Ever heard the saying “ignorance is bliss”?  Of course you have.  We all have.  Some people even run a little too far with the idea.  But that’s another rant for another day.

I’ve always thought of PR professionals as the wizards behind the curtains.  We exist exclusively behind the scenes, preferring to go unmentioned, monitoring from afar, feeding key messages to spokespeople and strategically delivering inside scoops.  We are ghost writers, and we only occasionally emerge from the backdrop to network and share accolades among fellows of our community.

One thing I never really considered, though (prior to joining the industry), was the trust I would eventually lose.

Trust? What?

Yes, trust.

For example: a magazine is preparing a holiday gift guide, and as PR pros, we started pitching them in August to get our clients’ products represented appropriately. Come November, a consumer picks up the magazine and sees that So-and-so thinks that Such-and-such is the perfect gift for their neighbor’s dog.  And considering that So-and-so is the foremost expert on the needs of neighborhood pets, by golly, it must be true!

But is it?

Maybe not.

Now, I don’t mean to impugn the integrity of So-and-so, writers in general, or even PR pros.  The vast majority of writers and product reviewers are extremely discriminating about the goods they choose to discuss, especially in the wake of “Paid vs. Unpaid” mommy blogger controversy.  As for us, we’re responsible for bringing yet-unseen items to the attention of those writers and product reviewers, keeping them in the loop for the latest advancements and innovations in their industry that they might otherwise have missed.

Knowledge of the process, however, gives me a unique perspective that I sometimes wish I was without.  I’ll look at the same holiday guide, and instead of immediately noting down URL’s and pricing information, I wonder: is this really the best gift for my neighbor’s dog?  Or, back in August, was there one more open slot, and a friendly PR pro spoke up at just the right moment?

And the wonderment of an entire world of pet gifts is lost upon me.

What about you? Are there things you’ve learned that make you wish you could close the curtain once again?  Are there things you’ve learned that make you glad to be behind the curtain?

Earlier on Matter Chatter I posted about the FTC’s approach to bloggers and how integrity and respect is an important part of the PR process for all parties. I’d like to revisit this topic, if I may, to discuss an update. A few days ago, the FTC released guidelines meant to further clarify their rules on paid advertisements, especially as they pertain to bloggers. It’s important to note that these rules, the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, were last updated in 1980, so this is a clarification, not an alteration.

The guidelines are meant to clarify a blogger’s disclosure requirements: “the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.” Therefore, if a blogger receives free products from a company, they must disclose this stipulation in a review post. Importantly, bloggers or advertisers also could face injunctions and be ordered to reimburse consumers for financial losses stemming from inappropriate product reviews.

As might be expected, the response from bloggers was swift and questioning. Fast Company, one of my favorite sites to visit, posted an interesting article in response to this announcement. Taking concerns from bloggers to an assistant director at the FTC, the article addresses some specific comments posted by the people who these regulations effect the most. The largest takeaway from this interaction is that while a fine does exist for violating these guidelines, the likelihood that a blogger will actually encounter the fine is very small, and should never happen on the first violation (call it a built-in freebie for those that are not aware of the rules). Additionally, and quite logically, smaller blogs will not be a target of the FTC when cracking down on violators – advertisers and larger outlets will have to be more careful.

As PR professionals we know that the face of mass media is changing constantly, and just as we evolve in our jobs to accommodate these changes, so is the FTC evolving to protect consumers. We will have to be more diligent in our communications to urge bloggers to disclose their relationship with us and our clients, but this will not mean a large-scale change in protocol – at least not yet. As always, if you’ll forgive me for the idiom, honesty continues to be the best policy.

We appreciate CRM guru and master of multiple media Brent Leary sharing examples of effective PR pitches and a pushy, just plain cold PR approach in his latest blog post, “Blogger Relationship Mis-management: Saying No to Madame Yes.” It’s always great to hear these real stories from the blogger trenches. We’re proud also to see Matter client Pamela O’Hara from BatchBlue Software got a mention as one of the friendly folks. Score one for the nice guys!

Besides considering the insight Brent provides, let’s discuss a related point. How formal or friendly should your PR communications be?

Earlier this month, Matt posted on the proposed FTC guidelines regarding marketing and endorsements as they relate to bloggers and online media. Last week’s BlogHer conference in Chicago served as a platform to continue to look into blogging ethics and PR professionalism.

