Research Tools for PR Professionals Part I: Twitter

As PR professionals, our work is dynamic and changes often, but there are a few constants that we must keep up with on a day-to-day basis. An important part of our jobs includes keeping up with current trends and news in the industries important to our clients. My advice for other PR professionals? Spend 15-30 minutes each day researching and catching up on the news. There are so many benefits to this, from better understanding of how the press is writing about the industry (in our case, primarily tech) and what they value to our own education – this helps us formulate strategy for our clients, pitch stories that will matter to press, and stay aware of trends and potential opportunities.

It’s not easy to stay current in the fast-paced digital environment we live in today, but it is crucial to know about what is going on in the world of PR and in your respective industry.

Fortunately for us, there are a few easy ways to remain knowledgeable without wasting valuable time.

You can also try streamlining your news-gathering process using Twitter to get your daily dose of news, fast. Follow accounts that deal with both PR and Tech industries. You can also research industry hashtags to see who is tweeting about your client, topic, or event. Here are a few examples of accounts you should follow:

For PR:

• @PRNews: A great resource for PR professionals, this provides helpful industry tips and tricks.
• @PRDaily: This account shares advice on PR, marketing, social media, and more.
• @PRNewswire: Tweets about multimedia platforms and press release distribution.

For tech news:

• @TechCrunch: Growing voice in the tech space. Provides you with breaking news in technology, product reviews, and personal tech expert analyses.
• @Convergent_AV: The latest feature stories, trend tech, and podcast for a global industry, big focus on the world of AV (Audiovisual) with smart home thrown in
• @rAVePubs: The most current (AV) and Digital Signage news from tradeshows, product announcements, podcasts, and product video demos.
• @Engadget: Keeps you in the loop of new products, reviews, and technology. Big focus on gadgets and product-level news.
• @Wired: Wired continues to be a leader in tech news from trends in automotive, gadgets, computing, smart home, policy, trends – they cover it all.
• @Mashable: Geared towards keeping the tech generation updated with news, fun and helpful resources.

Following these accounts will populate your Twitter feed with everything that’s happening in the world of PR, technology and consumer products.

Any method you choose to get your PR and tech news from will help you stay informed on what’s going on in your industry, and the world of technology. Staying informed can be as easy as reading a tweet, so take advantage!

Do you have more tips? Let me know on Twitter @megannicole_pr!