TikTok blames human error on removal of same-sex kiss video.

What happens when a man kisses his boyfriend at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve and posts it on the video-sharing social network, TikTok? The post is removed because it’s a violation of the platform’s community guidelines. That’s exactly what happened to me this New Year’s.

When I saw the notification on my profile, I was flooded with feelings of shame and alienation. After being out of the closet for 24 years, I knew I needed to take action for myself and for the entire LGBTQ community.

In a world where bullying is rampant, the relatively new platform that already reaches 60 million active monthly users in the US must support the equal and fair treatment of LGBTQ users and all diverse communities.

Most importantly, think about a teenager going through the same experience of having their video removed because they simply kissed their same-sex partner. Imagine how devastating it would feel when a popular social network tells them it’s not okay to be who they are. Many would be too afraid to speak up and would not know how to respond to this type of discrimination.

That’s why I chose to take action – for those who cannot.

I started by filing a support ticket and then tweeted the company. Finally, I emailed TikTok’s public relations department.

After explaining that I was writing a piece on the video being removed and demanding answers, my request was quickly forwarded to the moderation team. Within two hours, TikTok re-activated my video and let me know it had been incorrectly removed due to human error. I can hardly believe this was the reason the video was removed. If I hadn’t shared with TikTok PR that I was writing an article, I doubt the company would have responded so rapidly.

The initial removal of my video appears to be a continuation of TikTok’s reported bias against the LGBTQ community.

Indeed, late last year, TikTok admitted to suppressing videos from LGBTQ users in what the platform called a “flawed attempt” to prevent bullying.

TikTok provided an empty defense of its policies, saying “…in response to an increase in bullying on the app, we implemented a blunt and temporary policy.”

TikTok said the policy “was never designed to be a long-term solution,” adding, “While the intention was good, it became clear that the approach was wrong and we have since removed the policy in favor of more nuanced anti-bullying policies and in-app protections.”

The removal of my New Year’s Eve video makes the urgent case for a full internal evaluation of TikTok’s policies and moderation practices. A number of tough questions need to be answered.

If this decision was based on human error, who was the human? How does TikTok make hiring decisions for moderation positions? Is diversity represented on these teams? What about across the organization as a whole? And, most importantly, what will the company do to prevent a repeat of this experience?

The bottom line is we can’t allow a social media platform to commit discriminatory micro-aggressions against any community.

TikTok needs to continue to be called out for biased practices. It’s critical that the company understands its responsibility to create a safe and welcoming environment for all.

The clock is literally ticking for TikTok to make big changes. And, guess what, the alarm has gone off.

This article originally appeared on Campaign US.

Why Hallmark Channel’s apology is not enough.

What a weekend for the Hallmark Channel.

In case you missed it, the cable channel known for its cheerful, lovey-dovey holiday specials, where girl leaves the big city to move to a small town and meets the man of her dreams and ultimately decides to stay for love, found itself in a not-so-Hallmark-Channel setting this weekend.

The network pulled several ads from online wedding registry Zola featuring a same-sex couple kissing after facing pressure from a conservative group “One Million Moms,” according to multiple reports.

The public backlash was fast and fierce. With the hashtag #BoycottHallmark trending over the weekend, Hallmark was reminded that we live in 2019 and quickly changed course.

In a statement, Mike Perry, President and CEO, Hallmark Cards, apologized for what he called “the wrong decision,” and said the brand “will continue to look for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate our differences.”

While I applaud Hallmark’s quick reversal, the network will need to do a much deeper dive as the dust continues to settle. A complete internal audit needs to be done immediately and serious questions need to be answered, including:

What happened after calls to pull the ads surfaced?
Who was ultimately responsible for making the decision?
What is the make-up of the team that makes these types of decisions? How will that change in the future, because it appears from this issue, it’s not a diverse one.
How did a team of c-suite executives think pulling the ads was the appropriate response?
What steps will Hallmark take to prevent it from happening in the future?

I want to know the answers to these questions, don’t you? For Hallmark, it’s time to be transparent and make their responses widely available.

