The Talking Points Podcast

Our latest “Hot Topics” edition focuses on Instagram Stories. We’re joined by Michelle Voss, director of social media for the University of Minnesota Athletics Department; Caitlin Hannah, social media strategist at Explore Minnesota Tourism; and Carrie Wyman, director of marketing at Brandpoint.In this discussion, we cover: how they are using Instagram Stories, how they’re creating them, their strategy, measurement, length of a Story, the use of links, advice for getting started using Stories, and more.For show notes, visit TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group. Or, find us on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening!SPONSORBrandpoint Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes stories about “Gullennials” who trust people online more than their parents (3:25), a website making it more clear when articles are old (5:15), and an “unpopular” list of marketing trends for 2019 (6:50).The Talking Points Spotlight features Budweiser’s tribute to NBA great Dwyane Wade (10:10).And, the Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about the PR industry’s involvement with influencers, is PR missing the boat? (16:15). Also, what the annual Global Communications Report from USC Annenberg says about PR trends and the CEO’s view of PR (22:35), and there’s a renewed focus on mental health concerns facing the comms profession (31:40).Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Bianca Jones, associate manager in External Communications at Best Buy (39:55). She talks about her role there, and what she does with the Minnesota PRSA.For show notes, visit TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an int

The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes the latest data on podcast consumption, and a Facebook exodus too (2:50), how Instagram is being used to spread hate (4:50), and media trends highlighted at SXSW (7:55 ).The Talking Points Spotlight features a timely basketball-themed event from Land O’Lakes (11:00).And, the Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about how newsrooms are handling their metrics and what communicators can learn from their approach (13:00), the true value of social media engagement and the importance of “lurkers” (25:00), and a survey with some interesting trends in corporate communications and PR (35:55).Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Sue Serna, global director of social media at Cargill (42:30). She talks about her role guiding Cargill’s social social footprint and the challenges that work can offer at a large company, her involvement in industry networking and how she made the move from journalism to the corporate world.For show note

Our interview episode for March features Ron Zywicki, managing director and partner at the David James Group. He talks with us about working with nonprofits on rebranding, what  to take into account with those projects, and more. For show notes, visit TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group. Or, find us on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening!SPONSORDavid James Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes discussions about the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer’s emphasis on employees and their employers (4:40), a survey that suggests CEOs want to talk sales, not social issues (6:45) and a Facebook report on what Instagram users expect from brands (8:10).The Talking Points Spotlight features a social media-friendly destination in Puerto Rico that Kevin recently saw firsthand (10:25).And, the Talking Points in this episode feature takeaways from Buffer’s 2019 State of Social Report (12:55), why a data journalism approach should be considered by companies and brands in their content (18:00) and the “hot new channel for reaching real people,” for both internal and external comms purposes (27:15).Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Gretchen DeSutter, formerly in media relations at Thomson Reuters (36:00). She shares some great advice for cultivating and managing relationships with reporters.For show notes, visit TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If

Our interview episode for February features John Lucas, assistant vice chancellor for Communications at the University of Wisconsin. He talks about his work managing internal and external projects, which focuses on helping UW tell its own story on a variety of channels. He also highlights his team and the content they produce, the university’s use of social media, his vision for guiding various communications efforts in the face of trends in digital and social, ongoing support for the UW chancellor’s communications, and more. For show notes, visit TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group. Or, find us on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening!SPONSORSDavid James GroupBrandpoint Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Quick News and Quick Takes segment this month includes stories about research into the true pace of the spread of a technology platform or behavior online (4:55), a new AI tool for reporters at Forbes to provide thought-starters for their stories (6:20), and a survey of public attitudes about what the social media platforms serve up in their algorithms (7:45). The Talking Points Spotlight features one brand’s unique tiered-approach to influencer marketing (10:00). And, the Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about podcasting by businesses, brands or organizations (12:30), how fake sponsored content could cause problems for communicators (20:25), why we should be paying more attention to LinkedIn as a comms channel (29:00), and can Facebook right the ship by being more like Instagram? (33:15). Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Bridget Jewell, social creative director at Periscope (37:00). She talks about her role and recent brand-related projects, as well as her previo

