Social Media within the world of PR has changed the way in which one reaches and interacts with an audience. Using the technology given to us today, we can use numerous different tools that impact the way in which a PR professional does their job. From social media, one can obtain information based on consumer response, connection, and strategy. By using these tools one can measure and create a desired platform to reach all audience in the desired target. This allows for PR professionals to use these new tools to create the atmosphere on the media they strive to have for their company or business.
The specific use of social media to create “buzz” for ones audience allows a ton of new opportunities that the world of PR did not offer before. A Forbes council member states in an article “Social media makes it possible for the average person to create their own platform and cultivate their own audience in a way that has never been possible before” (Mekky, 2019, para. 5). The statement above shows us the power given to a PR professional to create the best platform to reach the media in the world of social media. The attraction media has today – from announcements and news cultivated by PR professionals – in ones business has created a source of reliability for consumers. When a crisis or downfall occurs in one’s business, social media has also allowed some professionals to create a bounce back or a response to help their brand.
Social Media has also allowed PR professionals to share company information quickly and effectively to an audience. Besides creating a “buzz”, this also creates a way for social sharing to transfer across all platforms for everyone to see. Whether its a press release, to a new article, information can easily be transferred from source to socure to reach all audiences. A noteworthy PR professional named Ronn Torossian stated “This ensures that when a follower reads a release online, they can easily click on a button to share it with their friends and family, and thus expand brand reach for a client” (Torossiain, 2018, para. 7). This statement speaks volumes as sharing and connecting with ones near to you happens on a daily basis! The number of times I have personally connected with my peers over new press releases is uncountable. The content that trends in media everyday are talking points that one another discuss on a daily as it plays much importance to them. Whether it’s a brand they love, or a company that took a hit, people always love to read and voice their opinion.
Interactions within your social media channel also helps to create credibility and recognition within one’s business. From replying to a customer, to direct messaging them with a problem, the more responsive a company is to these interactions, the more respect a consumer will have for them. In a journal by two university professors, they explain “Organizations can also harness the potential of social media to engage in social conversations” (Tam & Kim, 2019, p. 31). This potential is created through connecting and interacting with your consumers on social media. This allows for deep trust and consideration when one is dealing with a company over social media.
When looking back on the points discussed, many can conclude that the use of social media within the PR industry has changed the way in which one does their job. Incorporating social media and creating the hype, branching out news on multiple platforms, and creating strong interactions with consumers helps to build a brand’s reputation. Using these tools will help one to be as successful as possible when incorporating the new ways in which the industry works. Social media will only continue to grow as technology advances, so it is up to us to continue to adapt with social media and what it offers us.
Tam, Lisa & Kim, Jeong-Nam. (2019). Using social media analytics in public relations: How they support company public relations. Journal of Business Strategy. 40. 28-34. 10.1108/JBS-06-2017-0078.
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