26 Latin phrases and expressions

In a scene from my favorite TV show, “Freaks and Geeks,”teenager Lindsay Weir has been caught skipping class.

In trying to justify her delinquency, she says, “Daddy, I skipped Latin.” He replies, “Oh. Well, I can understand why you wouldn’t want to learn about that. It’s only the building block of our language.”

Whether we realize it or not, Latin terms are everywhere in business and corporate communications.

Below are some common ones, along with their translations and definitions (definitions are from Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries):

1. A priori: from the former

Something that is known beforehand; something that is true without proof; deductive.

2. Ad hoc: to this

Formed for a specific purpose; improvised or impromptu.

3. Ad hominem: to the man

Attacking a person instead of his or her ideas or arguments.

4. Alma mater: nourishing mother

The school, college or university that one attended.

5. Bona fide: good faith

Authentic, sincere, genuine.

6. Caveat emptor: let the buyer beware

The buyer’s responsibility for evaluating products being purchased.

7. Curriculum vitae: course of life

A detailed account of your education, accomplishments, work history, publications, etc. most often used to apply for academic positions.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: 10 punctuation essentials]

8. De facto: in fact

In reality, actually.

9. Emeritus: having served one’s time

A person who has retired but is allowed to keep his or her title as an honor.

10. Ergo: therefore

11. Ex libris: from the books

An inscription used to indicate ownership of a book, such as, “from the library of.”

12. Habeas corpus: you should have the body

A writ ordering someone to appear before a judge; an order that serves as protection against unlawful imprisonment.

13. Ibidem (ibid): in the same place

In the same source.

14. Ipso facto: by the fact itself

Because of that fact.

15. In situ: in position

Something that exists in its natural, original state.

16. In vitro: in glass

Performed or taking place in a test tube, culture dish or elsewhere outside a living organism.

17. Mea culpa: my fault

Acknowledgement of one’s fault or error.

18. Non sequitur: does not follow

Something that does not make sense in context; a statement that is not connected logically with anything said before it.

19. Per se: through itself

By, in or of itself; intrinsically.

20. Persona non grata: person not pleasing

An undesirable or unwelcome person.

21. Pro bono: for the good

Done without compensation.

22. Pro rata: for the rate

In proportion; something that can be calculated.

23. Stet: let it stand

A symbol used to indicate that a letter or word marked for omission or correction should remain as is.

24. Subpoena: under penalty

An order to appear in court and testify.

25. Tabula rasa: scraped tablet

A blank slate; the human mind before it gains knowledge.

26. Verbatim: word for word

To repeat using the same words

Ragan readers, what Latin words would you add to this list?

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Follow these tips to widen your organic reach on Facebook

If you want to make your head spin, Google “Facebook organic reach is dead.”

It’s a one-way ticket to a world of irreconcilable opinions. “Abandon ship; organic reach is dead!” versus, “No, wait; Facebook is still a land of opportunity!”

It’s more than a little difficult trying to figure out who’s right—especially because in a lot of ways, everyone is right (and everyone is wrong, too).

Though there’s no arguing that Facebook has offered diminishing returns for businesses and marketers over the years, that’s a symptom of growth with any relatively young, increasingly competitive medium. That’s why I made the conscious decision to stop paying attention to both sides of the organic reach argument.

Instead of allowing myself to be passive and feel helpless in the face of declining reach, I learned how to adapt to Facebook’s changes before they happen—and to refocus my strategy on statistics that affect my bottom line a lot more than reach ever did.

Here’s how I shifted focus, and where you can start:

Stay up to date on algorithm changes

Facebook uses complex algorithms to determine how much organic reach to give your updates. If you pay attention, every now and then they’ll give you an inside peek at what they’re looking for.

Facebook’s newsroom periodically shares news about upcoming algorithm changes, so savvy marketers can start adjusting their social media strategies ahead of time. Share the right kind of content, and Facebook might reward you with better reach. Post the wrong kind of content, and that reach could tank.

For example, in autumn 2014, Facebook announced that it was going to start favoring link posts with images attached over photo posts with URLs in their captions. As of February 2015, link posts were getting as much as three times the organic reach of photo posts—and because I had adjusted my strategy months prior, I’d been reaping the benefits for a long time. If I hadn’t known, I might have been wasting my time and energy on posting the wrong types of content-as a lot of organizations were doing.

