Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.
From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.
Last month, we published a blog post that inspired the team to create an ongoing series for our blog. Titled “Publication Spotlight,” the series will cover various publications of interest to our clients. In these spotlights, we’ll conduct research and develop a brief Q&A sharing details about the outlet and some of its core offerings. The first spotlight in our series was published earlier this month about Inc.
In the post below, I’ll share an overview of Forbes and a summary of my research as of Sept. 8, 2021.
Before I dive into my Q&A on Forbes, it’s important to flag that the publication announced its plans to go public through a deal with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC). The deal values the company at $630 million and is expected to close by the end of 2021 or early next year. Upon the closing, Forbes will merge with the SPAC, Magnum Opus Acquisition, and trade on the New York Stock Exchange as FRBS. It is not clear how this update will impact Forbes’ journalism, marketing programs, events or vertical strategies.
Q: How long has the publication been around?
Forbes was founded in 1917 and is written for corporate executives, managers, investors, and affluent business professionals, according to Cision. The publication’s mission is to give readers a competitive business edge by providing insight into the corporate world and financial markets. Forbes publishes a print magazine, digital content, and local editions covering 76 countries. In addition to its journalism focus, Forbes offers various events, marketing programs, and resources to help leaders and entrepreneurs drive change.
Q: Who is the publisher?
Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family own and oversee the publication of Forbes. Integrated Whale Media Investments does not have a website, but Forbes’ Wikipedia page details information about the company’s sale in 2014 and a breakdown of its ownership. For more information about the company and its leadership teams, visit Forbes’ “Who We Are” webpage.
Q: Who reads Forbes?
Entrepreneurs, business leaders, C-level executives, finance executives, managers and business professionals read Forbes. The publication caters to these groups by publishing business and strategy stories, trend features, personality profiles and management case studies. Forbes is also well known for its lists and rankings, including Forbes 30 Under 30 and Forbes Women, among many others. It also hosts several business strategy and finance events, including CIO Next Summit and Wealth Summit, and events to showcase innovations across other industries, such as the Healthcare Summit, Future of Food, etc.
Q: What is the process for contributing content to Forbes?
Forbes accepts bylined articles and contributors. One approach to place regularly contributed content with the publication is through the Forbes Council. This program is an invitation-only organization for successful executives and entrepreneurs to publish digital articles via Forbes. Communiqué PR currently has several clients in the council. There is no required minimum or maximum number of article publications; however, Forbes limits members to submit one article for editorial review at a time. Below are details about eligibility, benefits, and the fees to join the program.
Membership Eligibility
- To apply, an applicant must be a senior-level executive at a company that meets the following minimum criteria:
- Generates a minimum of $1M USD in revenue or has a minimum of $1M USD in financing.
- For business or nonprofit-council applicants, the minimum annual revenue requirement is $500,000.
Benefits
- Publish articles to Forbes.com about your business for future clients, partners and investors.
- Create a custom profile on Forbes.com, which ranks high in search results and features your professional bio, company description, areas of expertise, and links to your social media and website.
- Connect with other Forbes Council members.
- Access professional skills training.
Fees
- $2,300 for a one-year membership
- $3,900 for a two-year membership
- Premium services available for purchase
Q: What is the process for applying to Forbes’ lists and rankings?
Forbes offers an extensive “lists” program. These lists and rankings cover people, companies and places. The specific application, evaluation, and selection process about each list can be found at the link shared above or visiting Forbes’ “Lists” page on its dropdown menu. However, many of the lists have a nomination form and then a more detailed application. For example, see the nomination for Forbes Next 1000. According to Forbes, this list “celebrates the ambitious sole proprietors, self-funded shops and pre-revenue startups who are redefining what it means to build and run a business today, especially in the “new normal.”
Q: Does Forbes publish an editorial calendar?
Yes. Forbes publishes a digital editorial calendar and a print editorial calendar. The 2021 digital editorial calendar was updated on Sept. 1, 2021, and the 2021 print editorial calendar was updated on April 21, 2021.
Q: How many readers does it have?
Forbes print magazine has a circulation of 669,672. Its digital site secures 33,734,080 unique visitors per month, according to Cision.
