2. Public Relations and Social
Media must be aligned
In these modern times, the water is muddled and the various
areas of marketing have become intertwined. This is definitely
the case with public relations (PR) and social media. PR was
generally more focused on influential persons such as
investors, shareholders, business partners, etc., but with the
advent of social media, these individuals are present on these
platforms, which can then be used for PR purposes. As both PR
and social media are used to build and maintain trust in the
company and their products, it is only natural that the two
must be in sync.
3. How social media has changed PR
In many ways, it is blatantly obvious the impact social media has had
on PR. A few of the key points are noted below:
•PR and social media are based on communication but social media,
with its real-time messaging, amplifies your message, allowing PR to be
stronger and more impactful. Content published via news releases,
emails, and other PR related means can live longer, spread faster and
reach further with the help of social media.
•Social media has allowed PR to reach a much larger audience.
Previously, PR was targeted at specific individuals such as investors and
business partners, but social media has caused this target group to be
expanded to include all persons vital to the success of a business.
•Social media has made PR more “friendly” to all stakeholders of a
business, resulting in a new area of marketing called “relationship
marketing”. This helps companies to be more warm, inviting and
approachable, regardless of their type or serious nature.
4.
5. How Public Relations Professionals Use
Social Media
Social media can help public relations professionals meet their goals
or it can hinder the reputation management process, depending on
the situation. Some of the most common ways public relations
teams use social media include:
•To find influencers
•To identify brand threats
•To influence journalist's stories
•To swiftly react to negative press
•To make announcements
6. Social media has infiltrated nearly every industry. Public relations
practitioners now have to tweak and change their strategies in order to
make sure they engage their audiences in the best way possible. Not only
are we now changing the way we communicate and share information with
key audiences, we are now using social media to listen, interact and connect
with our consumers. With that in mind, Business2Community have outlined
5 ways that social media has left its mark on the PR industry:
1. It’s a two-way street: Thanks to social media PR practitioners are able to
connect with their audiences on a more human level by inviting conversation,
interaction and feedback.
2. Constant engagement: Gone are the days of the traditional 9-5 schedules.
Social media now allows consumers to engage with brands at any time and it’s up to
PR practitioners to facilitate constant engagement.
3. Increased demand for digital pros: The most successful PR people aren’t afraid to
explore and embrace new technologies.
4. Navigating the new landscape: By focusing on a balanced mix of social media
and traditional PR like media releases and articles, PR practitioners can help spread
customer touch points across all functions within a company.
5. The ever changing definition of success: No matter what it is in social media,
quality reigns over quantity. Long term approaches to social media always gathers
the most powerful return on investment.
7. It is very difficult to
determine return on
investment from PR
activities but social media
impact is measurable, as
several metrics exist to
quantify social media
marketing activities.
8. Social media marketing and PR can be used for all types of
organizations to drive social impact. Those using the tools for
corporate social responsibility and social impact programs
can do so using any platform in many different, interesting
and impactful ways.
9. Practical ways to incorporate social media in
your PR plan
Each social media platform can be used in its own unique way to
assist in PR. Below we explain the top social media platforms and
give examples of how they can be used to add value to your PR
plan.
•Facebook
•Twitter
•LinkedIn
•Instagram
10. Social media is a natural fit for public relations and one of
many tools businesses can use to protect and promote their
reputations. When public relations and marketing teams
combine their efforts on social media, brands often enjoy
immediate positive results.
Think Like a Public Relations Professional on
Social Media:
Regardless of professional public relations support, all businesses
can use their social media accounts to manage public opinion.
Don't wait for others to create stories about your brand. Create
interest with some public relations influencing tactics. Create
engaging stories about your brand, react to other large stories, and
react publicly to negative comments. Think like a public relations
expert and create content like a marketer on social media to boost
your reputation and earn new followers.