shifty shellshock

by Carolyne Mitchell

When I started out working on council web content eight years ago I didn’t realise that making our content and processes as easy-to-use as possible to tempt people onto the web would be called channel shift.
 
Five years ago I attended the National Digital Inclusion Conference and alarm bells started ringing. It was the first time anyone had pointed out to me that 1/3 three people in the UK didn’t have a computer (at that time).

It was also the first time I heard about the broadband lottery. Maybe I was naïve but I’d just assumed everyone was like me and my family and friends.

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a recipe for comms success?

by Rachel Miller

This week I came across the phrase ‘corporate blancmange’ and it got me thinking. It was used by the Head of the BBC’s Olympic coverage, Roger Mosey, who was quoted in The Sun as saying he wanted to “try things” rather than let the opening ceremony “become some corporate blancmange that no one likes at all.”

That phrase set my mind whirring about the language we use within organisations and its effect on our audiences. I’m sure at some point we’ve all continued with something e.g. a newsletter or employee event simply because ‘it’s the way it’s always been.’

But when did you last stop to consider if it’s still adding value and is distinctly un-blancmange-like? Be honest. When did you last ask your audience what they think of what the Comms team is producing, and not just through the annual employee survey?

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up for the cup

by Darren Caveney

Thank you.

Thank you for the support and encouragement that so many of you have given to comms2point0 these past six months. It makes all of those early morning, coffee-fuelled get-ups totally worthwhile.

And an extra special thank you to all those good people – over 40 of you – who have written posts, shared experiences and shaped case studies for our site.

These posts really do make the difference and add to all of our ongoing learnings, which was one of the main reason Dan and I began comms2point0, whilst sat watching a cricket match at a sun-kissed Edgbaston and talking nonsense one special Friday afternoon.

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we're launching an email update so you don't miss out

Want to not miss out on our blog and some choice links and events? Relax. We're starting a weekly round-up email you can sign-up for.

by Dan Slee

Doh! That feeling when you miss out on stuff... horrible isn't it?

That's why we're launching a weekly round-up that'll deliver comms2point0 goodness to your inbox by email.

Because we love you.

Oh, yes we do.

For the past six months on Comms2point0 we've posted on our site case studies, ideas and inspiration from some of the finest brains in public relations and communications.

We also tweet every day half a dozen links that have caught our eye.

We've a Facebook page too.

What could you have missed?

Lots of good stuff that'll help you.

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on taking the plunge with twitter

You don't have to have been on Twitter for years to get something out of it. As this comms officer says, once you take the plunge you'll find unexpected rewards and an ability to connect over comms ideas... and moon walking.

by Lisa Green

There's an art to being interesting in 140 characters - I'm still trying to master it. 33 days and 232 tweets, I am a twitter newbie.

I first heard of twitter way back in 2009 when Stephen Fry tweeted about being stuck in a lift at centre point. A friend was involved in the PR for the day and was excited that lots of people were instantly talking about centre point.

Three years on and I've finally set up my own twitter account. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no technophobe, I have Facebook, I Skype my husband when he's away and I tweet for work.

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pr is the engine of content marketing

As the idea of content marketing grows so must understanding. Never come across it? You will and here's a starting point.

by Bill Penn

Everybody is talking about content marketing.

According to a new survey by Econsultancy, 90 per cent of B2B marketing professionals say they are aware of it. But how many really understand what it’s all about?

Another quick look at the statistics tells you that only around a quarter of them are actually implementing content marketing programmes. Draw your own conclusions. The blaggers still rule OK would be mine. 

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glasgow central - ideas central

by Darren Caveney

This year I've been fortunate enough to visit Cardiff, Shropshire, Norfolk and now Glasgow to share our learning and experiences and to soak up some fresh ideas and challenges.

Our comms2point0/Public Sector Forums event in Glasgow was a really enjoyable adventure and I was struck by the enthusiasm and professionalism of a bunch of comms people keep to learn more, create more, deliver more.

One thing is clear from the cross-UK visits I've made and that is this - yes there are demographic and geographic differences to understand but actually the same broad issues and opportunities exist for us all in the public sector across whether in Scotland, Wales or England. And one of the very biggest challenges for us right now is how we remain effective and relevant across multiple new AND traditional platforms.

