PR Glossary

The world of PR, Communications, and Media is rapidly changing as technology begins to infiltrate every aspect of our lives.  Based on our experience in this field, we’ve outlined a few important terms below…many of which play an important role in understanding the PR industry of today.  These are not scientific definitions, but rather our own understanding and articulation of the terms:

Press/News Release- Press releases are well-crafted, fact-based documents generated by companies and then circulated to the news media to garner attention and/or to simply raise awareness. Many times press releases are a great tool for reporters to get story ideas, hence creating good relationships between the news media and PR professionals.

Public Relations (PR)- The discipline of monitoring the public image of businesses and/or personalities. Activities include generating news releases online via newswires, creating relationships with the media (Media Relations), facilitating events that generate buzz (event marketing), nominating clients for Awards or booking Speaking Engagements.  In short, any activity that is related to keeping a brand/person top of mind in their industry and among consumer groups in a positive way.

Media Relations- PR professionals build lasting bonds with news media; this includes editors, reporters and freelance journalists who tell your brand’s story to the masses.

Social Media- Web-based platforms that facilitate the sharing of information in online communities. This includes everything from social networking sites (Facebook, LinkedIn) and video posting sites (YouTube, Vimeo) to social bookmarking sites (Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon) and content distribution share sites (SlideShare, DocStoc, Scribd).

Old/Traditional Media- This refers to traditional forms of media that do not require the Internet to power distribution: print (newspapers, magazines) and broadcast (cable TV, radio).

New/Emerging Media – This term refers to Internet-based media such as blogs, podcasts, social networks, social bookmarking sites, digital magazines/publications and mostly anything that reaches a large audience via online or mobile platforms.

Social Networks- Online communities where people who have similar interests connect, share information, and learn about new things. It is rumored that these sites are taking over our lives.  Some examples of social networks are Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Blog- A blog is a regularly updated, web-based platform that usually centers around a particular topic aimed at a niche audience. Sometimes companies or individuals write on a certain topic that serves to position them as a thought leader in their industry, while others write simply as a form of personal expression and for fun.

Thread- Messages posted on a discussion board usually following a blog. It creates a conversation relating to original material.

Pitch- A written presentation (generally not more than 300-400 words) put together by PR pros that tells the story of a brand, person, or organization they represent.  Pitches tend to be researched and data-driven, and may take many weeks to prepare. This will usually result in a company getting a “hit” on a local, regional, national, or international media outlet.

Viral Campaign- The goal of most PR campaigns today are to reach and influence enough people to create a “viral” effect – also thought of as “Word of Mouth” (WOM) marketing.  A campaign is said to have “gone viral” when it is pushed out across the web via social networks or sharing sites (think Facebook or YouTube) and within hours or days has been shared, posted, tweeted, and liked by thousands if not millions of people.

Buzz- Conversation that is akin to bees buzzing. One person gets excited and everyone begins talking about it. BZZZ BZZZ.

Expert/Thought Leader- Someone who excels and has both skill and knowledge in a particular subject or field. These individuals are often who media look to first when seeking input or quotes for a particular story or broadcast segment.