If they are able to make this a learning experience for others in the industry who may be faced with the same decision, they may be able to gain respect from those they have hurt and, quite frankly, insulted.

What about programming?

I believe the decision to pull the spots is a symptom of a much larger issue at the network. It’s no secret the network lacks diversity and inclusion in its programming.

Moving forward, what changes will be made in the programming on-air? How will we start to see diversity in lead roles on the Hallmark Channel? If they’re really are going to embrace our differences, the stars featured in the programming need to reflect today’s heterogeneous society.

The bottom line

This past week goes beyond a serious PR fail for Hallmark. It’s a moment that will literally mark the brand in a negative way for years to come.

The only way to steer the ship back in the right direction is not by words, but by demonstrating their commitment with serious actions. Answer the tough questions. Be transparent. And, share what you’re doing next.

Hallmark Channel, will you do it?

This article originally appeared on Campaign US.

Launching an Ad Campaign. A Step-by-Step Method for PR.

Too often I see brands stumble out of the gate when it’s time to launch an ad campaign.

From cultural missteps to bad timing, brands sometimes get in their own way. To help maximize the most important moment of a campaign launch, here are seven simple steps to kick off a successful PR effort around an ad campaign.

Make Sure PR is Present at the Creation

In an environment ripe for potential cultural missteps, PR pros can provide valuable counsel. Having PR present at the onset of a campaign to help avoid embarrassing crises is the best scenario. Once the creative concept is developed, PR also can provide feedback on how the media (social and traditional) and the general public will react. Taking this step can avoid embarrassing press down the line.

Know Your Angle

Once communicators are confident the campaign will not be a PR disaster, it’s time to build a strong angle for pitching. PR pros should ask: Does this campaign tie into a current event? Does it assert a strong opinion? Does it resonate with a certain generation? Once you know the angle, write a pitch letter that will get an editor’s attention and generate buzz.

Develop the Pitch Strategy

Now it’s time to identify the right strategy, which will outline how the campaign will be pitched. For example, will it be pitched as an exclusive to one publication or will it be shared with multiple publications at the same time? The strategy should address the timing of the release and who will speak on behalf of the creative work.

Gather Key Assets

Some reporters and publications have a strong preference for the format of videos and images, whether it’s a YouTube link, video file or high-resolution jpeg. Make sure you have assets in the format your media targets prefer.

Be selective about assets you share. If you have a “hero” piece — one asset that you know you want to be included in press coverage — don’t send it through with six other options. Only share assets you would like to see in the eventual coverage of the campaign.

Get the Credits Right

It’s important to make sure credits are final and accurate. Submitting incorrect credits and requesting a correction after a story is posted is a fast way to sour a relationship with a reporter.

Secure Approvals

Have all key stakeholders signed off on the pitch? Don’t move forward with the pitch until this is done.

Pitch the Campaign

Now you are ready to pitch. Make sure key creative leaders are available to speak to the press. An easy and quick way to get media angry is to offer an executive in a pitch who’s unwilling to speak with content creators.

What’s Next?

Once coverage begins to land, share the resulting articles internally and across your social media channels, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to extend the reach of your earned media coverage.

This article was originally published on PR News.

Please share this piece.

Many of the articles pitched by these executives, who aren’t journalists or writers by trade, lack thought-provoking content..

I recently learned that Campaign — and other publications like it — are considering cutting back on articles contributed by industry leaders and executives.

Lindsay Stein, US editor of Campaign, explained why. Many of the articles pitched by these executives, who aren’t journalists or writers by trade, lack thought-provoking content. When they do get published, companies often fail to share the live content.

In short, many thought leadership articles aren’t generating enough page views for publications. And without page views, there’s less advertising opportunities.

Is there still a chance to get published on sites like Campaign? Yes, if you know what you’re doing.

Here’s how to turn your industry expertise into content that people will actually read and share.