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facebook in the public sector - a quick round-up

A room full of people came together to hear some fine ideas about Facebook. Part traditional conference and part unconference the Facebook for the Public Sector was a joint venture between Comms2point0 and Public Sector Networks.

Here's a quick round-up of some of the points from the morning session along with some great free resources for you to enjoy. 

by James Coltham

There are loads of ways to remove the barriers to using social media, as well as getting buy in – talk in senior management language, talk to the people who can say “yes”, get someone senior to be your advocate, and start small to build the case.

Opening up Facebook – Monmouthshire did it and the world didn’t end. IT systems didn’t crash, productivity didn’t suffer and no one made an idiot of themselves. Organisations don’t usually make a habit of employing people they don’t trust, so show that trust by empowering them to use these tools.

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the next generation of pr people

There's been a discussion of what comms teams will look like in the future. How about the people who will staff them? This is how one person started a career in pr and where he sees things evolving. 

by Jarrod Williams

There’s been a lot of coverage on PR students recently, and how graduates and non-graduates get into the industry. There’s been dismay over work experience, scandal over internships and criticism of PR academia.

I am a graduate of Media and Communications, with a particular aptitude in PR and communications, and an avid supporter of the much berated ‘media degree’

That’s right readers; I am one of those people who studied the art of press releases for three years and am proud of it.

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using linkedin to super-connect

Think LinkedIn is just social networking for grey people or just a glorified address book? Think again.

By Dan Carins

I bought my brother a CD for his birthday this week, King released in 1995 by Belly, featuring Tanya Donelly of The Breeders and Throwing Muses fame.  After a sneaky nostalgia-inducing listen, I came across a song featuring the lyric “are you super-connected?” 

Maybe Ms Donelly was talking about the new economy, about how networking looks remarkably similar to the way the brain works as it sparks new ideas and potential, and about LinkedIn – but equally this might be far fetched given that the internet in 1995 was pretty much information on clunky websites and a few people using email. 

How the world of work and of local government has changed – but thankfully not the voice of Tanya, who's still rocking on.

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comms officers as content curators

How do you ensure your organisation embraces social media by more than just a token Facebook and Twitter account? By having your comms person share good ideas, for one.

by Jon King 

The tipping point for social media in local government was reached a while back. In terms of adoption, councils have either done it, are about to do it or are asking someone else how they did it so that they can do it too.

But the adoption of social media is only the beginning. Facebook pages and Twitter accounts alone do not a social business make.

Be sensitive to the fact that some people in your organisation are accepting social media only grudgingly. It’s now about ‘hearts & minds’.

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putting your ear in

by Phil Jewitt

One of my early posts suggested that to be truly influential, you need to be effective, in both word and deed. I suggested that merely being popular doesn’t necessarily mean you are effective or influential.

I’d also suggest that to be constructively influential you need to have the respect of and respect for others and be trusted to say and do the right thing. On occasions, and as recently highlighted, this also means to not do or say things that don’t help. And we‘ve all done that and regretted it to some extent, haven’t we?

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being a social media officer

As social media becomes mainstream there is a debate about how best an organisation can do it. Wiltshire Council have a dedicated officer and this is her story.

by Natalie Luckham

I’ve been working for Wiltshire Council for four years and out of uni for six. Since I signed up to MySpace and Facebook back in 2005 I’ve been intrigued by the power and potential of social networking.

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what comms teams should look like in 2012?

With the landscape changing the traditional way of print, TV and radio with a digital team - if at all - in the next room is looking dated.

by Dan Slee

All the best films have a challenge at their heart.

In Dunkirk, its Johnny Mills as a British corporal steering his men to safety.

In Pulp Fiction, its Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta getting away with accidentally shooting Marvin in the face.

One if the biggest challenges facing press offices and communications teams is how to blend the old with the new to stay relevant.

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traditional comms? digital comms? or both?

Civil servant Ann Kempster cuts to the heart of a dilemma. Should we keep traditional comms and digital comms separate? Or united? You can also read the original - and the comments - here 

By Ann Kempster

I attended a fab off-grid get-together this afternoon of a mix of digital and press folk in government today. I was very honoured to have been included.

We looked at what is working well, what isn’t and what the perfect future might look like. A lot of interesting discussions and models for the future. Really got my brain buzzing on a Friday afternoon….

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