Due to growth across the firm, we are looking to add several individuals to our team. The Communiqué PR team is made up of highly collaborative professionals that provide strategic counsel and tactical support for our clients across a variety of industries. Our team is collectively focused on delivering exceptional results to help our clients achieve their most important business objectives.
Each individual on the team has visibility to how their contributions accrue to our clients’ business success and Communiqué PR’s goals.
Specifically, we are recruiting for a Senior Account Executive and an Account Manager. The job descriptions for these positions are listed on our website here.
Additionally, we are recruiting for an intern. Our intern position is paid and enables students to experience working at a boutique PR firm and build their professional portfolio. The full job description is included below.
For these positions, interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected].
PR Intern at Communiqué PR
Interns are focused on executing billable work for our B2B clients whose industries include technology, space, engineering and more. A successful applicant will have solid writing skills, an interest in public relations, a strong sense of efficiency and prioritization, and a can-do attitude. For this internship, we’re looking for someone who wants to become an integral part of our team and learn about how public relations can be implemented strategically.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Build and update press lists for client announcements.
- Edit and write various materials and documents including (but not limited to) press releases, pitch emails, meeting recaps, and social media posts.
- Draft client-facing recaps of media coverage.
- Develop briefing documents for interviews.
- Research new and potential clients to aid in business development.
- Develop monthly status reports.
- Contribute to our Communiqué PR blog – this will result in easily sharable content for your resume.
Requirements:
- Enrolled in or recently graduated with an undergraduate degree in one of the following areas: communications, journalism, public relations or marketing.
- Fluent in English and proficient in written communication.
- Reliable internet connection.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, primarily Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
- A high level of professionalism and creativity, able to work with minimal supervision.
- Detail focused, motivated, and able to learn quickly.
Preferred Experience:
- Public relations exposure through prior internships or focused classes.
- Knowledge of AP Style.
- Experience with writing, editing and finalizing press releases, briefing documents, email pitches and other media- or client-facing materials.
Since many of our clients are interested in being featured in Inc., I thought it would be helpful to take an in-depth look at the highly influential magazine, its readership and its current editorial calendar. Below is a brief summary of my research as of Aug. 31, 2021.
Q: How long has the publication been around?
The publication has been around for more than 40 years. According to Wikipedia, Inc. is “an American business media property founded in 1979 and based in New York City. It publishes six print issues annually, as well as daily online articles and videos. Inc. also produces several live and virtual events yearly.”
Q: Who is the publisher?
Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures. The company also publishes Fast Company.
Q: Who reads Inc.?
Readers of the magazine include entrepreneurs, founders, innovators and the influencers of start-up leaders and early stage companies. The magazine is especially well known for its annual rankings of the fastest-growing, privately held companies in the United States, called the “Inc. 500” and “Inc. 5000.”
For instance, in the September 2021 issue of Inc., Scott Omelianuk, editor in chief and his team, focused on the 2021 Inc. 5,000 and how they built the fastest-growing companies during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Q: How does the editorial team select the Inc. 5000?
According to Inc., “Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of Dec. 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this year’s Inc. 5000.”
Q: What is the process for contributing content to Inc.?
At the time of this blog post, Inc. is only accepting content from individuals who are committed to developing a column for the magazine. The process entails completing this proposal form on the publications’ website and includes questions on why you’ll make an excellent contributor, topic areas matching your area of interest and expertise, a sample article and how frequently you’ll commit to writing, among other things.
Q: Do they publish an editorial calendar?
The editorial calendar is published here. The 2021 line up of editorial coverage includes:
January / February (Digital): Best in Business
- March / April (Digital & Print): Inc. 5000 Regionals
- May / June (Digital & Print): Best Workplaces (Digital & Print)
- July / August (Digital): How I Did It
- September (Digital & Print): Inc. 5000
- October (Digital & Print): Female Founders
- November (Digital & Print): Best Led Companies
- Winter 2022 (Digital & Print): Best in Business
Q: How many readers do they have?
According to the information on their website, the magazine has a total print audience of 140,000 readers and a rate base of 450K. The media age is 45 for print. Seventy percent are male and 30 percent are female.
On the digital side, they have 27,600 monthly page views from 16.1 million monthly unique visitors. The media age is 41. And online 71 percent are male and 29 percent are female.
