Daemen University’s own Isaac Williams recently served as an expert panelist for the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the leading professional organization in the communications field.
The panel – hosted at CannonDesign in downtown Buffalo’s Fountain Plaza – was the first of the “Sunrise Seminar” series put on by the PRSA and focused on the new media landscape. 
Director of multimedia and digital strategy at Daemen, for the university’s Department of Marketing and Communications, Williams helped educate business professionals in attendance on how to use media to gain more traction with clients and customers.
Williams, who has nearly a decade of experience in marketing higher education, explained that using video and podcasting as promotional tools is on the rise, while photography and the written word are becoming less popular among consumers.
“Daemen has been at the forefront of these changes,” said Williams. “A few years ago, we created a new position focused on producing video content for commercials, social media, and more.
He added, “As a university, we focus on utilizing new media to not only promote our services to the public, but also set an example for students as aspiring professionals in the modern workforce.”
Expert panelists in addition to Williams included Jamil Crews, founder and chief brand officer of Crews Control Media, a MBE-certified multimedia communications agency; Lindsay Robson, owner of life and style blog “Nickel City Pretty”; among other local professionals.
In order to successfully market a business, communications professionals must “cut through the noise,” said Williams. “People are not reading as much anymore – they want to gain information in 5 to 10 seconds. It’s difficult for someone to sit down and say, ‘I’m going to take some time to sit and read this.’”
He further explained, “a photo can only say so much. Video gives viewers both an audio and visual element, which allows them to gain as much information in the quickest way possible. Even podcasting is beginning to lean towards having a video element.”
Overall, the well-attended panel garnered a positive response. PRSA Programming Committee Member Darra Kubera moderated the discussion.
To learn more about the PRSA’s Sunrise Seminar series, click here.
More about Williams
Williams has created over 100 podcasts, 50 websites and has more than 15 years in web development and design.
He provides consulting to his list of several clients, most of which are small businesses seeking guidance on how to use various media to their advantage.
He also provides web design, development and management at Daemen, as well as oversees Google Analytics and Google Adwords campaigns.