Here’s our first “Hot Topics” edition of 2019. The focus of this one is on executive use of social media. We’re joined by Tom Buchheim of American Family Insurance in Madison, Wisconsin, a company whose program with CEO Jack Salzwedel is recognized as one of the most dynamic and successful among Fortune 500 brands. Buchheim and Salzwedel’s work earned a 2017 PR Daily Award for Best Executive Visibility. In this interview, we cover: How Salzwedel became more active in social media, how Buchheim supports him and other executives at American Family, advice if you think social media isn’t the right fit for your CEO or executives, the opinion that some people have that executives shouldn’t be on social media, why a CEO using social media is not the norm and what prevents them from getting involved, how to plan and produce content for a CEO, choosing the right channels for a CEO and leadership team, the use of ghostwriting, lessons Buchheim has learned and advice for a first step to get an executive social media pr

This road trip episode from our recent visit to Madison, Wisconsin, gave us a chance to reflect on some lessons from the various stops on our career path. Also, we tackle a few career questions we’ve received recently: advice for the college student who feels like they’ve done a lot to prepare for a communications career but still can’t quite get their foot in the door, advice for experienced communicators seeking a promotion, and how can you become a better leader in your role. Our show page is TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group. Or, find us on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first-ever road trip episode, recorded in the car on the way to Madison, Wisconsin. So It’s a much different format than you’re used to from us. We asked you for questions related to your work in communications, so we took them one by one as we made our way through the Badger state. Pardon the in-car road noise! Topics include: Email marketing, paid social, managing digital communications during a crisis, millennials as a misguided focus of advertisers, content measurement dashboards, hashtag use on Instagram, graphic design, internal company-wide email newsletters, slow change in transforming internal communications and structuring a corporate communications team. Plus, we have some fun with a few extra non-comms questions to help you get to know us better. We’ll post another road trip episode - from the ride back to Minnesota - on December 31, where we focused on career advice for communicators. Our show page is TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article

We recorded this episode at the University of Wisconsin. The Quick News and Quick Takes segment this month includes stories about Facebook’s business and PR troubles (4:10), data about Instagram Stories (7:10), and why the news consumption habits of high school students will require big changes for the news industry (9:25). The Talking Points Spotlight features a “Mythbusters” campaign at the University of Wisconsin (12:00). And, the three Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about the optimal posting frequency for organizations on Facebook (14:05), things to look for in 2019 in internal communications, PR, social media and marketing (21:45), and we share some lessons learned from producing 100 episodes of this podcast since 2014 (30:50). Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Kyle Casey, a social marketing and multimedia intern with the University of Wisconsin (43:50). He talks about some of the projects he works on and shares some advice for students interested in being a par

It’s our 100th show - thanks for listening! Here’s a bonus episode for November, as Arik talks with Natalie Bushaw, senior director of Public Relations and Internal Communications at Life Time. In this interview, she talks about her role in leading how Life Time communicates both externally and internally, her career (agency and corporate) and the importance of earned media, among other topics. For show notes, visit TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group. Or, find us on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening! Here’s our November episode: The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes a great resource for employee advocacy programs (2:30), blogging stats and trends from Orbit’s annual survey (6:15) and a writer’s idea on how to fix podcasting before it jumps the shark (8:20). The Talking Points Spotlight highlights a battle of the bands in Minnesota, to help raise money to fund scholarships designed to foster more diversity in the creative industry (12:00). And, the three Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about corporate storytelling and content strategy (13:35), the 2019 Relevance Report from USC Annenberg’s Center for Public Relations (25:05) and a survey of global communicators, including their challenges (33:15). Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Cameron Potts of Deluxe Corporation (39:20). He talks about what could be one of the bigger content marketing campaigns ever built. For show notes and links to the stories we talked about, visit Th