Following BlogHer, Kevin Pang of the Chicago Tribune wrote that “If there’s a hard news peg attached to BlogHer ’09, it’s the Federal Trade Commission’s proposal to regulate blogger endorsements of products.” Kevin notes the rising market influence of bloggers is the reason why the industry is now looking to identify the difference between subjective reviews and paid advertisements. Additionally, Lee Woodruff of Huffington Post wrote about the power of the female blogging community, commenting on a discussion she participated in that splits writers into the ‘new blogger generation versus the old:’ those that promote products versus those that focus more on writing and personal issues.

The interesting thing to me is this discussion of the two blogging camps – call it ‘fun’ bloggers vs. ‘profit’ bloggers. The remarkable part of the division is that, it seems to me, the blogging community is actively beginning to regulate itself. Paid promotion continues to be a grey area in all forms of media, but some easy steps are helping bloggers set themselves apart as trustworthy sources. Websites like DisclosurePolicy.org and BlogwithIntegrity.com offer templates and pledges aimed to ensure professionalism and disclosure. Personal transparency statements are popping up in an increasing number on blogs we work with, letting their readers know policies on product reviews and endorsements. Let’s not forget why blogs started posting reviews in the first place – because it’s an effective way to communicate likes and dislikes, and most importantly, foster discussions among like-minded readers who have a genuine interest in a product’s effectiveness or ability to please.

It all boils down to professionalism between bloggers and PR reps, honest communication, and realistic expectations. While bloggers are indeed influential media personalities, they are also moms, writers, freelancers… just regular people sharing thoughts to an online audience. As PR professionals, our job is to identify those ‘fun’ bloggers, and respect their personal feelings on product reviews (if a blog doesn’t post reviews, don’t pitch them on the latest, greatest gadget – makes sense, right? Is a post extolling the virtues of wrinkle cream going to appear in between pictures of Jane’s 5^th birthday party and a post about making cupcakes? Probably not.) We must realistically expect what a blogger’s interest level will be and conduct ourselves accordingly. It’s simple professionalism, research, and respect.

Are FTC guidelines necessary to preserve transparency and integrity? Perhaps. But can bloggers and PR professionals work together to address these issues effectively outside of official rules and regulations? Absolutely.

Back in April, C.G. Lynch wrote about finding a balance between personal and the professional content when using Twitter. While discussing the difference between personal and private, he quotes Kirsten Dixson, “As an example, you don’t want to write that you’re ‘going to the gym,’ but it might be nice to say, ‘I just set a goal to run a marathon.’” The quote has stayed with me ever since. Whatever it is that you have to project to the masses, give it value. You’ll be easier to relate to, and there will be an actual intellectual or emotional benefit that you provide your friends/followers.

Obviously, the concept goes far beyond the world of micro-blogging. We see is everywhere in everyday life – it’s a key to building successful relationships, especially in business. And now, more than ever, it hangs heavily over the PR bubble, threatening to burst it wide open. PR blacklists and blackouts and the ever-spreading controversy about paid blogger reviews are forcing us to constantly re-examine our practices and become better Pros. It’s a lot of work, and it takes a lot of time, but it pays off. I have started many more conversations with members of press by politely introducing them to an idea, rather than a brand. I pitch them an article, rather than a product. I resist the urge to name-drop and flash famous logos in front of their eyes. And the responses have all been positive. Even if they ultimately decide to pass on the specific idea, I’ve established a valuable connection with someone that I’m perfectly comfortable approaching again in the near future (and perhaps is looking forward to hearing from me).

We all make it our primary practice to personalize our outreach and try to illustrate clear connections between our clients and media members, but we need to continue to take it to the next level. We need to be writers and columnists at heart. We need to present them with ideas that they can use – that they find valuable – and who knows? Someday, we could earn “We Heart PR Pros” week.

As the discussion of the use of social media in our field continues, a recent article on Ulitzer caught my attention with more commentary on exactly how social media strategies fit into the work we do on behalf of our clients. The article describes how social media further blurs the lines between traditional PR and marketing with a “push vs. pull” analogy. Where traditional programs are centered around pushing the news out to media in an effort to influence our clients’ customer base – social media strategies rely on the successful engagement of end users, potential customers and industry influencers by pulling them into these communities. I’d take this one step further, given sometimes we have to give a little push to certain clients in order to pull them into the world of social media.

