Hanson & Hunt

Interview edition - Shel Holtz, of Holtz Communications + Technology, and the co-host of the long-running "For Immediate Release" podcast. Arik and Kevin talked with Holtz about podcasting, internal communications and the importance of the employee audience, the disconnect between digital/social skills and senior PR leaders, a new approach for employee advocacy, and the demise of Google+.

The real social media strength of Twitter isn't its potential to drive traffic to your company or brand's website or blog. Arik and Kevin discuss a reporter's recent post that expressed surprise at his Twitter stats related to the links he's shared. Also, an "Ad Contrarian" post that bashes brands stressing online engagement and conversation, the role news organizations play in spreading hoaxes and lies on the web, and more fallout from the ugly Justine Sacco saga. Plus, Buick goes to the dogs, in the Talking Points spotlight.

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If your company or brand is ever fortunate to have a commercial in the Super Bowl, will you recommend the PR boost for an early release online? Arik and Kevin crunch the numbers on the ads that aired Sunday night. Also, social media "war rooms" are a common sight on the big game's big night - are they necessary? Plus, when a PR pro should consider firing a client, the reality of content strategy in large organizations, and Snapchat allows media outlets to make a new play in mobile with their new "Discover" feature.

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Awareness isn't everything in PR, marketing and social media. Instead, there's a growing call for making stronger connections with consumers. Arik and Kevin talk about that. Also, PR and paid media, the modern journalist's view of their day-to-day work, and some of the disruptive forces that marketers and communicators need to pay attention to in the new year.

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Evil trolls on the Internet have the potential to make life miserable for business and brands. Arik and Kevin discuss how to handle the hate. Also, Allstate's "Mayhem Sale," the use of "social" in job titles and the potential burnout of social media pros, the importance of customer experience over content, and the future of "above the fold" layouts on the web.

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Forget about predictions for 2015 - in PR, marketing and social media - instead, Arik and Kevin focus their year-end episode on actual trends to pay attention to: 1) The increase in branded apps, 2) Analytics for PR, 3) Visual design and photography, and 4) An "ignition strategy" for content.

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Interview edition - Chad Mitchell, senior director of digital communications at Walmart, talks about how his team is structured, their work and responsibilities, a Black Friday tactic on Twitter involving a store employee, the company's overall approach to Twitter and the mission of the Walmart blog.

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Interview edition - Chad Mitchell, senior director of digital communications at Walmart, talks about how his team is structured, their work and responsibilities, a Black Friday tactic on Twitter involving a store employee, the company's overall approach to Twitter and the mission of the Walmart blog.

The story about Black Friday and Cyber Monday wasn't just the deals and what was sold. They also were notable for a big increase in social chatter around them and how brands engaged with consumers. Also this week, Facebook's crackdown on promotional posts from companies and brands, the Girl Scouts are finally setup to sell cookies online, the differences between brand journalism and content marketing, and the biggest PR win of 2014.

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Interview edition - David Jungers and Erin Vande Steeg, senior social media strategists at Mall of America, talk about their roles, how they manage social media content creation and engagement, their emphasis on the customer experience and how they work with Mall of America's 520 tenants.

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