Thanks for listening! Here’s the latest edition of our “Hot Topics” series. The focus of this show is on influencer marketing. We’re joined by Chanel Schmidt from Sleep Number and Maggie LaMaack of Fast Horse. They bring their perspective, from working with influencers of all kinds, so we cover quite a bit in this conversation: How to identify and evaluate potential influencers, tools, metrics, risks, disclosure, structuring influencer marketing oversight in-house or within an agency, and some advice if you’re thinking about getting started with influencer marketing. For show notes, visit http://www.TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com/. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group, just search for “Talking Points Podcast Group” there. Or, find each of us on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening! Here’s our October episode: The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes stories about the use of social media by the Fortune 500 and the popularity of the platforms (2:15), what people expect when they interact with a brand or company on social media (5:25) and an interesting survey of PR and social media salaries (7:30). The Talking Points Spotlight is on a unique art display that lit up Minneapolis (10:15). And, the three Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about the rise of dark social and the impact for companies trying to break through the noise online (13:30), the new Edelman report that says people want brands to take a stand (23:30), and are there ways to make organic social media succeed? (32:10). Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Monica Wiant, a director of social media at U.S. Bank (36:55). She talks about her role, the challenges of working in social media today, and what makes an employee advocacy work best. For show notes a

Thanks for listening! Here’s a bonus episode for September, as Arik talks with Felicia Johnson, social media manager with the Minnesota Vikings. In this interview, she talks about her role on the front lines of the NFL. Cool job! Johnson also talks about the fact that women are behind many of the social media accounts for professional sports teams. And, she offers advice for anyone looking to break into a social media sports job. For show notes, visit http://www.TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com/. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group, just search for “Talking Points Podcast Group” there. Or, find each of us on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening! Here’s our September episode: The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes stories about how people get their news in social media (5:45), a look at new data about social media advertising (7:45) and tools that aim to help increase employee engagement (9:15). The Talking Points Spotlight highlights how Land O’Lakes honored female farmers with a custom country song (11:55). And, the three Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about a unique study of the the best times to post in social media (15:00), how brands ‘surprise and delight’ fans (22:10) and the takeaways from two recent content marketing conferences (34:05). Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Greg Zimprich of Medtronic (45:35). He talks about his role there in financial communications, his work with the Minnesota PRSA, and his connection to Wheaties during his time in PR at General Mills. For show notes and links to the stories we talked about, visit http://www.TheTalkingPointsPodca

Thanks for listening! Here’s a bonus episode for August, as Kevin talks with Chad Mitchell, former senior director of digital communications at Walmart, now with Perfect Sense as a VP, Corporate Practice. In this interview, he talks about his career at Walmart and the company’s approach to storytelling. He also discusses the challenges for corporate communications departments today when it comes to resources, strategy, digital assets management, and why some find it difficult to produce brand storytelling or brand journalism. For show notes, visit http://www.TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com/. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group, just search for “Talking Points Podcast Group” there. Or, find each of us on LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks for listening! Here’s our August episode: The Quick News & Quick Takes segment this month includes stories about declining engagement on Facebook (5:10), a study about executive decision-making: do they go with their gut or with data? (6:45) And, the smart audio report from NPR and Edison Research (8:30). The Talking Points Spotlight highlights a PR and marketing campaign from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota about caregivers (11:15). And, the three Talking Points in this episode feature discussions about IGTV and how organizations can put it to use (13:20), the state of corporate media relations and a reporter;s column that got communicators talking (22:55), and the “2018 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brands and Social Media” (33:20). Plus, the Talking Points Shoutout for this month goes to Christina Milanowski, social media manager at Regis Corporation (40:20). She talks about her career, and how she’s prioritizing Instagram in her work. For show notes and links to the stories we tal

Thanks for listening! Here’s the second edition of our “Hot Topics” series. The focus of the discussion in this show is on gender differences in the practice of public relations, and work-life balance for women in PR roles. We’re joined by Amelia Reigstad, faculty member at the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication. And, Amie Hoffner, vice president and director, Corporate Communications, at TCF Financial Corporation. Reigstad recently researched how gender and different communication styles and personality traits of men and women contribute to the culture of the PR workplace. And, how PR practitioners often “perform” in their roles. While Hoffner has done research on work-life balance and the reality of what that means today for women in PR. For show notes, visit http://www.TheTalkingPointsPodcast.com/. If you have feedback or a suggestion for an interview, article or topic, reach out to us on the show’s Facebook group, just search for “Talking Points Podcast Group” there.