Lecture #16
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How do you feel social media can help or hurt
the role of public relations?
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Social media appeals to public relations
professionals because it is relatively
inexpensive to use.
Social media still deals with building
relationships, even if it doesn’t involve faceto-face communication.
Social media makes communicating
immediate and pervasive.
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Consumers have the demand to be educated
rather than sold. Consumers are smarter
today and therefore they know when they are
being hustled. Communications programs
must be education based and not selfpromoting.
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Internet has made it easier to communicate.
Social media has allowed anyone to be a
publisher, broadcasting their views and
opinions. There is a quest for conversation.
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The need for real-time performance.
Everything happens instantaneously in the
world, and the internet has made it so
individuals rely on receiving information as it
is happening.
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The need for customization: today’s
consumers expect websites, social media
sites, television programs and more to be
focused and targeted.
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Websites often help give an organization a
reputation.
Have you ever gone to a website and thought,
“Wow, this must have been updated in 1990.”
You start to think that maybe this
organization doesn’t have enough funding,
maybe they don’t support technology, maybe
their client base is more rural and not
connected with the internet.
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Define your goal- extend business, sell more
products, make more money, win support,
change public opinion, introduce something.
What content to include- messages, photos,
comments, links to other pages, etc.
How often will you edit- can be one or two
times a day, shouldn’t be overwhelming
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How will you enhance design-will you have a
lot of drop down menus, different tabs or
pages, many links.
Make it interactive- people enjoy websites
that allow them to do things. A lot of times
they appreciate being able to leave
comments.
Make sure you track usage.
Determine who will manage the website.
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This is a great way to keep in touch with
consumers and key constituents of your
organization.
Do not make them more than one page
Link content
Keep a regular release schedule. First X-day
of the month, every other month, every
quarter.
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Although this seems way out of date to most
of us, instant messaging is often used in
office settings.
It allows for individuals to contact others
from other rooms, areas, or levels of a
building instantly.
Also, it allows individuals to communicate
instantly while on the phone.
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When audiences or consumers sign-up for
texts, they can receive promotional materials
from an organization.
Similarly, new phone apps like groupon,
coupon sherpa, etc. help consumers receive
rebates on some of their favorite brands.
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Is basically an online diary.
A chronological log of published thoughts on the
web.
Nearly 1.5 new blogs are created every second.
Many consumers have become tired of the
advertising from organizations and have turned
to blogs to learn more and help form opinions.
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Many CEOs have started their own blogs.
These help CEOs explain their thoughts on a
variety of subjects.
Provides organizations the opportunity to
blog during good and bad times.
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Facebook
Myspace
Bebo
LinkedIn
Instagram
Twitter
Tumblr
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PR professionals must monitor the internet to
see what is being said about their
organizations.
PR professionals must be on the look out for
many things.
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Discussion Groups and Chat Rooms- great
places for unhappy shareholders.
Rogue Websites◦
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Present Negative Information
Ridicule policy and management
Solicit employees to vent publicly
Serve as a way to complain to the media
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Seitel, F.P. (2011). The Practice of Public
Relations. Prentice Hall: Boston.