Not to denigrate any foreigners, but this is yet another example of how hiring a good editor beforehand can avoid some embarrassing mistakes that need to be corrected — one way or another — later.

Please contact us to find out about our professional editing services.

According to Chris, “social media is no longer a land of tinkerers; it’s a land of consumers” that requires real experts to navigate. Chris goes on to explain that most small businesses outsource a variety of specialties, from legal counsel to publicists, and for good reason: “Why incur internal staff bloating when you can keep your staff limited to core expertise and services in focus?” Likewise, according to Chris, “specialist vendors … have the benefit of being able to load-balance and mind-share across the experience of multiple clients.”

We agree, and would add that using the right outside experts for social media and other types of communications services (website content, newsletters, emails, etc.) gives the added comfort and security in knowing that your experts are taking the time to keep up with the latest and greatest trends and tools to maximize your business’ success. We do it not only because we have to, but because we really love it!

A recent study found that members of Congress are talking to us at an average 10th grade level, down a whole grade from 11th in just seven years. According to some accounts, that’s a sad or even alarming trend. However, the picture is different when one learns that Americans, on average, only read at an 8th or 9th grade level. In that respect, the politicians are doing what they are supposed to do — talk to us in a way that we can clearly understand.

It seems that the recent study says more about Americans’ education values and intellectual curiosity than it does about politicians who, as good communicators, know their audience.

In the case at hand, Montana-based blogger Crystal Cox criticized Oregon-based attorney Kevin Padrick on her blog, calling him corrupt, among other things. Padrick sued Cox for defamation. Cox defended herself, arguing that (a) she was acting as an investigative journalist when she wrote her blog posts; and (b) Padrick was a public figure. Cox was thus invoking the special First Amendment protections that members of the media have when writing or speaking about public figures. Under the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court decision in New York Times v. Sullivan case, in a defamation lawsuit by a public figure against a member of the media, the accuser must prove that the journalist acted with “actual malice”, meaning knowledge that the statements are false or in reckless disregard of their truth or falsity. That is a very high standard that is rarely met (which is why you can read so much trash about celebrities in tabloid papers and websites).

However, the judge in this case didn’t buy Cox’s defense. He ruled that Cox did not demonstrate that she was a member of the “media” or a journalist. The judge also ruled that Padrick was not a “public figure” under the Sullivan legal standard. Accordingly, the judge applied a much lower standard, and found that Cox had defamed Padrick.

The judge’s view in this case struck some analysts as extremely antiquated. Indeed, if the law did not keep up with new media technologies, only those who write on cave walls and papyrus would be considered journalists. Nevertheless, other judges around the country could render similar rulings in future cases. Bloggers, including those who write on behalf of companies and organizations, will need to be extremely careful that what they write is both accurate and lawful. And if they need assistance in doing so, who better than an online writer/blogger who was trained as a communications lawyer to help them? That happens to be me.

Bad idea. Social media users are already bombarded by advertising on television, radio, the Internet, roadside billboards, in magazines, etc. The last thing they want is to tune into your “all-infomercial channel” on Facebook or Twitter.

The whole point of social networking is that it’s supposed to be social, which requires conversation and two-way interaction. As new media marketer Jeff Korhan writes, even on a purely professional Facebook business page, “I make the effort to personalize that content – giving you a sense of who I am.”

Now, it’s understandable if you’re a bit shy about adding a personal touch to your social marketing for your business, or, more likely, you just don’t have time to engage in such conversations. If so, a writing professional who can pick up on your personality or your company’s tone, knows social media, and writes with style might be just the ticket for you.

As this post published a couple of weeks ago on The Attorney Marketing Center blog suggests, attorneys at law firms should go even one step further: “If permitted, you should have your own web site or blog, your own social media accounts, your own domain name, and your own email account (you@yourdomain.com).”  According to the post, “[y]our clients have a relationship with you, not your firm. Even if you are a partner, your brand is ‘you’ and ‘you’ is what you should be promoting.”

That is a very creative and useful piece of advice.  I agree that, to the extent permitted, professionals at organizations of all types should brand themselves to their clients and potential clients using all communications tools at their disposal, including websites, blogs, and social media.