Find a newsy angle
To get a reader’s attention, tie your article to something that’s getting a lot of buzz. That means you have to either think ahead or act fast. If you want to write your thoughts on Shonda Rhimes’ speech at Cannes, your piece should be ready the week of the festival or the Monday after it wraps.
Pick a format
You can give your opinion in an op-ed, you can analyze new trends in your industry, or you can offer a bulleted list of examples and instructions in an advice-driven article (as I’ve done here).
Don’t sell or self-promote
There’s no faster way to alienate your audience. Think about the people at a cocktail party who only talk about themselves. Would you rather talk to them or the people who ask how you’re doing? The same rule applies for thought leadership content. Focus on how you can help the reader.
Check the publication’s requirements
Be mindful of the outlet’s tone, style and submission guidelines. If editors request articles that are 500 words or less and you submit 1,200 words, they’re going to pass.
Go wide
Publications like to reach broad audiences, so pick a topic that will resonate across your industry. For example, if you’re considering an op-ed on new internet privacy rules, think about how it will affect not just marketers, but also media buyers, influencers and consumers.
Take a stand
Journalists have to be fair and balanced in their writing, but as a prominent executive, audiences want to know what you really think. If you’re writing an op-ed about, for example, why most companies are doing Instagram marketing all wrong, don’t hold back.
Share, share, share
Help drive traffic to your content (and therefore, the publication) by sharing the piece on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and encourage your company to do the same. If you can rack up lots of views, the editor is likely to want to publish your next article.

The bottom line

Some editors, like Stein, review 30 to 40 submissions a day for just a handful of slots. Following these suggestions will help ensure your piece is considered, engages the largest audience, and materializes the benefits of thought leadership.

This article originally appeared on Campaign US.

Ready to meet the press at an industry event? 3 things to keep in mind!

As the advertising and marketing industry gathers in NYC for @AWNEWYORK, many agency and brand executives as well as publicists are looking to meet the press and get press.

With this in mind, my advice to Advertising Week attendees is to remember it’s not all about self-promotion.

Bumping into a reporter

When you see a press person wandering through the AMC Lincoln Square venue, sure, it’s a great idea to go up and say hi. But what happens next is key.

Don’t dive into a sales pitch on what you and your company are doing. Instead, ask the reporter what they are working on and what they are looking to get out of Advertising Week. Are they attending or hosting any specific panels? What’s on their to do list? Who do they want to meet?

If the reporter says they’re focused on discovering new ad tech trends and that happens to be your area of expertise then by all means let them know that. However, if it’s not your expertise, it’s best to say, “I’ll keep that in mind and share any tips I hear about while attending seminars and events throughout the week.”

Attend a panel hosted by a reporter

Another great way to build relationships with the press at Advertising Week is to attend a panel they are moderating.

Campaign’s Lindsay Stein, for example, is hosting a must-see panel on Thursday, September 26 at 10:15 am, called “Path Pavers: A Candid Conversation with the Women Shaping Heavyweight Brands.” Some of the marquee names on the panel include Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s Heather Malenshek, Hershey Food’s CMO Jill Baskin, JP Morgan’s Chase’s Chief Brand Officer Leanne Fremar, and Droga5’s Global and NY CEO Sarah Thompson.

When you attend the panel, make sure to share about it on social media and tag Stein as well as the other panelists. Once the panel is complete, go up to Stein and share a brief incite you gathered from the panel – and exchange info.

There will probably be a long line to meet Stein – hardly the time to make a self-promotional pitch – so you may only have time to say hello and move on.

Follow up after the event

Looking to make a more lasting connection with your new found media contacts? Follow up with an email or text. You can also follow them on their various social media channels, including LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Plus, I recommend on an ongoing basis sharing articles written by reporters that resonate with you and would be appreciated by your network.

Final thoughts

Industry events like Advertising Week are a great opportunity to meet the press live and in-person. To make the most of these exchanges, remember it’s not about you when you connect with a reporter – it’s about helping them get the best stories. Focus on establishing an authentic connection, and you can expect to leave with a more robust network than you started with at the beginning of Advertising Week.

This article originally appeared on AdvertisingWeek360.

