevant results than Google. CNN does a nice round-up of these sites and discusses how they'll potentially impact web surfers in the future.

Employers Monitoring Web-Based Social Networks

Just in case anyone is surprised by the headline above, yes, employers are taking steps covert and overt to monitor their employees actions on web-based social networking web sites. As courts have found over the years, employees basically hang up their right to privacy at the door each morning when they report for duty. Of course, that doesn't stop people from spending work hours engaging in non-work activities while surfing Facebook, Twitter and other sites. However, employers are forging new tools and techniques for monitoring social media web sites, and employees would be wise to remember that next time they're reviewing that new friend request or follower.  It could be your boss.

White House Begins Tweeting

The White House has begun using Twitter. The first tweet was send around 12pm on Friday. This Twitter account comes on the heels of candidate Obama's wildly successful Twitter stream. So far, the White House Twitter feed has amassed 3,438 followers, but that number will likely explode in the coming weeks. Kudos to the White House and Obama administration for recognizing an opportunity to communicate to a large, mainstream audience via the one of the Web's fastest growing social networks.

AP Missing the Point on Google News

The Associated Press continues to battle with Google over AP stories indexed on Google News. Most news organizations are grateful for the exposure and links provided to them by Google News users, but not the AP. They've chosen to pick a fight with the internet giant. The AP's claims of  copyright thievery appear to be just a desperate attempt to defend their former news territory. AP reporters and editors are wonderful to work with. Unfortunately, the lawyers have gotten hold of this issue and won't let go, even though it's in AP's interest to do so.