Top Shelf Reads [February]

Still struggling (like me) to stop wishing people a 'Happy New Year'? 

While I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that it's now *February*, others have hit the 2022 ground running, as demonstrated by the number of compelling articles I'm reading on what's happening in the world of media relations, publicity and content and digital marketing tactics and practices that I want to share.

So here's my list of 'Top Shelf Reads' for February (which I will continue to update throughout the month) to earmark those articles I believe are worth a special mention. 

Enjoy...! 

1. 3 tips for navigating the metaverse as a PR professional
   "PR trends continue to evolve in 2022. As we see e-commerce sales climb and social platforms such as TikTok hit an all-time high, it’s no surprise that PR has become a completely digital affair in the last few years."
2. 6 practical SEO mistakes that can lower your Google ranking
   "Search engine optimization is perhaps the best digital marketing strategy—It taps you to millions worth of free traffic. Nonetheless, like any other marketing strategy, it’s delicate and ever-changing."
3. How to Nail Your Blog Formatting, So Humans AND Robots Love Your Content
"Discover a blog formatting process that will ensure both search engines & human eyes love what they see on your blog. Create the perfect blog format!"
4. Facebook lost daily users for the first time ever last quarter
   "A metaverse pivot isn’t going to fix the social network’s main problems: slowing user and ad growth"
5. What’s In Your Toolkit? 30+ Expert-Approved Content Marketing Tools
   "Looking to improve content quality and find efficiencies in your process? Check out these 30+ tools content experts use for writing & more."
6. What’s The Best Way For SEO, Topic Experts & Writers To Work Together?
   "A reader asks, What's the best way for our SEO pro to create briefs for our topic expert to write about, and where does the editor come in?"
7. 5 steps for businesses to communicate with customers in the new normal
   "Effective communication before the pandemic was already a challenge for a lot of businesses. The new normal has brought around changes that no one had expected in terms of their severity and their wide-ranging implications." 
8. 5 PR crisis management mistakes you should avoid
   "No matter how big your business may be, no company is invulnerable to a PR crisis. An ever-present threat to your brand’s reputation and social standing, there are many rights and many wrongs when it comes to PR crisis management."
9. Protecting Your Firm’s Exposure to Statements of Fact vs. Opinion
   "Since the PR pro's job includes disseminating information on behalf of companies, it is important to understand the potential liability."
10. The Uncertain Outcome of the Whoopi Goldberg-Holocaust Incident
    "It’s difficult to know whether the Whoopi Goldberg-Holocaust story remains an issue or eventually gets bigger. It's news today, but will other stories overtake it? Perhaps the Olympics, which begin later this week? Or the rising tension in Ukraine? It's possible the story smolders, eventually becoming a PR crisis, an existential threat to Goldberg's career, ABC's “The View” and other projects. Perhaps it ends well (more on this below)."
11. Ethical marketing: Newsjacking, clickbait and fake reviews among unpopular practices
    "Ethical considerations are coming further to the fore in UK marketing according to a variety of surveys and polls."
12. Updated ‘On Background’ Policies Highlight Need for Better Media Relations
    "On background policies are at the forefront of recently updated and reset editorial guidelines of several major media outlets. For communicators, this reminds us that understanding and committing to the rules of engagement must be among our highest priorities."
13. What I learned by quitting PR for my mental health
    "Anyone in the marketing industry will tell you that public relations professionals are wired differently. They’re gregarious. They’re relentlessly curious. They’re junkies for breaking news. And maybe above all else, a savvy PR person is well acclimated to chaos."
14. 6 PR Crisis Management Tips to Master in a Disaster
    "A PR crisis occurs when an adverse event related to your business gains traction in the public sphere. Regardless of the crisis that occurs - an unhealthy business practice, an employee accident, or sexual harassment scandal - you need to put a plan in place to deal with the issue.

Missing something?

Hit me up in the comments with a February article you feel must be included!