Keep an eye out for Facebook’s announcements regarding algorithm changes, and you can stay ahead of the curve.

[RELATED: Join us at Facebook HQ for the Social Media and Storytelling Summit.]

Watch your own data

When are some of the best times to post on Facebook? Around noon? Just after dinner time? Weekdays, weekends?

Actually, the best times to post on Facebook depend entirely on you and your audience; that’s not an answer you’ll find in a blog post.

Instead of scouring the Web for tips about hot times to post, stay on your own Facebook page; that’s where all the answers are. Your page’s Insights tab will provide a wealth of information about your users, including the days and times when they’re online.

You can also sort your posts according to which ones got the most engagement and which had the highest reach, so you can determine not just when you should post, but what you should post.

I’ve found that these statistics exhibit some ebb and flow as my audience and its habits change over time, so I monitor them periodically and use my findings to continually refine and refocus my posting habits.

Variables such as my ideal posting times and my most popular content aren’t always consistent, but by checking my statistics regularly, I can eliminate a considerable amount of guesswork and have an easier time posting when it counts the most.

Ignore misleading statistics

Statistic taken out of context can be dangerous, so think twice before listening to the wisdom of the crowd. Case in point: Most consumers say brand managers should post to Facebook just once or twice per day. Should you take their advice? Absolutely not.

Consider that the average organic reach on Facebook is about 7 percent—a statistic that most consumers probably aren’t aware of. If you post only twice a day, you might be reaching about one-seventh of your followers at best.

Facebook’s algorithms mean that most of your fans won’t see any given update you share. Depending on the types of updates you post, you could share 10 in a day and still reach only about half your fans. So although they might want to see only one or two posts from you in a single day, you would have to post significantly more frequently than once or twice to hit that mark.

The solution I’ve implemented has been to save my social media updates and re-share them over time. This makes it easier to maintain a heavy posting schedule (posting as many as 20 updates per day, across different social media networks), and it ensures that every update gets multiple chances to find its audience. Why throw away a perfectly good Facebook update when 93 percent of your audience didn’t even see it?

Keep these points in mind, and not only will you worry less about whether organic reach on Facebook is “dead,” but you’ll also watch your own organic reach improve over time.

Laura Roeder is the founder of Edgar, a social media automation and content management tool. A version of this article originally appeared on BusinessCollective, which, launched in partnership with Citi, is a virtual mentorship program powered by North America’s most ambitious young thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners.

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Report: Journalists want better digital newsrooms

Media relations are still essential in PR, but many communicators are missing the mark.

A recent survey by Isebox revealed that only 6 percent of journalists say digital newsrooms meet their expectations, with more than 65 percent saying that most online PR resources fail to meet their needs.

Matt Purdue, a former journalist and the director of content strategy at PepperComm, says the key to getting coverage is easing a reporter’s search for information and materials:

I’ve seen journalism change dramatically in recent years. It’s a much tougher job now, and content marketers need to make a reporter’s job easier if they’re going to expect consistent, accurate coverage. Reporters want a streamlined digital newsroom experience with easy downloads of photos and videos. The brands that meet their needs are going to gain a competitive advantage.

PR pros might think their organizations’ newsrooms are set up to make journalists’ lives easier, but 69 percent of reporters said newsrooms they check out don’t have updated and accurate contact information—a feature that 90 percent say is the most important for newsrooms to have.

However, the failure to provide current phone numbers and email addresses isn’t the only area of digital newsrooms that PR pros should improve.

More than half of reporters (65 percent) said most current newsrooms lack images and video content, 54 percent said newsrooms’ search tools were subpar, and 53 percent said a lack of current information is the cause for frustration.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: 11 Essentials for a Stellar Online Newsroom]

Other journalists said nonexistent press archives, a lack of media kits, the inability to schedule interviews, a paucity of social media information, and poorly written press releases also stand in the way of PR pros’ securing coverage for their organizations or clients.

“We see too many cases where Media Centers [prioritize] brand image over journalists’ needs,” says Isebox CEO Marc de Leuw. “While most digital newsrooms look great—far too many lack the functionality and content to do a good job.”

Though the survey’s results paint a grim picture for current online newsrooms, PR pros who improve their offerings can seize a huge opportunity.

The survey revealed that 80 percent of journalists said they would use a company’s newsroom if it carried sufficient resources. Most journalists (95 percent) visit company websites at least once a month—or more often—and 41 percent visit online newsrooms daily.