Social media presents the opportunity to stretch as professionals into new mediums and makes us look long and hard at the messages we are getting out there – are they significant and clear? I think this makes our job all the more exciting – with opportunities to participate in conversations (be them via Facebook, Twitter, etc.), we have many more ways in which to not only get the story out, but get real-time, honest feedback from an ever growing number of people.

There’s been quite a bit of buzz lately about the FTC’s proposed guidelines regarding marketing and endorsements related to bloggers and online media in general. We’ve been closely tracking it since many of our clients pursue coverage on blogs, especially since consumers increasingly rely on third parties and their peers to give no-nonsense product reviews before they make a purchase. The NYT had a pretty interesting article yesterday that took a look at some bloggers, Twitter users, etc. who accept fees for posting about a company or product, and how they disclose that info to their readers. Nothing ground-breaking here, but it’s a well balanced article on the topic and was enough to provoke some thought internally on where this is all headed.

It’s funny – in some ways, it makes total sense for the FTC to get involved and update its guidelines, like holding bloggers liable for content they write about a product if they’re being paid to write it. In theory, it’s not that different from holding a company responsible for claims it makes in an ad.

On the other hand though, sometimes I read this stuff and I instantly hear Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler chiming in with “Really?!?! REALLY, FTC?!??!?!” because it just seems like people are honing in on something that has been happening for years and years with very little abuse and need for regulation. People don’t get upset that movie and TV critics receive screeners and advance (complimentary) viewings before rating a film or program. And we don’t question whether the opinions we get are credible and un-influenced by the fact that they got this access for free from the studio or network trying to promote its project. So why are people looking at product reviews on blogs like they are so very different than other kinds of “traditional” reviews? What do you think? Take a look at the article and weigh in below in the comments.

The New York Times recently caught our eye with a thought-provoking article on the changing role of technology-focused public relations pros. Claire Cain Miller penned an article published July 5 titled, “Spinning the Web: P.R. in Silicon Valley,” which discussed how public relations gurus are courting influential voices on services like Twitter to endorse new companies, Web sites or gadgets, perhaps forever altering their roles. We think there will always be a place for traditional media outreach in PR, but it’s definitely an interesting time as new and social media outlets continue to amass larger audiences.

“Die! Press Release! Die! Die! Die!”

That headline from Tom Foremski’s story in Silicon Valley Watcher in February of 2006 was my first introduction to social media press releases (SMPRs). It’s been three years since I came across that piece and I’m still not sure traditional news releases are completely dead.

With unlimited multimedia capabilities on the Web and an array of social networking and news-sharing tools available to us, it goes without saying that Foremski’s approach to SMPRs was on point. Readers want succinct, visually appealing and digestible, spin-free information. But what do editors want and, more importantly, what do they need?

Though PR professionals should always consider a press release’s intent and target audience before making any decisions about its message or format, I argue that you’ll get the most traction from a release that incorporates elements from both the traditional and social media approach.

Sure, there’s a time and a place for Foremski’s SMPR and the easy-to-follow template that Shift Communications created just months after his article appeared. There is enormous value in SMPRs that bullet information and offer approved quotes with an array of other social media and multimedia options. This is beneficial to the reporter or editor who wants to make the story his or her own, or the blogger who just wants to post snippets of the information with videos or podcasts that help tell the story.

But unless you’re merely pitching online editors and bloggers who live and die by social media, I don’t agree that bulleted information is the only way to go. Layoffs and hiring freezes have forced print and online journalists to wear many hats and juggle several roles. As such, PR professionals must consider these ever-changing duties and recognize that if we simply bullet information and put the onus of drafting the information on a time-strapped editor or reporter, we’re running the risk of our news being overlooked.

They key is to make the media’s life as easy as possible. As a former newspaper reporter and editor, I understand the importance of stories with a multimedia component. I also understand the need for well-written press releases that can be run verbatim when the news is important, but not worthy of a writer’s time.

By including a shorter, yet traditional, SEO-enhanced release and adding all the SMPR bells and whistles, we can enhance the opportunity for coverage and keep the media – and, most importantly, our clients – happy.