5 PR tips for Democrats to connect with the American public.

As the Democrats prepare for tonight’s debate, I offer advice as a former editor-in-chief of a celebrity magazine and a current PR pro: Don’t ignore American pop culture.

To capture voters’ attention, the presidential hopefuls should take a page from the Kardashians, People Magazine, Buzzfeed, and even the former reality TV star in the White House.

Know your audience is a PR maxim. Having an appreciation for pop culture, and the media that covers it, will help candidates better understand their target audience: the American consumer. Knowledge of pop culture will improve communication with consumers. Pop culture also contains lessons about how they consume information.

Here are recommendations for PR pros guiding the candidates. They’re also applicable to communicators managing campaigns for high-profile individuals, influencers and brands.

‘All PR is Good PR’

The old adage is true, for the most part, in the celebrity and political worlds. Take the media-savvy Kardashians. Kylie Jenner channeled scrutiny of cosmetic lip injections into a $900 million cosmetics line, starting with her sell-out lip kits.

A principle of crisis PR is to own your mistakes. Democrats need to learn how to turn their lemons into lemonade and adopt the “All PR is good PR” philosophy. Rather than allowing gaffes to embarrass them, embrace them. During a debate in July, Joe Biden meant to say, “If you agree with me, text ‘Joe’ to 30330.” Accidentally, he said, “If you agree with me, go to Joe 30330.” The campaign could turn the slip-up into a positive. For example, it could sell “Go to Joe” bumper stickers and pins.

Offer Quicker Solutions

Senator Elizabeth Warren has a policy plan for nearly every issue. It’s unlikely many voters have absorbed details of her proposals, though. Stick to quicker fixes – something brief that people can remember.

Every media pitching guru advocates succinct pitches. Journalists are busy. Editors are always looking for easy, accessible solutions: “Lose 10 lbs. in 10 days,” or “How to find the celebrity look for less.”

Consumers are busy too. Especially at the outset, Democrats need to package proposals concisely and clearly. Forget the four-year plan, even the 100-day plan; think 30 days or even the first 24 hours.

Find a Slogan That’s Not About You

We are still talking about “Make American Great Again” three years into President Trump’s term. Many Democrats still reference President Obama’s “Hope and Change.” These slogans weren’t about the candidate. They were forward-looking and spoke to a larger vision.

None of the Democrats has been able to capture the sentiment of his/her campaign in a memorable slogan. This, however, is a critically important part of reaching American voters. It can be something as simple as “Vision 20/20 for America.”

Be Real

Take a look at the covers of celebrity tabloids or the latest trending list on Buzzfeed. They likely have one thing in common – they’re relatable. Whether it’s a story on weddings, breakups, babies or this week’s funniest tweets. These outlets understand consumers gravitate to familiar, relatable and emotional topics. Authenticity anyone?

Candidates can tap into this insight by remembering that Americans aren’t necessarily looking for the most “presidential” candidate. We learned that in 2016. Instead, they want someone who can communicate and relate to issues that matter to them.

Accept Being a Reality Star

Although some politicians are holding out for the old versions of debates and campaigns, it’s time candidates recognize that they are celebrities – and yes, even reality stars.

Remember President Trump’s debate style? While I’d never suggest throwing insults, he treated every debate as a performance. He successfully leveraged what he learned from his experience in reality TV and with celebrity media. What the Democrats’ presidential hopefuls have failed to realize, which the president knew all too well, is that the American people expect to be entertained.

The candidates need to get serious media training. They need to start thinking about the debates as performances and themselves as entertainers. Maybe then more viewers will be able to stay awake watching them.

This article was originally published on PR News.

The 3 lessons learned from the Equinox PR crisis.

It’s been a rough month for the Equinox brand and it continues to be challenging.

Just a few weeks ago, the brand’s owner, Steve Ross, held a widely-covered fundraiser for President Trump, which did not align with Equinox’s long-standing marketing campaigns supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

“It takes years to build a brand and only seconds to destroy it.”