PR pros can check out additional results from the survey in the infographic below:

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Free webinar: Take the mystery out of communications measurement

You want to please your audience, but the metrics don’t make sense. Your survey says “tomay-to,” and your executive interviews say “tomahto.” Analytics say “boxers” and your focus groups say “briefs.”

Which metrics are telling the truth? Which are liars?

Attend Ragan’s free webinar, “Take the mystery out of communications measurement” on April 29 at 2 p.m. CT. Learn how to apply the “Holy Trinity” of metrics—focus groups, executive interviews and surveys—to business goals.

Your instructor, Cindy Crescenzo, will also discuss how guerrilla measurement can get practical metrics without pricey consultants.

Sign up now.

“Take the mystery out of communications measurement” features Cindy Crescenzo, president of Crescenzo Communications. Cindy boasts more than 15 years of experience crafting marketing and communications strategies for HP, The Mayo Clinic, Target, PepsiCo, Chevron and many others.

Did we mention that this webinar is FREE? Register now.

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PR Daily's Nonprofit PR Awards deadline is this week

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Infographic: The ultimate guide to posting videos on social media

Every social network is different, which means that if you want to post a particular video on several sites, one size will not fit all.

Sigh. Uniformity would be too easy, right?

To make communicators’ lives a little easier, CA Video Production has created this helpful guide that lists the optimal file size and resolution for videos on each major social network, as well as:

• How long videos can be on a given site

• Each site’s preferred file format

• Whether the social network has autoplay

• How big the video will appear if it’s shared on a particular platform

[FREE DOWNLOAD: A communicator’s guide to crafting videos that captivate and engage employees.]

Take a look below, and please use the comments section to share any tips you have about posting videos online.

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6 types of PR pros, based on the coffee they drink

If you’re a communications or marketing pro, you’re likely a burning-the-midnight-oil, overachieving person. We need caffeine like an addict needs a fix.

What does your coffee preference say about your work style?

1. The espresso with one sugar: You like your coffee as strong as your ambition. You have a hard time getting started in the morning—you do your best work in the evenings—but once going, you’re like a freight train with no red lights. You have a commanding presence, which allows your ideas to get heard above the fray at meetings. Others think of you as a leader even if your formal title isn’t there yet. You can be trusted to execute projects, though you sometimes gloss over details. You aim high and land big wins, so you climb the ladder quicker.

2. The small black coffee: You’re up before the roosters and have no room for nonsense in your work or personal life. You check email before most people’s alarm clocks go off. You’re off to the races before business hours. You like to dive in early and work smart, but you value your evenings and like to get a good night’s rest. You help your colleagues and offer to step in wherever needed, even if the work lies outside your job description.

3. The skinny venti no-foam latte: You have significant experience in an agency and with lifestyle brands. You care about the details. People look to you when running an event or superintending a complex rollout plan or announcement because you can be trusted to manage projects well. You are the one who thinks to iron the table cloth at a press event. You make sure your executive tucks her shirt in. Others are always eager to help you and to earn your praise.

[RELATED: Win hearts and minds in your community and within your organization.]

4. The anti-Starbucks, mom-and-pop cuppa joe: You work for a non-profit or B corporation, or else sit in your cubicle at an agency dreaming about working for one (and dreading the pay cut). You care about the big picture, which makes you a great brand asset. You can be counted on for creative ideation and out-of-the-box ideas. You are passionate about your work and that’s contagious, though you can rub people the wrong way when your zeal is mistaken for stubborn one-sidedness.

5. Coffee from the bodega or the guy on the street: You like to hit the snooze button a couple of times, OK, fine, more than a few times. You’re late to work sometimes, but you’re forgiven because you’re incredibly smart and bring sensible, creative ideas to the table. You are really good at synthesizing in the work you do what others, including executives, want. You are a respected member of the team (even if you forgot to brush your teeth this morning).

6. Tea, please: You know what you’re doing, but you’re modest about letting others know how self-assured you are. Your healthy, level-headed modesty can sometimes be mistaken for shyness or under-assertiveness. Because you’re good at what you do, though, those who do notice commend you on your astute observations and your impeccable attention to detail.

Are there other coffee preferences I’m leaving out? Feel free to share them in the comments.

Allison Steinberg is a communications strategist at National ACLU with more than a dozen years’ experience as a writer and public relations professional.

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