The site works by allowing you to select a topic of your choice and then search for related news articles, Tweets, Facebook posts, Flickr photos and then prompts you to drag and drop them into a multimedia story which can then be embedded into any website.

“We have so many real-time streams now, we’re all drowning,” Storify founder Burt Herman told the New York Times. “So the idea of Storify is to pick out the most important pieces, amplify them and give them context.”
The site is becoming increasingly popular in the USA with over 5,000 sites and blogs including The New York Times, The Washington Post and NPR (National Public Radio) using Storify to create and share ‘stories’. With more than 13 million views accumulated over the past 4 months it seems that Storify really is the next big thing.

Fancy giving it a go? You can sign in with your twitter account and get started right away! We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Reports from the USA suggest that facebook is doing more than just keeping people connected…it’s helping police to fight crime!
Local police across America have started using Facebook to post information on local cases and to ask the public for help.
Feedback from officers suggests that Facebook users really are helping them to catch the bad guys. “Witnesses are using our local page to give us really useful information,” said Sgt. Joe Smart of the Conroe Police Department (Texas). Police in the area have been using Facebook to profile suspects and criminals since May this year. Local people have through facebook directly helped to arrest three people and to gather leads on several other open cases.
Police are also using the networking site to posts heat maps to tell the public where thefts, burglaries, car break-ins and other crimes are happening in the local area.

Across the border in Canada, the Toronto Police Service is joining in on the facebook action. The force has a new social media initiative, encouraging officers to sign up for Facebook, specifically stating that they are a member of the local police force.
The goal is to have around 200 officers with online profiles by early November. The program is designed to improve communication between police and the public. “We’ve prevented some pretty serious incidents simply because people reached out to the few police officers that openly stated that they were in the police on their social media sites,” said Const. Scott Mills, the force’s social media officer.
Mills continued to explain that two years ago, a Facebook friend alerted him to someone posting anti-Semitic rants on their Facebook account, which led to the person’s arrest and prevented what police deemed to be a violent attack threat.
Earlier this month, the Toronto police website added a facebook page where users can report lost property, crimes under $5,000 and traffic complaints.

Across the country in Vancouver, police received more than 3,500 email tips (many linked to Facebook photos of the rioters) in the week following the Stanley Cup riot which resulted in 140 civilians and nine police officers being injured, and saw 101 people arrested after trouble broke out at the annual ice hockey tournament.

Social networking certainly seems to be helping law enforcement in the USA. What do you think about the police using social media? Would it work in this country? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Hello, I am the Marketing Officer at Deaf Action, the largest organisation in Scotland that works with deaf, deafened, deaf blind and hard of hearing people. We are currently introducing a new identity for the organisation which takes up all my time but has been hugely rewarding. Social Media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, has proved a wonderful tool for getting instant feedback from our members and supporters.

• What inspires you?

Seeing passion in other people. I am very lucky in my job in that I get to meet some wonderful people, people that show tremendous strength and courage. Lots of people that refuse to take no for an answer – I think seeing people fight and stand up for what they believe in is the most inspiring power there is!

I also like to browse through Flickr for some instant inspiration and creative ideas – just looking through some images really inspires me and makes me want to pick up my camera more. I like getting the chance to glimpse the world through other people’s perspective.

• In your opinion what are the biggest issues that digital could be used to address?

Encouraging independence. At Deaf Action the development of new technology has really changed the lives of our clients and provided a huge amount of autonomy. I think the same is true for many organisations working within the disability sector. Last year we celebrated Deaf Action’s 175th Anniversary. As part of the celebrations we held a history exhibition; learning how much people’s lives had changed over the last 50 – 60 years, mainly due to advancements in technology, was amazing. I don’t think people really value the importance and delight in leading an independent life.

• Who/ What is the next big thing?

For Deaf Action, the next big thing is online interpreting. Digital is completely changing the structure of Communication Support within the Deaf Community. It is quite unbelievable to think that many of our clients are asked to book interpreters, notetakers or other communications supports up to two weeks in advance! Online communication support will give our clients instant access to British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreters – something that was unimaginable a few short years ago.

