Why a PR firm should be a part of your merger or acquisition planning team Last week, we received a breaking-news alert that SunTrust Bank and BB&T would soon be merging. The combined assets of the two banks will make it the nation’s sixth largest bank – so…
For brands, social media is not free. That might be hard to hear, but it’s true! The platform is free and you may organically grow your audience, but ensuring your audience sees your content is another story. So, if you’re allocating a portion of your marketing budget to…
Getting more sales from search engines boils down to three methods - and, it’s actually pretty easy to get started. But before we dig into how this all works, you’ve probably heard of “SEO” or search engine optimization. SEO is basically a set of methodologies and techniques that…
It is no secret that digital content has gone from the new kid on the block to everyone’s BFF. The kings and queens of this digital age are the lucky individuals and companies who have produced content that has gone viral. Having the world at your fingertips can…
Ghost referrals, referral spam and spam bots are Google Analytics headaches. Chances are that if you manage Google Analytics for a website, you’ll see what I mean when you go to the Referrals page and sort by source. These fake referrals have become exponentially more troublesome on Google…
I was reading the June PRSA Tactics newsletter when I came across an interesting and useful article about Google’s take on hyperlinks in news releases by Carrie Morgan, a public relations consultant. One of the million-dollar questions surrounding Google’s secretive search algorithms is: How does it judge the quality…
While I have been an avid consumer of YouTube videos for years, I had never posted any videos on YouTube until I started working with clients who did. Needless to say, my ears always perk up when I come across advice for improving one’s YouTube presence. I recently…
An organization’s website is oftentimes the first or second impression for a new customer, and if the site is outdated, dysfunctional or unorganized, it could be the No. 1 reason customers aren’t calling. The Obsidian team recently attended a PRSA Memphis luncheon where Amanda Mauk, digital marketing manager…
For many years, the concepts and efforts behind public relations were underestimated due to the inability to determine exact return on investment. It was difficult to attribute specific increases in sales numbers or revenue generation as a result of intangible concepts like reputation building, brand management and community…
Last winter, my family and I were in Orange Beach, Ala., for a quick vacation after Christmas. After a day of shopping at the Foley outlet mall (which is FANTASTIC the week after Christmas!), my mom and I were charged with picking up dinner. We’d been to most…