Lecture #16

 How do you feel social media can help or hurt the role of public relations?

 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 face- to-face communication.  Social media makes communicating immediate and pervasive.

 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 self- promoting.

 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.

 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.

 The need for customization: today’s consumers expect websites, social media sites, television programs and more to be focused and targeted.

 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.

 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

 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.

 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.

 Although this seems way out of date to most of us, instant messaging is often used in office settings.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.

 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.

 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.

 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.

 Facebook  Myspace  Bebo  LinkedIn  Instagram  Twitter  Tumblr

 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.

 Discussion Groups and Chat Rooms- great places for unhappy shareholders.  Rogue Websites- ◦ Present Negative Information ◦ Ridicule policy and management ◦ Solicit employees to vent publicly ◦ Serve as a way to complain to the media

 Seitel, F.P. (2011). The Practice of Public Relations. Prentice Hall: Boston.