The protest by Equinox members in social media and the press appeared to have caught the organization off guard. Members flocked to social media to announce the cancelation of their memberships.

Meanwhile, other gyms took the opportunity to poke fun at Equinox. New York Sports Club posted on Instagram, “FYI: This Friday, August 9th we’re not doing anything in Southampton. Come work out with us.”

Following the fundraiser, the Equinox team formulated a plan to combat the crisis and stated it was donating $1 million to LGTBQ+ and other causes.

However, the move continued the crisis by using a fundraising action to entice members to stay with Equinox. In order to decide where the money goes, according to reports, Equinox is “pitting five charities against each other to win a share of a million dollars and you can only vote if you don’t cancel your membership.”

What can be learned from Equinox’s ongoing PR situation? Here are three lessons:

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

For years, Equinox positioned itself as a champion of inclusivity and diversity. On its website, it states “diversity celebrated” as its first core value. With its owner’s public display of affection for the President in the Hamptons, the brand appears to be hypocritical at best. While hindsight is 20/20, Equinox might have been better served going with a completely different positioning in its marketing campaigns, for example, focused 100% on fitness and wellness. Moving forward, marketers will need to check where their owners stand on issues before proceeding with cause-oriented campaigns.

Test Your Response

The day the crisis broke, Equinox released a response that did nothing to calm the storm. The statement positioned Ross as a “passive investor” and “not involved in the management of the business” in an attempt to distance the brand. Many were outraged by the statement because it simply was not believable. This moment shows how important it is to test your message before you release it publicly. One solution is to always have a focus group ready to go so you can quickly gather feedback. Equinox could have included members as well as employees. A quick session with such a group would have immediately demonstrated the statement was not going to be effective in calming the controversy.

Admit You’re Wrong

Within the statement, there was no admission of wrongdoing, which was necessary, especially considering Equinox built its brand on the back of LGBTQ+ causes. What members, myself included, would want to hear is that:

“We believe it’s wrong to build our brand supporting LGBTQ+ causes while our owner is holding a fundraiser in direct conflict with our core beliefs. We are in active discussions internally to correct what has happened and will seek your guidance in the best way to rectify this unacceptable situation.”

Admitting you’re wrong is challenging, but that’s the only way to move forward – especially in Equinox’s case.

The Bottom Line

It takes years to build a brand and only seconds to destroy it. Can Equinox turn its ship around? By actively engaging with its membership and collaboratively coming up with a plan to move forward – there is hope. And, for all marketers, there are lessons to be learned from Equinox’s experience.

This article was originally published by Adweek

Mark Allen & Co: We get your executives published.

From bylines to op-ed articles, learn how Mark Allen & Co. creates strategic thought leadership campaigns designed to elevate your company’s message.

No one can tell your company’s story better than its executives.

With expertise and insight unique to your company and market, executives often serve as the best voice for your brand. Getting your executives published with content, from bylines to op-eds, that ties into your company’s story can dramatically amplify your presence in the marketplace.

Mark Allen & Co., the public relations agency founded by PR veteran and former editor-in-chief, Mark Pasetsky, specializes in developing executive editorial content coupled with strategic PR. This combination offer clients an integrated communications experience and coordinated thought leadership approach.

Introducing Thought Leadership Campaigns

The New York-based agency helps companies pair their most valuable executives with opportunities to publish content that relates back to larger company messaging. Mark Allen & Co. then orchestrates that content into a broader strategic campaign that reiterates key company themes across different media channels, including earned media, owned channels, social media and native opportunities.

The agency has helped publish executives across a variety of national business, technology and trade publications, including WSJ, NYT, CNBC, USA Today, Fast Company, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., Entrepreneur, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, Ad Age, Adweek, AdExchanger, The Drum, Campaign, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, among others.

In addition to building executive-driven thought leadership campaigns, the agency’s editorial team helps clients develop submissions for key industry awards and compelling speaker presentations, white papers, as well as internal and external communications documents.

