In order to be relevant and keep up with the trends we are seeing in the business of PR, social media, and marketing – there are certain blogs and resources we have to be aware of and review on a regular basis. I try to spend at least 15-20 minutes a day (usually first thing in the morning) reading, sharing, and taking notes to include in my research, classes, and lectures.
I do think while it is important to explore also new platforms that are gaining notice and buzz in the news, which is something I saw this week and wanted to explore further. So far, I think it’s a pretty cool niche social media networking platform.
I first heard about Shocase actually from reading a post from PR Daily. Shocase is a social networking platform for marketing and PR professionals. The site allows you to download your LinkedIn account and it basically operates very similarly to LinkedIn and Facebook.
However, you are able to follow individuals and leading professionals who you may not be able to before on other social media sites. You get to see what they are sharing in terms of industry related news, review their work, and read their presentations. All in one place. Pretty cool if I say so myself.
What are some of the potential benefits of Shocase for PR professors, professionals, and even students? Here are a few things to consider:
- A place to connect with just marketing/PR professionals: While it may be another site and profile to create for you, Shocase does allow you to interact and network with professionals who are in your field only. Which, in a time where we are seeing so much noise and conversations at times on some of the more popular business networking sites like LinkedIn, this allows you to be more selective and focused.
- Uploading content to get feedback and reactions from the professionals’ point of view: This is key for professors – we want to make sure we are creating assignments, activities, and lectures that are going to help our students be successful in the field. So, what a better place to go to share what we are doing in the classroom and get feedback?
- Tailored and focused news stream: Promoted posts? Not here. Industry specific content that is relevant for you? Absolutely. So far, I have seen some great articles being shared in the newsfeed and it’s not promoted, tailored, or targeted based on my age or demographics/interests. However, it’s relevant and timely, which is refreshing to see here. Plus, you get to see the portfolio of work by leaders in the industry like Phil Gomes and many others.
- Lots of professional possibilities to upload documents and projects: I thought this was a pretty cool feature – you were able to upload a range of different types of content on to the site. From PDFs to videos to other different types of media, there are a lot of options here to choose from. This is also a great opportunity for students as well. It’s good to have ownership of your name on every platform and keep your options open for other networking possibilities.
Anyway, there are a lot of possibilities here to network, share updates, and create content that is focused and tailored to professionals who are working in our fields. We will have to wait and see what happens next with Shocase – but I think it is a platform for young professionals (great networking and resume opportunities!) and professors here as well.
Hope you are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
