EmployeeFeatureFriday: Mike Atkinson

(If you like this blog, please share it. Thanks!) Mike Atkinson joined W2 Communications in April 2016. As an account executive, he manages media relations, flagging award/speaking opportunities while identifying potential targets for client news for his client teams. Previously, Mike worked in-house as head of the marketing team at New Oasis International Education in […]

“Ringing the Bell” for Entrepreneurialism

(If you liked this blog, please share it. Thanks!) On April 26, 2016, W2 Communications Principal and Co-founder Evan Weisel joined a contingent of Virginia Tech leaders and supporters in New York taking part in the traditional New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) ringing of the closing bell. Also on hand for the event was Virginia […]

Networking like a Pro: Three Ways to Build Better Media Relationships

(If you liked this blog, please share it. Thanks!) What does networking really mean, in today’s technology oriented-world? The old days of the Rolodex are gone, so effective networking requires an understanding of the latest tools at our disposal – especially social media platforms. We recently attended the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital […]

Content Strategy: Avoid Format Blunders

(If you like this blog, please share it. Thanks!) Are you deploying multimedia content strategically – or are you doing it because “that’s what everyone is doing?” Do you have an effective content strategy? Sure, we’ve seen lots of statistics touting the dominance of video – that video will account for a staggering 80% of […]

“Must Ask” PR Job Interview Questions

(If you like this blog, please share it. Thanks!) In addition to being an extremely successful jobs site, CareerBuilder produces a great deal of interesting research about work life. Among their most often-quoted survey findings: Two of five employers estimate that the cost of a bad hire exceeds $25,000, and one-quarter say such hires cost […]

Westward Bound! We’re Expanding to California

(If you like this blog, please share it. Thanks!) We’ve always described ourselves as a Silicon Valley-styled firm which happens to operate in the nation’s capital. But having turned 12 in June, we decided to push forward with a new phase of growth – one that would establish a physical presence in California to take […]

audience engagement

Ask “Why” to Connect Content to Audience

In content marketing, it’s critical to make a meaningful connection to the target audience. But it’s not an easy task: Potential customers and partners are perpetually busy. There’s plenty of content out there competing for their time. If you don’t offer something that’s instantly compelling, they’re going to swiftly dismiss you and move on to […]

Avoiding the ‘7 Sins’ of Content Marketing

(If you like this blog, please share it. Thanks!) Despite all of the ‘science’ that gets tossed out there about content marketing – such as proven techniques to get optimal SEO, ROI on content spend, etc. – we’re still talking about a pretty subjective practice here. Which means different perspectives will shape the final effort. […]

Essential Steps of a Thought Leadership Plan

(The following is the second of a two-part blog on Thought Leadership PR/communications campaigns. If you like this blog, please share it. Thanks!) To create impactful brand messaging in a lasting, meaningful way, we must aim high. In today’s media environment, this means elevating your clients to the level of Thought Leader. So how do you […]