A Former Editor-in-Chief at the Helm

The Mark Allen & Co. team is guided by Pasetsky. A trend spotter with an eye for the bigger picture, Pasetsky offers clients an insider’s view into what today’s journalists, editors and producers are looking for in a story. This insight allows Mark Allen & Co. to differentiate brands and elevate their executive leadership teams.

“One of the biggest challenges companies face today is understanding where brands fit in the news and where industry coverage is heading — in the next week, month, year,” said Pasetsky.

Throughout his publishing career, Pasetsky built a reputation as a magazine cover expert, with an intuitive understanding of story development and how to craft the most compelling headlines to sell magazines on the newsstand. Today, he translates this experience for clients by pinpointing their most compelling brand story and helping them stand out in today’s frenetic news environment.

A Powerful Team

Mark Allen & Co.’s pool of senior editorial talent, featuring subject matter experts in advertising, media, entertainment, technology, legal, healthcare and publishing, shows clients it understands their business.

The team knows what editors want because they come from leading media outlets, including the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, CNBC, Inc., Crain’s New York Business, Ad Age, Adweek and Fast Company.

I was a HuffPost blogger. Now what?

That sound you’re hearing is a collective gasp from the thousands of execs who used to blog on HuffPost.

The Verizon-owned publication recently announced it was shutting down its free blogging platform. Some 100,000-plus contributors used it to provide HuffPost with free content.

It’s the end of an era, but the beginning of a new one too. As we’ve seen recently on YouTube, letting content creators run wild can backfire. At HuffPost, with so many contributors, there was no way to maintain any level of quality control.

Unfortunately for executives who were dependent on HuffPost to share their points of view, they are finding it tougher to get published elsewhere. In our experience, many publications appear to be getting stricter on submissions or are limiting the number of submissions they are willing to accept from outside contributors.

What’s Next?

As a result, we are advising our clients to look more closely at self-syndication – especially on the social networks. No. 1 on the list is LinkedIn.

LinkedIn’s SEO is excellent now. So, for example, if you blog about a “PR management crisis,” your post has a good chance of showing up in Google’s first or second page. To make the platform work though, you need to go beyond posting a piece and connect with your LinkedIn network.

After posting your article, there are many tools to extend the reach of your post, from sponsoring it to creating a text ad. Many executives are also creating LinkedIn slideshare presentations based on their articles to extend the life of their pieces.

Want to make your post go further than LinkedIn? Then create a customized email distribution list or post creative Tweets about your latest piece.

The Bottom Line

While many executives may have been disheartened to hear about HuffPost’s decision, the future is bright for those executives who pursue a self-syndication strategy – especially on LinkedIn.

How United Airlines can solve PR crisis.

Well, that escalated quickly. Despite other things in the news, including the crisis in Syria, United Airlines was the biggest trending topic on Monday.

The reason? As you’ve likely seen, security dragged a bloodied passenger Dr. David Dao off the plane. The Chicago-Louisville flight was overbooked and Dao refused to get off.

The simple reason this made the rounds in the news and social media is that there was video of the incident – a very vivid and disturbing one.

This was a major crisis for United, one the airline could have handled much better. Here are four ways:

Show indignation that this occurred.
Though he was PR Week’s Communicator of the Year, United CEO Oscar Munoz displayed a tin ear by offering a conditional apology about “having to re-accommodate…customers.” What was missing from Munoz’s statement was anger. If he’s not upset that some United employees acted this way, then that means he condones it. That’s a losing position. Instead, Munoz should have said something like, “No matter the facts behind this incident, United did not live up to our high standards for customer service and we will take steps to make sure this never happens again.”
Apologize via video.
Sometimes a written statement is not enough. Words can’t counteract the power of video. When Domino’s faced its own crisis a few years ago, President Patrick Doyle apologized on YouTube. That not only advanced the story, it also gave news outlets a new piece of media. And, it replaced the old images with new ones.
Make amends with the passenger.
Though Munoz issued an apology on Tuesday – two days after the incident occurred – he needs to go further. A goodwill gesture like contributing to Dao’s favorite charity would help.
Issue a plan to make sure this won’t happen again.
Most people would choose another airline over United while this incident is fresh in their mind. United can address this concern by being proactive and outlining a plan on how overbooking will be handled in the future. By issuing a public promise to customers, United can begin to quickly move past this crisis.