Over the years, TikTok has quickly become one of the leading social media apps in the world and currently has a staggering 689 million monthly users. For content creators, TikTok is a key platform to promote their work, products, personalities and ideas in creative ways to a global audience.
However, the saturation of videos and accounts on TikTok means that creators need to think outside of the box in order to stand out among the millions of worldwide users. Outlined below are my top five tips for making your content compelling, engaging and increasing its visibility across the video-sharing platform.
The power of a hashtag
Although it may seem tedious at times, incorporating hashtags into TikTok posts can truly make or break content’s discoverability on the platform. Being strategic about what hashtags are used and when can boost videos significantly, allowing them to reach more potential followers.
For example, if creators utilize trending hashtags, their content could just make it on the Discovery page, which is viewed by millions of users around the world every day. Similar to the algorithms implemented on Instagram and Twitter, TikTok prioritizes content that receives a lot of interaction and attention. As more users react to and comment on certain posts, the TikTok algorithm becomes more familiar with both a creator’s content and profile.
Additionally, the For You page includes posts that use specific hashtags to present content to demographics that are more likely to enjoy and interact with the videos. This is all done using artificial intelligence (AI) technology that relies heavily on users’ personal information including location and internet searches.
Above all, hashtags allow creators to seamlessly see and analyze what other users are sharing on the platform. By viewing specific hashtags, TikTok users can observe which content is performing better than others and what trends or ideas have already been shared. All of this insight empowers creators to plan out smart and strategic ideas and optimize trends that are growing in popularity.
Consistency and timing are key
According to recent research, the best global times to post on TikTok are from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). During these hours, engagement is the highest around the world and users are consuming the largest amount of content. Posting new videos during these active periods can boost exposure and lead to more users seeing the content than at any other point during the day.
Despite what research shows, however, it’s important to know that there’s not always a true one-size-fits-all answer for when to post on TikTok. Content creators need to actively look at where their followers are based, and when they’re most active and then adjust posting times accordingly.
Along with this, posting consistently on TikTok is very important in continually growing an audience and helping content be seen. According to Digital Marketer, posting one to three times a day guarantees that followers will see the content which could lead to a growth in audience. Additionally, let’s not forget, the more content you share, the more opportunities there are to increase engagement and reach more users.
Be both an active creator and consumer
Consuming videos on TikTok is almost as important as posting original content. In order to gain an understanding of rising trends and what makes videos go viral, content creators need to be active consumers as well. By monitoring and watching other users’ content on the social media platform, creators can get a better grasp on what performs well and incorporate these elements into their own ideas.
TikTok is a very trends-oriented platform. This past year, videos of cranberry juice-fueled Fleetwood Mac skateboard rides and cheesy pasta recipes flooded TikTok and eventually bled onto Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms. Observing rising TikTok trends and posting content related to these trends is one way content creators can grow their followers and broaden their presence on the platform.
However, if creators want to truly maximize the chances that their trend-related content will be seen, they need to post quickly while the trend/challenge is still hot and fresh. According to the Social Media Examiner, most TikTok users get tired of seeing specific trends and challenges on their feed three-to-five days after they’ve gone viral.
Add your own flair
On the flipside of this, creating original and engaging content is also important for TikTok users. This year, trend forecasters predict that user generated content (UGC) will skyrocket on the platform. UGC is any sort of content that users have created themselves including their own challenges, dance routines, recipes and reviews. Posting original videos is not only a great way for creators to market their content, but it can also increase their influence on TikTok should their videos go viral or lead to a slew of recreations from other users.
In addition, the majority of users want to follow creators that post original ideas that cater to their interests, are ahead of the trends or even start them. For example, Charli d’Amelio, the most followed account on TikTok, earned her 122.5 million followers by posting her own dance routines. Since her videos took off, she’s evolved her content and now creates a variety of engaging posts including makeup tutorials, sponsored content and behind-the-scenes clips. D’Amelio is just one example of how original ideas can skyrocket a creator’s engagement, reach and influence on TikTok.
Think globally
Although TikTok has nearly 700 million active monthly users, only 100 million of those accounts are based in the United States. With this in mind, it’s important that creators consider a global perspective when developing content.
