In today's world, people are well aware of the power of social media. Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin are all popular sources of social media that impact businesses and people. These three sources of social media are very similar to an appetizer in a three-course meal; you start by getting your information out there which leads to the main result. But people are starting to realize there is another appetizer that can produce the same effects, the blog. Blogging is growing in social media and a UW-Whitewater alumni, Trish Skram, knows how to feature your new appetizer.
Trish Skram is a media specialist and PR manager for Mercy Health System in Janesville, Wis. and also a professional blogger for Janesville Gazette. Skram's career started when she applied for an internship six years ago at Mercy when she was a junior at UW-Whitewater. The internship was paid, she really enjoyed the people she worked with, the job gave her a lot of opportunities, and she has been working there ever since. She started and launched her own blog called "PR Gal" in 2008.
Skram talked about how using Twitter and blogs help grow her network, connect with people, learn from others who are similar to her, and help the PR industry. Her first piece of advice was to blog about things that relate to the job you want because it shows you have a passion for what you want to do. Skram also included eight ways to build a brand with your blog:
- What do you want to get out of it?
- Know your competency
- Listen and learn from your audience
- Add a personal touch
- Be positive :)
- Encourage engagement
- Research keywords
- Be consistent
Skram's final advice she gave about blogs was to share your passion, share your knowledge, always work hard, and participate in everything you do. Most importantly, don't be afraid to blog! Bloggers have a worry that they will look stupid while writing but if you connect with others, they will connect with you.
Be creative in how you brand yourself in social media because if your appetizer stands out, employers will want to see what else is included in your three-course meal!