Bottom Line

By making a bad situation worse, United has undone millions in advertising spending. However, the opportunity still exists for United to make a right out of this major wrong.

The 10 commandments of smart executive thought leadership.

Thought leadership is the key to successful corporate PR campaigns.

In 2017, smart brands will continue to expand their content offerings to all members of the executive team, not just the CEO. From the Head of Sales to General Counsel, each executive can be branded as an expert, creating bylined content for publication that impresses current and potential clients.

While a smart executive thought leadership campaign is a proven way to distinguish your company from the competition, all pieces are not created equal. There are smart ways to go about thought leadership and not-so-smart ways. You’d be surprised by how often business leaders fail to take the right approach.

Here are the 10 Commandments of executive thought leadership. Defy them at your peril:

Thou shalt be news driven.
There was a time when evergreen pieces had value. When print was still the center of the news universe, reporters and editors had to bank stories for the weekend edition. Those days are long gone. Now, online media is ruled by what might be called the tyranny of the present. That is, what’s going on right now is intensely interesting. Everything else falls by the wayside.
Thou shalt write compelling headlines.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of headlines. To write an effective one, you have to be SEO-friendly, clever but not too clever and summarize the article well in as few words as possible. You also have to walk the line between prompting someone to check the story out without resorting to clickbait.
Thou shalt write specific sub-headlines.
Readers usually don’t have much time and they’re often viewing content on their smartphones. To help them more easily understand your argument, make your sub-headlines very specific to what you’re arguing. If you can’t boil it down to 10 words or so, then your argument may be too complex.
Thou shalt be timely.
That huge issue in your industry? No one will want to read about it a week later. In our short attention span-ruled media environment, even four days is pushing it. If you can’t turn around a piece within 72 hours of a big media story, then move on to the next thing.
Thou shalt pay attention to research.
News doesn’t always have to be based on an action. Research is an oft-overlooked news hook that gives you entrée to weigh in on larger trends that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Thou shalt consider SEO.
Today’s news organizations are fueled by what people are searching. That’s why you’re better off checking Google Trends or Twitter’s trending topics than the newspaper’s front page. Editors are usually under a certain amount of pressure to deliver page views. Help them.
Thou shalt add something to the narrative.
There’s nothing interesting about reiterating what people already know or stating the obvious reaction. In news, the classic example is “man bites dog” because dogs bite men all the time and offering a twist provokes interest. Adding to a narrative doesn’t always have to be counterintuitive. A recent example: After The New York Times ran its expose of Amazon’s brutal work culture, Dustin Moskovitz, a Facebook cofounder, ran a Medium post that argued that a law of diminishing returns applies to work hours. The post added something to the original narrative – proof that an alternative existed.
Thou shalt have an opinion.
Taking a stand on issues is divisive. Inevitably, some people – perhaps even most people – are going to disagree with you. Alienating part of the population doesn’t come naturally to business leaders, but if you don’t take a stand, then no one will read it. So express an opinion or don’t bother.
Thou shalt follow the guidelines of the publication.
Most publications do not want you to self-promote. An op-ed that’s merely a thinly disguised sales pitch won’t get traction anyway. If you make an intelligent argument, readers will look up your name and affiliation. This soft sell technique works much better. Aside from content, tone is important. If you’re writing for marketing executives, then you will probably sound different than if you’re writing for lawyers.
Thou shalt promote via social media.
You’ve written your op-ed and it’s been picked up. Congratulations! Now go out and bang the drum. Link to it on Facebook, tweet about it and post it on Medium and LinkedIn. If people comment, comment back. If you’re not doing this follow up, then you’re missing out on many of the benefits of executive thought leadership.

As you are planning your PR campaign, a strong thought leadership campaign for your entire executive team can be an invaluable component – if it’s done right. Follow these 10 commandments and you just might find your business obtains heavenly results.