‘Ethics’ and ‘trust’ are driving readers to my blog. There’s an SEO lesson here, I just know it!

I’ve come to a fork in the road in my blogging life. Should I optimize this site, or should I just focus on content and let growth come organically?

When you come to a fork in the road, blog about it!

Why ask this 3.5 years into the game? Check out the Top 4 search terms that brought people to ToughSledding in the past 12 months:

Our PR classrooms need a few more grizzly bears

On Twitter last week:

Me: Is gender balance coming to PR? 5 of 20 in my PR Case Studies class are male. 75/25 is way better than the 90/10 we’ve been seeing.

Rebecca (current student): The question is: How many men will remain after you return their first assignment?

Jackie (former student): I just don’t think the guys could stand the criticism. And we all know you have no problem shredding crappy writing.

Me: Are you saying I’m not nuturing?

Jackie: Baha! You’re as nuturing as a grizzly

*      *      *

Can you recommend some books on social media? Advice for the late adopters

While some of us are  a little tired of discussing “the conversation” about the conversation, others are just now beginning to examine potential of social media. For example, a former student called last week asking me to recommend social-media books that would get her up to speed. “Jessie” graduated before SM made it to our classrooms and was busy starting a family while the phenomenon was unfolding

I chuckled at first, remembering this tweet from Paul Baker. Ain’t it the truth? But late adopters are a sizable group, and as I told Jessie, books are a good place to begin the catch-up process.

Because I’m an educator, people pose the cursed “book question” all the time. It sucks, because it means I have to read a lot of books that do little to expand my knowledge base or worldview. But reading the literature, for me, is sort of an occupational hazard.

Facebook Flashback has me smilin’, and remembering home

Soon after my son Chris turned me on to Facebook in Jan. ’05, I became an early adopter. It was easy, as I had the “edu” address, the passkey that let me enter Zuckerberg’s little college orgy.

I was out of place on Facebook ’05, and students weren’t pleased to find the old professor lurking in their milieu. Things worsened when I counseled a graduating senior about her online presence: “Ah…that profile picture of you smoking the cigarette and drinking a martini? It just might turn off a potential employer, you know.”

Based on her reaction, I should have just told her she looked fat in the dress. Sheesh!

Stating the obvious? Professional communicators need business skills

I’m not part of the online debate about who is or is not a “social-media expert.” I leave that topic to the leaders of the echo chamber. I real life, no one really cares.

What clients and employers care about is how we use the tools of communication to make their organizations more successful. Clients and employers expect us to understand the business proposition. The C-level folks look to us to help change attitudes and behaviors, because that’s what drives the bottom line.

Back in balmy Ohio

Ham Lake Trail, about 40 miles north of Grand Marais, Minn. (1/6/10)

Regular visitors here know that my favorite time of year is when I’m offline and in the woods. It’s even better when my favorite lady comes along, as she does on most trips when I’m not shooting at God’s creatures.

Don’t let ‘positive thinking’ impede critical analysis

I don’t remember the first time someone told me I wasn’t a team player. It was early in my career, back when I served as a publicist for big ad agencies. Back before I did “real” PR.

As part of those integrated marketing teams, I concocted PR strategies to bring “value added” to expensive advertising or promotional campaigns. Usually that meant pitching stories of marginal news value, or luring coverage with goofy events — the kind journalists can’t resist.