For example, many creators used TikTok to share posts surrounding the U.S. presidential election in 2020. Although this content did very well in America, with some political videos during this time period reaching over 1 million likes, it didn’t necessarily resonate with users in other parts of the world who are not interested in American politics.
If users want to reach the maximum potential for engagement on the platform, they need to consider sharing content that relates to numerous demographics around the world. It’s no secret the world came together in a lot of ways during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, global TikTok users created a lot of content influenced by the pandemic due to its relatability to a worldwide audience. All of this has led to the #Pandemic hashtag reaching over 3.2 billion views. This is just one example of how content creators take global views into consideration before producing content for others to consume and enjoy.
Whether creators are just starting out on TikTok or are currently working toward reaching a larger views goal, consider implementing these five tips to increase the engagement, following and overall visibility of your content on one of the biggest social media platforms in the world.
Accurate and precise language is essential for communicating a writer’s intended meaning. There is a risk, if you do not choose your words carefully, that your reader will be forced to pause and decipher your meaning or that your word message will be conveyed inaccurately or lost entirely. Either way, your writing loses credibility, and in the latter case, you may end up confusing or misinforming a reader.
Imagine, for example, if I had used “later” in the previous sentence rather than “latter.” You likely would have understood my meaning from the context, but you’d have less confidence in my message (not to mention my writing skills) because I used the incorrect word.
It is always my intention in written communication to be as precise and accurate as possible. Communicating exactly the message I intend becomes even more critical when writing for a client, and their credibility rests on my words.
I often find myself reaching for guidance to clarify or confirm the best word for a particular sentence, and based on a very informal survey, so do my teammates. Below are some of our most commonly confusing combos.
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Among or between
The rule of thumb is that “between” refers to two items, while “among” is appropriate when referring to more than two parties. However, AP Style outlines an exception indicating that “between is the correct word when expressing the relationships of three or more items considered one pair at a time.” This exception would come into play, for example, if describing the rivalries between the Seahawks, the 49ers and the Cowboys.
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Capitol or capital
While the word “capital” can have many meanings, from an accumulation of wealth or a good idea to an uppercase letter or a city, “capitol” only refers to the building in which a legislature operates. Furthermore, AP Style calls for capital letters when referring to the U.S. Capitol building in Washington or the respective state capitols, such as the Virginia Capitol in Richmond.
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Complement or compliment
If I find myself questioning which of these words I should use in a sentence, it helps if I focus on the similarity of the word “complement” to its meaning; to complete or perfect something. “Compliment,” on the other hand, is a form of flattery or praise. It would be accurate to say, for example, that the diners gave the sommelier several compliments for the perfect recommendation she made of red wine to complement their delicious meal.
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Continual or continuous
Both these words refer to frequency, but “continuous” (or continuously) describes an action that happens without ceasing, while “continual” (or continually) refers to a recurring act that occurs frequently or regularly. The key to distinguishing between these two-word families is to determine if the action ever stopped. For example, the heart beats continuously while storms could continually batter a city during a heavy hurricane season.
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Contrasted to or contrasted with
AP Style guidelines state that “contrasted to” should be used when the intention is to indicate that two items “have opposite characteristics,” while “contrasted with” should be used when illustrating similarities and differences among two or more things. Therefore, it is accurate to contrast the sun’s brightness to that of the moon, whereas you’d contrast the quality of summer light with those of the other seasons.
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Historic or historical
Though these two words are similar in meaning, when used incorrectly, they can entirely change the connotation of a sentence.
You should reserve the use of “historic” for describing people, places or events that hold a prominent place in history. While “historic” describes something significant in history, “historical” identifies something from an earlier time. For example, a person would use historical documents to learn how participants felt about their involvement in signing a historic peace treaty.
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Imply or infer
The best way to distinguish between these two often confused words is to remember that one conveys a message while the other describes that a message is received. Whey you imply, you offer a hint without directly stating what you mean, while inference is a conclusion. A writer who uses imprecise language, for example, may imply an unintended meaning, and readers may infer that the writer’s poor word choice suggests a lack of understanding of the subject matter.
