We recently discussed our top books for nailing all aspects of PR. However, digital media is moving at such a rapid pace that books can’t always keep up. If you really want to stay on top of everything that’s happening in the PR world, then it’s a good idea to bookmark (no pun intended) some helpful blogs in your browser. PR and digital media blogs are an ideal accompaniment to books for staying up-to-date with industry news, learning more about the latest social media tools and trends and fathoming the latest PR disaster and success stories.
Here are eight of our favourite blogs.
PR and Marketing News Blogs
Structured like an online newspaper, this blog from US PR firm, Ragan, covers everything from industry news and insightful opinions, to handy how-to guides and examples of effective crisis management. Simply put, it’s a comprehensive source for all things PR.
What we particularly like about this blog is that it also relies on the expertise of its readers, allowing them to submit content that they believe will enhance the website. Their daily newsletter, meanwhile, offers all the latest PR-related news – a convenient way of getting your daily dose of information.
Hootsuite blogThe social media management tool has a good blog that’s focused on how to use social media effectively. It concentrates on explaining social media tools and provides guides on the most effective strategies as well as a monthly news round up. This is a great blog to keep referring back to as it’s razor-focused on how to get results from your social media marketing.
AdweekAdweek covers more than just PR news; it gives readers a rundown of all the latest marketing, advertising and digital goings-on and is a really useful blog to get a quick summary of what’s happening in the broader marketing industry. We especially like its real life examples of successful marketing campaigns and ads, such as how Domino’s made pizza ordering more geeky and a promotional poster for a pub music night that when viral. The stories behind the stories of ads and marketing campaigns are always handy when looking for idea inspiration.
Digital
Social Media ExaminerBilling itself as ‘the world’s largest social media marketing resource’, this blog is aimed at small businesses and marketing professionals. It provides useful how-to guides and tips on engaging with customers online, creating content, driving traffic and generally using social media marketing tools to build a business.
The great thing about this blog is that it helps you to keep up-to-date with new social media tools, while alerting readers to changes to existing ones.
Social Media ExplorerA digital marketing blog that helps marketing professionals “discern the marketing wheat from the withering chaff”. We’re not entirely sure what that means, but it works. There’s something for everyone here as the blog covers how-to guides for effective social media marketing, the latest industry news, tips on content creation, plus advice and opinions from industry trailblazers. What we like about this blog is that it offers no-nonsense advice on what works and why in the world of social media.
SEO
Google Webmaster Central BlogGoogle rankings are hugely important for businesses’ online visibility, so where better to learn about optimising content than the Google spiders themselves? Written by Google Webmasters, this blog is the go-to place to learn about the latest tools and approaches that the search engine uses to optimise websites. Presented in Google’s clean style, this is an extremely useful blog for those wanting to keep up-to-date on SEO best practices and ultimately, make Google happy.
Content and Writing
Copyblogger aka Rainmaker Digital
This blog is solely focused on how to write quality online content that will engage readers, drive traffic and help to build business. It offers excellent advice and practical guides on how to improve your writing and create great online content as part of digital marketing campaigns. A must-read for those who write a lot as part of their job.
With an entire section dedicated to business writing, this blog on the Huffington Post is populated by a host of contributors, including marketing consultants, writers and executive coaches. The page has a selection of how-to guides for better business writing – from writing quickly and efficiently, to using punctuation correctly. While the page isn’t updated as regularly as the other blogs mentioned in this post, it nevertheless has some great tips for any struggling writers out there.