Grab Your Brooms and Mops
Newsletter #111
This Week:
Tidy Up That Website
ICYMI: What To Do When Someone Leaves
Spotted
Before We Go…
1. Spring Cleaning Your Website
Last week, Nebraska, where The EO Report is headquartered, had some spring-like temperatures that had us jumping into spring cleaning mode. Admittedly, it was a little premature given the next day brought six inches of snow.
But that temporary sunshine did get us thinking about one spring cleaning area communicators often neglect until it becomes unwieldy and feels impossible to catch up with.
Your website.
We get it. Logging into the backend isn’t always fun. Some content management systems seem determined to make simple updates feel ridiculously hard. Some require a vendor’s help to make updates. And when your to-do list is already long, website housekeeping tends to slide to the bottom, letting those digital cobwebs build.
But here’s the reality: your website works harder than any other channel you own. It’s open 24/7. You control the message. It’s often the first stop for media, policymakers, funders, and potential partners. It’s your organization’s central information hub for the world. It has to be up to date, always.
So in the spirit of spring cleaning, here’s a short checklist you can tackle in the cracks of your day. The beauty of these tasks? They’re incremental. Spend 15–30 minutes a day and you’ll make meaningful progress without blocking off an entire afternoon.
2. ICYMI: Protecting Your Organization After Employee Separation
In our feature article this week, we talk about the importance of keeping your online employee directory updated. Not doing so becomes a major reputational risk, especially in the instance of an involuntary employee separation.
Here’s a case study from Burger King and their ad agency on the roles a communicator must play in protecting an organization when an employee leaves, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.
3. Spotted
When asked by a reporter if Olympian Eileen Gu felt as if her two silver medals were instead two gold medals lost, she reframed the question. Whether you agree with her response or not, it’s a lesson in taking control of the narrative. Watch it here.
4. Before We Go…
From Futurism: There’s a grim new expression: AI;DR
A riff on the internet acronym “Tl;DR” (too long, didn’t read), “AI;DR” is meant to signal AI slop not worthy of a read.
From Adam Joseph on LinkedIn: What jobs are AI Companies hiring for? Communications.
Anthropic has tripled the size of its communications team. OpenAI is paying $400k+ for communicators. Why? For the exact same reason as the above story – AI slop is creates value for real, human writing.
From PR Daily: CBS leans into policy language after Stephen Colbert strikes back
Last week, CBS did not allow The Late Show to air an interview with Texas Senate Candidate Rep. James Talirco after the Federal Communications Commission indicated it was considering repealing an exception to its equal time rule for late night shows. PR Daily analyzes why their explanation for the decision fell flat with audiences.
From The Street: Baby brand faces boycott over alleged R-rated marketing
“Frida Baby is facing calls for a boycott after consumers accused the brand of using sexually suggestive language in its packaging and social media marketing, an approach many argue is inappropriate for a company that sells baby products.”
Go for gold, and forward The EO Report to a friend.