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Misinformation or disinformation
Particularly culturally relevant lately, the distinction between these two words relies on intent. As an article earlier this year from Business Insider clarified, “misinformation” is an overall description of “false or out-of-context information that is presented as fact regardless of an intent to deceive.” The article continued, “disinformation is a type of misinformation that is intentionally false and intended to deceive or mislead.” Sharing a rumor that your favorite pizzeria is closing before finding out that information is false is an example of misinformation. If a rival pizza shop owner shared the same false information, knowing it was incorrect, that same news would be considered disinformation.
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Myriad or myriad of
The Oxford English Dictionary defines myriad as both an adjective, meaning countless or great in number, and a noun, defined as many items. It is technically correct to use “myriad of” when using myriad as a noun. However, AP Style designates the word as an adjective. Therefore, it is accurate to say that there are myriad words in the English language that are confusing.
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Systemic or systematic
Systematic describes how an action is completed based on a system or in an organized manner. Systemic refers to something that happens inside a system or within the system. For example, if every child at daycare has head lice, it is a systemic problem. In contrast, to describe how the infestation spread, one would say that it progressed systematically from classroom to classroom.
There are many examples of tricky word pairs, so if you find yourself uncertain about which word to use, Grammarly.com or the AP Stylebook are helpful resources. If specific terms regularly confuse you, let us know in the comments.
The recent UN climate report, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), demonstrates a dire necessity for organizations worldwide to take a stand against climate change and mitigate further climate-related damage.
The UN’s IPCC is the world’s leading authority on climate science, and its recent report confirms the undeniable tie between human activity and climate change—as well as the Earth currently being on track to exceed an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius within 20 years.
Understandably, businesses may be hesitant to share their efforts and solidarity on climate initiatives through social media because they often come under fire from consumer activists. And critics are especially vocal when a company’s messaging on social media lacks honesty or authenticity.
Nonetheless, it is still crucial for companies to communicate their positions and plans to address climate change.
Below are some critical points to consider for effectively building and communicating a company’s current and future commitment to environmental sustainability:
Messaging should be true to the brand and the actions they are taking. Authentic sustainability messaging should focus on the company’s activities around sustainability initiatives. Executives are responsible for ensuring that the content is truthful, leading the company to incorporate data supporting claims and update customers on their progress. PR partners can pose guiding questions to the company to help build out key messages.
While a brand may not be a leader in environmental impact assessment or developing sustainable initiatives, it’s OK to openly acknowledge areas that need improvement and how the company plans to address issues. Consumers value honesty and continuous improvement, and this type of vulnerability can be well-received by consumers and employees alike.
Incorporate concrete statistics and science-based facts that demonstrate that the company is working towards strategic, measurable goals—not simply capitalizing on feel-good storytelling. These steps are essential to developing sustainability messaging that is authentic to the company and its brand.
Another aspect of effective sustainability messaging is its accessibility.
Whether the company is putting out its Environmental, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) plan or a social media statement, the company should be mindful of its audience and what kind of language is most appropriate. A company won’t always direct environmental messaging toward stakeholders or investors, for example, and jargon can make it more difficult for the public to resonate with its statements.
Companies should make sure their stakeholders understand their initiatives and can engage with their sustainability initiatives. To build trust with the general public, the messaging should be as clear and transparent as possible about the company’s initiatives and current progress. As an example, Patagonia’s dedicated Climate Crisis webpage outlines how the company is eliminating its carbon emissions by 2025 and its progress toward these goals.
Messaging should be inclusive and people-centric. Climate change impacts the poorest, equatorial regions of the world the hardest, making it easier for people in more privileged positions to dismiss them. However, a company’s environmental messaging should be inclusive and incorporate the stories of those heavily impacted by climate change. This inclusivity will make it easier for audiences to have empathy and support change.
Companies can take this opportunity to raise awareness of the extent of climate change around the world, as well as in their own backyards. Finally, it is vital to highlight how race and environmental health are connected. For example, studies show a significant disparity in U.S. air pollution depending on where a person lives.
Ultimately, organizations and the customers they serve should all be working together toward similar goals of investing in a healthier planet and home. Climate change will eventually impact everyone, no matter where they live. However, by effectively communicating their commitment to sustainability, companies can both raise awareness of sustainability issues and build trust with consumers that they prioritize contributing to a healthier shared environment.