Your Weekly Content Update 1.9.15

This week, we take a look at a public relations anecdote about storytelling, Snapchat’s creative native advertising, and the growth of social media infrastructure in financial services.

“Learning a Foreign Language Called Public Relations”

A writer shares his journey as the executive director of corporate communications for a tech company—a position he was unqualified for with an M.F.A. in poetry. After quickly delving into the business world and experiencing a life of luxury for a few years, the company went bankrupt and he lost his job. In the end, he realized that the hectic experience had taught him an invaluable skill in public relations: the ability to craft meaningful, motivating stories.

To read his story, click here.

Users Like Snapchat’s Native Ads 

Native advertising has grown in popularity because it is less disruptive and offers educational or entertainment value. Snapchat joined this effective ad trend by adding two types of native ads that users have the option of viewing: “our story” videos that cover events with user-uploaded clips and “brand story” videos from advertisers. They recently commissioned a survey that revealed many users choose to view the ads and about half of viewers actually enjoy them.

Read more about the survey.

Growing Social Media Infrastructure in Financial Services

Financial services firms rapidly adopted social media in 2014, and the growth of social infrastructure in the industry continues as the benefits of going social are realized. IT and compliance will be pressured to use scalable technology rather than manual processes as more employees connect to clients and prospects online. The current processes are very back-and-forth, but better technology can automate some of it.

Read more about the outlook on financial social media.