How can content be king without great writing?

As PR professionals, we all know (or should) that content in any medium is king. It’s what entices the reader and keeps them coming back. But I believe we have failed to ensure our recent college graduates have the necessary writing skills to enter the workforce. Many college programs now heavily focus on Social Media without reinforcing the need to be concise, factual and strong writers. The best Social Media platforms will always fail without extremely well-written content that engages and intrigues the reader.

What’s the profession think?
Richard Cole, professor and chairperson of the Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing at Michigan State University, wrote about a survey he conducted with Andy Corner, APR, and Larry Hembroff in the October 2009 edition of PRSA Tactics regarding the writing skills of entry-level PR practitioners.

Are PR pros keeping up with the times?

In the past, PR professionals were slow to adopt new techniques – from new ways to pitch journalists to press release styles. We were, and still are to an extent, resistant to change. We’d better be ready to not only float, but sail forward as communications leaders, especially with the immense changes in technology occurring.

Although we once distanced ourselves from new trends and techniques, we made sure to not make that mistake with the advent and development of Social Media. I can recall at the 2007 PRSA International Conference in Salt Lake City a fervent effort to take on the challenges and opportunities Social Media could provide PR pros.

Social media releases (SMRs) and why they matter

Since the Social Media Release (SMR) was developed by Todd Defren from SHIFT Communications in 2006, public relations professionals have debated its value. Many ask if it’s needed to be on the cutting-edge of PR, while some question its use against traditional means (i.e. personalized pitch letters, phone pitching, etc.).

Is it really useful? Or is it just a fad?
I believe the SMR has taken the traditional press release, and accompanying news content, and made it relevant to the digital age. It’s harnessed the power of multimedia and Social Media, transforming traditional media communique into technologically robust user experiences.