In terms of marketing, everyone is talking about the importance of geomarketing, but for a Scottish based organisation, I find community groups, local and hyperlocal news sites have been really successful in connecting us with new members, supporters and partners.

• The best advice I was ever given ….

‘Nothing in life worth doing is ever easy’ and it’s true. It’s nice to remember that every once in a while, especially when faced with huge tasks. It’s something that has kept me going through many a difficult job or daunting essay – that and a lot of tenacity goes a long way, though some people may call that quality in me stubbornness, I like to think of it as persistence!

• In 5 years time …….

I think the Social Enterprise sector in Scotland will be well established and looked upon as a model of excellence, particularly for smaller economies. Over the past couple of years Deaf Action have developed and invested in its Social Enterprise arm – it’s heartening to know we are in good company! The vast number and types of Social Enterprises working in Scotland is truly magnificent and something that I hope will continue to flourish. I am always amazed and completely enthused to meet other Social Enterprises and find out about the wealth of services and products they create, often from just a tiny back room!

www.deafaction.org
twitter.com/deafaction

The Revolver PR team love nothing better than a bit of people watching and on our travels we often spot things that make us chuckle.

We like a bit of banter too so decided, just for fun, to start a game with the witty, intelligent people who follow our blog and Twitter account.

To take part all you need to do is tweet your “caption” followed by the hashtag #RevolverPR or add your comment to the blog.

This week we have two winners as both captions made us laugh out loud.

@Zenagency with the caption “Born to be miiii-iiiild”

@MikeRitchie with “We’re no movin’ till we get Kings of Leon tickets.”

Congratulations guys, invisible prize in the post!

Image courtesy of Vapors Magazine.

French Connection are a step ahead of other retailers with their digital approach to e-commerce, social media and building relationships with their customers online. Gone are the days of the FCUK branding and a more sophisticated campaign created in early 2010 is reaching consumers via traditional media as well as Facebook, Twitter and now Youtube.

French Connection launched their new channel “Youtique” on Youtube last month with a personal stylist guiding the shopper through the latest collection, advising on outfits and accessories for different occasions. The beauty of French Connections Youtique is in it’s simplicity, each video lasting only 60 seconds, and leading the consumer straight to the products. Youtique aims to offer a safer option for shopping online. For those who want to look good but are missing the fashion gene, or hate shopping, it’s a digital equivalent of buying what’s on the mannequin.

This  innovative approach to social networking is refreshing and an excellent way to raise brand awareness and promote new products and services. It will be interesting to see the effect on sales this new channel brings.

One thing is certain, when it comes to social media marketing and online pr, French Connection do it in style.

Kukunu was founded in 2009 by Gerald Goldstein and Itamar Lesuisse as a collaborative way for travellers to book holidays and share ideas and experiences. The public beta stage went live in July of this year, and with media coverage from Tech Crunch and TheNextWeek the statistics for week one exceeded all their expectations.

Kukunu links to the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter so you can invite friends to make suggestions for hotels, restaurants and places to visit. They claim that in order to “bring you the best experience, we have teamed up with trusted travel providers so that you can directly access more than 100,000 hotels and 200,000 activities, restaurants and landmarks.”

That it’s a huge selection and presented on one site in a clear, straightforward format makes it very appealing. If you find googling flights and comparing holidays frustrating then you’ll love the simplicity Kukunu offers. If your travelling companion can’t sit beside you to research, this service will save you time pinging emails back and forth and a fortune on your phone bill, unless of course you’re using Skype.

I’ve been having a play around with the site, so far I’m planning trips to Paris, New York and Milan. I’ve found it easy to use and the images and options for travel, hotels and venues are impressive. To help select a hotel, TripAdvisor, a recent addition to the site,provides personal reviews. I started to feel really excited looking at the bars and restaurants, should I go to Chez Papa for dinner or choose one of the little restaurants off the Champs Elysee? Hmmm decisions, decisions.

My cautious side is raising a little flag about posting my holiday plans to Facebook, despite having the tightest privacy settings available, in case any burglars fancy popping round my house whilst I’m away. It has also put me in a slightly bad mood because my time on Kukunu has been purely for research purposes, I’ll be sure to use it next time I’m planning a little adventure.

Try it out for yourself, I’d love hear your comments.

http://www.kukunu.com/

What inspires you?

