Hanson & Hunt

Arik and Kevin talk about improving the PR agency/client relationship, and a desire by some companies and brands to move from producing more content to working with influencers to be more relevant to culture. Plus, what global chief communications officers view as their top priority, what’s keeping businesses from podcasting, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview edition - Jeff O’Keefe, the manager of digital and social media at Richard Childress Racing, joins Kevin to talk about his role, RCR’s approach to social media and content creation, and his view on the evolution of social media in NASCAR and the sports world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should the brand exodus from Twitter begin? That’s one of the topics up for discussion by Arik and Kevin in this episode. Also, in Quick News & Quick Takes, what are reporters looking for in the subject line of your pitch? Plus, Walmart steals a page from James Corden. Is it the job of internal communications to monitor what employees are saying on your internal platforms? And, the PR strategy tha...

Companies and brands often ask, ‘Is our audience there?’ before deciding to try a new social media platform. Is that the right question? Arik and Kevin discuss that in this episode. Also, a new segment (“Quick News & Quick Takes”) debuts to highlight a few news items in the communications world since the last show, including LinkedIn’s new 30-second videos from LinkedIn Influencers. Other links di...

Interview edition - Tom Forsythe, who is about to retire as vice president and chief communications officer at General Mills after 25 years with the company, joins Arik and Kevin to reflect on his career, and the evolution of corporate communications and PR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Influencer marketing is the hot topic in 2016. Arik and Kevin take it on in this episode, and the cost and value of an influencer. Also, what Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn means for corporate communications. Plus, a Pew study on what employees are doing on social media reignites concerns about employee productivity and why some companies block social media. Learn more about your ad choices....

Guest co-host Martha Krueger - co-founder and CEO of The Social Lights - joins Kevin. They discuss a survey of brand social media activity about the most popular platforms, content types and the frequency of posts. Also, does the word “social” apply to all social media? Plus, why your next job might come your way because of your personal blog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

Interview edition - Mike Pilarz, content marketing evangelist at LinkedIn, joins Arik and Kevin to discuss his work, trends in content marketing and some advice for individuals and businesses looking to make better use of LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest co-host Becca Bijoch - senior publicist at Lola Red PR - joins Arik and Kevin. They discuss the rise of private messaging platforms and the implications for PR and marketing. Also, should brand and company social media leaders still spend some time on the tactical side, "in the trenches"? Plus, the key trends facing PR agencies, including billing and a push toward paid media. Learn more abou...

Are the days of being slave to the page view coming to an end? Wishful thinking? Arik and Kevin discuss a story about the philosophical struggle that news websites - and companies for that matter - face when creating content. Also, it’s job hunting season for would-be marketers and PR pros. What digital skills are in demand? And, are we still looking for generalists or specialists? Plus, more mome...

Arik and Kevin kick off their discussion in this episode with the marketing lessons from a hip hop mixtape from Hamburger Helper. Also, an article that was passed around in the tech community recently questioned whether there’s still confusion over traditional vs. digital marketing. Plus, should a business do its own PR? Arik has a fun take on that one. And, the current state of the corporate webs...

Interview edition - Steve Lubetkin, managing partner of The Lubetkin Media Companies, joins Kevin to discuss podcasting. Lubetkin co-authored “The Business of Podcasting” with Donna Papacosta. The conversation address why a business, brand or organization should podcast, how to produce and host a show, and trends in podcast listening. And given his experience in PR and corporate communications, he...

Guest co-host Susan Beatty - vice president of External Brand Communications at U.S. Bank - joins Arik and Kevin. They discuss a comprehensive new report on employee advocacy out this week from Altimeter Group. Also, just how prevalent is podcasting? Results from the latest Infinite Dial study should spark some ideas for communicators. Plus, a not too often thought about side effect of the increas...

As the assumed reach and influence of the major social platforms continues to be called into question, where should companies and brands invest their social time and resources? In this episode, Arik and Kevin consider the shift to messaging apps as one solution. Part of that discussion also involves the continued consumer distrust of anything that looks like advertising, so is the solution “Trust...

Arik and Kevin discuss a content idea used by some mainstream media outlets, on their social channels, that should be copied by more companies and brands. Also, AVEs are soundly criticized by the PR industry, but what about impressions? And a study of content marketing output and engagement isn’t surprising - we should think about producing less content, right? - however customer service could be...

Companies and brands might be assuming that their employees have a significant level of social media skills. Arik and Kevin talk about why social media training should be prioritized in 2016. A recent post ripped the notion of ’brands as publishers,’ saying the success of content should be judged on views, links and shares. Plus, the declining sales of newspapers and what it means for earned media...

Many companies and brands are thinking about, or already are, producing podcasts. Arik and Kevin recap an event they participated in on the topic, and talk about the opportunities and challenges of business podcasting. Also, does PR now have a stronger place in the marketing mix? Plus, a communications or PR degree provides a solid foundation for a PR career, but is it necessary? Learn more about...

Arik and Kevin discuss a new report on the state of corporate social media (and employee social media advocacy), how PR pros can and should interact with journalists, a decline in traffic for some of the web’s biggest publishers, and what companies/brands can learn from the mainstream media for promoting their content in social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arik and Kevin close out 2015 with some thoughts on social sharing, video marketing, corporate spokespeople in social media, user experience on websites and why we all might need to put the phone down a little bit more, get offline, and take in our surroundings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fortune 500 is cooling on corporate blogging according to new data on social media usage by big companies. Arik and Kevin discuss that finding, plus the other platforms the F500 is active on. Also, breakfast emojis take over our Spotlight in this show. The blog comment might be on its way out on business blogs. And what journalists are looking for from PR and corporate communications. Learn mo...

Interview edition - Jen Swanson, Director of Digital Marketing at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, joins Arik and Kevin to talk about her role with the launch of a new marketing campaign and website, her career, and her personal blogging. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you considering messaging apps for your PR or marketing programs? Arik and Kevin share some interesting data from a new survey of the tech and media landscape, with a big focus on messaging's future. Also, Target gets creepy for Halloween, how creating behind-the-scenes content can work for or against you, plus it's time to take a look at your social referral traffic. Learn more about your ad...

So what do journalists want from a PR pro? Arik and Kevin share their thoughts. Also, why your company or brand - and your leaders - should express an opinion on a blog or in social media. Plus, the challenges of being both a content creator and a content consumer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest co-host Bryan Vincent - director, Digital Communications and Social Media at UnitedHealth Group - joins Arik and Kevin. They discuss why some companies are not taking advantage of LinkedIn, a new content partnership between Mayo Clinic and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the real reason companies should be active in social media, plus blog posts as Op-Eds. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

Communicators have a tough job, trying to restore or grow trust in their company CEO. Arik and Kevin look at a report on CEO trust and have some advice. Also, making the most of an internship from the standpoint of the student and the company. Plus, troubling times for disclosure of social sponsorships. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices