It is a fact of life, and it is as true for the perception of your business as it is for anything. No matter how immune from criticism we may hope our business may be, a crisis or even a simple allegation can emerge at any time. And, in the era of social media and 24-hour news networks, the damage can spread like wildfire if you’re not ready to douse the flames.

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Social Learning Summit (SLS11), hosted by the American University Social Media Club. After two days and six panels I came away with a fresh outlook on the digital world we live in, as well as new tips and strategies to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape.

The recent addition of top-notch senior talent to our growing family is a validation of GA’s unique tactics in growing our business, expanding our capabilities, and honing our reputation as a top PR firm.

Continuing our trend of steady growth and a mantra of providing our clients with the best and the brightest in the industry, we are pleased to announce this week that we have acquired Washington, D.C.-based communications firm TheWadeGroup.

This week we welcome the newest partner to our growing business, Kelley McCormick. She joins us as COO and brings a wealth of marketing communications and consumer experience to the agency.

Earlier this fall, I had the privilege of participating in an online survey sponsored by Vocus, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand marketing and PR software, to look at “PR Planning in 2011.”

The key to identifying a great video—one that has the potential to go viral—is simple: Would you send it to a co-worker on a slow Friday afternoon?

When do you check Facebook? Before heading out the door in the morning? After grabbing your first cup of coffee at the office? When you’re about to dive into a huge work project and need a five-minute break?

MediaWeek recently published a great social media toolkit for anyone active in communications or PR. The mag’s 2010 Digital Hotlist ranks the social media websites and communications tools that are having the greatest impact on American information consumers.

Another report found that the majority of Americans don’t trust the media. Nearly half of Americans (48 percent) said the media is too liberal, 33 percent found the media to be “about right,” and only 15 percent said the media was too conservative.