My inspiration stems from children and their use of colour and mark making techniques. Their outlook on life where they don’t think they just do. My nieces and nephew have been a major part of my development in creating my colourful signature scribble.

In your opinion what are the biggest issues that Digital could be used to address?

In my own personal work it will be easier for me to cross geographically diverse customer bases bringing my product to a wider market.

Who/What is the next big thing?

‘Spray on Clothing’ designed by the Spanish Fashion designer Manel Torres. He joined forces with the Imperial College London to make the first spray on garment. At the present time this has just come out but I feel over the next few years we will be seeing more of this more so for medicinal purposes.

The best advice I was ever given?

Was from my sister Alice. She truly is wonderful in so many ways and always has the right thing to say in any situation. She has always said to me ‘Take each day as it comes and enjoy every minute’. She said this to me a number of years ago when my head was in the clouds and I have stuck by it ever since.

In 5 years time…………?

I wish to have branched out and diversified in my product range to include bags, bikinis and interior furnishings for example rugs, curtains, bed linen. To have a number of stockists in Asia particularly Japan. To have a number of full time staff to help with production, press and general day to day duties.

www.hilarylaing.com

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Hilary-Laing/111300965557946

Sean & Joanne, who run Taste, the sandwich shop across from our office have earned themselves a reputation around here. Everyone is talking about them. If you’ve grown up in Scotland and spent your life trying to avoid “getting a reputation” you might think that statement is a negative. Think again.

Taste serve great food but where they stand out from the crowd is in the friendly customer service they offer. They greet me by name, they remember that I like a soft roll instead of a crunchy one and they actually listen when they enquire about my day. Their sandwich shop is always busy because they have the whole package, great food, reasonable prices and most importantly they care about their customers and in doing so are earning a good reputation. They don’t have a website or promote their business in a digital way, word of mouth is their most powerful tool and it’s working because they remember to focus on the customer.

Transfer this scenario to your own business. Who is managing your reputation? Do you have a digital public relations strategy? How can you engage with a large audience and generate business? The world of PR has been changing over the last few years to embrace the powerful effect of social networking and step forward from traditional broadcast and media. The volume has been turned to high on word of mouth as consumers can quickly research your brand with the help of google, social networks, forums as well as traditional press. Are people talking about you? Are they saying positive things? Worse still, are they saying nothing?

Silence may be golden but when it comes to generating business, driving traffic, promoting a brand and building an excellent reputation, focusing on the consumer should be your priority. The rest, we can look after for you.

Taste Sandwich Bar,

387 Great Western Rd, Glasgow, 0141 337 6888

Tweet

Martinson reports: “SMS and Facebook were used as mobilising tools, Twitter to provide up to the minute feeds on where the action was alongside an interactive map. Videos and photographs were uploaded in near to real-time, but not live, to provide unmediated reports on what was taking place. In short, it was close to being an alternative news supplier blurring the lines even further between citizen journalism and reportage. User generated content has already changed the nature of newsgathering in providing first-hand accounts into mediated mainstream news providers. But what operations like climate.camp.org does is to provide an alternative news source that is, by definition, authentic but, as in common on the web, without any checks of accuracy and verification. And it ticks more than one box. The content is relevant for its audiences, it provides a means of engagement, it is updated and some of the related videos can be chilling or hilarious.”

Like it or not, stories like this demonstrate precisely why local authorities and public sector organisations must start sharpening up their approach to online public relations.

The world’s biggest food company is reportedly set to launch a campaign to defend its reputation amid stinging criticism on social media sites.

PR Week reports that the Swiss firm is eager to address a range of issues, from long-standing concerns about its formula milk to a more recent hijacking of its online marketing services by critics.

The publication reports that in 2009, Nestle suffered a social media crisis after its invite to influential parenting bloggers in the US on Twitter was taken over by activists and turned into a “highly visible” anti-Nestle campaign.

While there has been no official comment on the online PR push, PR Week said a company source had told it the firm is keen to counter criticism because “stories don’t die online”.

Whether you like it or not, consumers will research and talk about your company online. If you want to be in a position to monitor, manage and respond appropriately to that, then you’re going to have to invest in Digital PR.