I haven’t really spent a lot of time blogging on PR and marketing – which I know is quite foolish – considering I know how valuable it is to share knowledge with others, and of course, for SEO.

 

There’s no better time to commit to blogging again about PR, marketing and everything in between than the start of the year. Hopefully, I can stay committed to post at least two articles per month, which I believe is the minimum number to stay relevant with Google. (Is that correct SEO friends?)

 

Before I proceed to the actual blog post, I’d like to share a brief recap of the past year and you’ll understand why I haven’t published any content in a while.

 

I’ve been slammed developing, launching and managing campaigns for current clients as well as presenting proposals to prospective clients. Perhaps, that’s one of the reasons why we were named as one of the Best 20 PR firms in Houston in 2017.

 

In addition, I’ve focused on growing Intensifire Media, a mobile app and software development company, that I initially founded to meet clients’ demands seeking mobile apps as part of their overall marketing program.

 

What started as an enterprise that relied on our PR and digital marketing clients seeking mobile apps, Facebook apps, landing pages, CRM solutions, etc. for projects has become totally independent. We’re now being tapped by tech start-ups that are still in the idea stages to bring their idea to life. We’ve also been called upon by a few startups that have been burned by their current development team so we end up taking over. It’s not the most ideal situation, but we won’t reject the opportunity to showcase our developers’ coding abilities.

 

We’ve helped build simple and complex iOS and Android apps, custom-built online platforms, CRM solutions, SaaS products for clients on a project basis. Although it is ironic that some of our project-based clients have also become PR clients.

 

As I always explain to prospects, going live on the Web or getting published on the App Store or Google Play is NOT the finish line, it is just the beginning. Creating demand for their product is as important as launching their product.

 

As a PR and marketing professional, I’m able to provide a unique perspective to very early stage tech companies to think about PR and marketing even before any development takes place. I’m able to advise them on product features, processes, branding, design, messaging, etc. that software development firms don’t and can’t provide. At Intensifire Media, I’m proud to have a team of smart, experienced programmers and designers that can deliver technology solutions on budget and on time.

 

Most important, my wife and I have been raising two boys who are fast growing up to be amazing young men. They’re the typical 14 and 12-year-old boys so they enjoy a lot of the same activities.

 

That said, both are also the ideal focus group for Generation Z/Boomlets who will become the prime targets for marketers once they become adults in a few years.

 

Hence, I decided to write about my 14-year-old’s insights on PR and marketing to offer something different than the numerous articles I’ve been reading in recent days on trends in 2018. I could not keep my 12-year-old to sit still to discuss such a boring topic so his thoughts are not included here. (Yes, he has ADHD like me).

 

To kick off the New Year, here’s my 14-year-old’s take on PR, marketing and everything in between for 2018:

 

FAKE NEWS IS HERE TO STAY – It’s great that Facebook, Google, news outlets, and other information sites are clamping down on fake news. PR pros should also do their best to prevent the increasing problem of spreading fake news.

 

So why is fake news here to stay? That’s because my 14-year-old believes most of the stuff that is shared on his social feeds and it’s not Facebook. He gets most of his news from his smartphone via Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and even from games on XBOX or PC when playing with other gamers.

 

When he comes across a news article, he only reads the headline so when an article like this one about the end of the world appeared in a mainstream news outlet, he had to ask me whether doomsday is happening soon. I know it’s sad, but we do the same thing. We’ve all seen commenters on Facebook that’s clear the commenter never read or viewed the content shared and was going by the headline.

 

If kids today are pre-programmed to not read beyond a few sentences or phrases, then it’s going to be tough for them to distinguish between real vs. fake. I even wonder how many of you will read this far.

 

STOP THE EMAILS – He only uses email to login to various sites. He never bothers checking his email messages. Marketers need to figure out how to reach this group once they become adults outside of email.

 

YOUTUBE STARS ARE THE REAL CELEBRITIES – The power of famous YouTubers like Logan Paul and Vitaly, who were recently in the news for different reasons, are a lot more influential than celebrity endorsers. My 14-year-old and like the rest of his friends are also much more forgiving when YouTube stars get in trouble for an insensitive post like PewDiePie’s anti-Semitic comment that caused him to lose several sponsors including Disney.

 

Moreover, kids his age and younger don’t look at TV as a popular medium. They’d prefer to be a YouTube star than be on TV. That’s why PR pros need to start pitching YouTube influencers and reviewers if they want to be in front of this demographic.

 

THE POWER OF INSTAGRAM, SNAPCHAT AND MESSENGER – Real-time posting is fun for him and his buddies and they all use Instagram, Snapchat and Messenger. They also prefer temporary posts that last 24 hours or less versus keeping a library of content on their profile page. That’s why Instagram stories and Snapchat are popular for them. On Messenger, they use it as their main communication tool instead of making a phone call. It is easier to get a hold of friends via video messaging. They hardly use it to send written messages except if a meme is attached.

 

I’m thankful to my 14-year-old who didn’t want me to use his name for sharing his thoughts on PR and marketing. As for me and our team, we are diving deeper to better understand my son’s generation since they are the future. It is clear we have much to learn from them as consumers.

Now, let's see who actually read this lengthy yet illuminating post. If you did, thanks for the taking the time and please like or share it as proof. Hahaha--appy New Year!