Stories by Mark Renfree

Twitter is staying committed to its 140-character limit, but in an effort to free up coveted real estate the micro-blogging network announced that it will stop counting media attachments and other content towards its iconic character limit. Many of the changes will allow users to have more control over their messages by doing away with its current practice of factoring in usernames and media attachments to the total character count.

At Hillary Clinton’s campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, Katie Dowd has a content production powerhouse at her disposal. There’s little doubt that social media has found its place in politics and Dowd is hoping to use her vast online communications experience to not only generate donations, but also utilize her team of content creators to make connections with voters that will last long after the ballots are cast.

It’s increasingly becoming a reality in the communications world that once sequestered departments are now finding themselves working closely with colleagues they seldom encountered previously. For many, the breaking down of institutional borders between an organization’s various departments is a welcome trend. Even if a tumbling of silos has been a long time coming, the question of how to get all these different people with specialized functions working together efficiently isn’t any easier to answer.

Mitigating and Responding to Risk Here are some top-line tips for managing tough issues: Be prepared. No matter what your industry, there is a security “pain point” that you should 
consider. When creating a risk… Continued

The Five Keys to Successful Workplace Crisis Communications Whether an organization is confronting a difficult contract negotiation, planning a large-scale cutback in staff and managerial positions, or revamping its benefits programs, here are critical steps… Continued

Plan for Crises Like a Basketball Coach While a detailed “checklist-style” crisis plan can seem comforting, communicators are much better served emulating an agile, well-prepared basketball team. Take some of these steps to develop crisis… Continued

Instagram is currently testing new analytics tools and business profiles, which will be rolling out in the coming months. Along with the heightened analytics offerings, businesses will now be able to have specialized profiles that include a contact button, access to maps and directions and categorize the business by type.

The ambiguity around the question of whether or not you’ll get the job after your internship isn’t really all that important. It’s great to get the offer, but what’s really important is making the most out of your time spent in the working world. For those out there who’ve already locked down their summer internships, or even if you’re still looking or considering making the jump, here are a few things I learned from my internship with PR News.

Budweiser has long liked to think itself an essential part of the American identity. In recent years the company hasn’t shied from proclaiming itself as such. In a continuation of the beer’s patriotic branding, Anheuser-Busch InBev announced its boldest move yet: Budweiser will be removing the brand name from its cans and bottles, and rebranding the beer simply as “America.”

Google’s free tool has the power to transform a brand’s understanding of its online presence, which can only lead to a better experience for users. Putting this analytics tool to work within a larger measurement framework has the potential to unleash a kind of transparency to PR work that was at one time unimaginable. This allows communicators to make well-informed decisions backed by data, which can then be used to concretely prove their team’s business contributions to the C-suite.