The use of social media in a PR professional’s world is becoming more of a necessity than just a useful tool. There are no longer limits to communication within the business world. Social sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter are helping professionals create and maintain positive relationships with their publics. The digital age has allowed for much advancement in interacting with a company and its customers.
Any PR professional must first define the focus of the company. By having a centralized goal, a professional may be able to determine the best use of social media for the specific situation. Using tools such as blogging may allow for questions and answers among a business and their clients.
Blogging allows a professional to tap into certain niche markets and help expand through conversation. By answering questions and evaluating other blogs and comments, allow for feedback in a company. This in turn helps spread a message among these markets and their users. Not only are others witnessing the initiative a company is making but they are redefining the company to fit these customers needs.
With the use of company blogs are PR professionals becoming more expendable? Businesses have been given the tools to create and maintain these relationships on their own. Media skills and training are becoming more evident with upper-level management today. Public relations might not have deceased but the professional may no longer be as coveted as he once was.
I believe that for the future it is important for PR professionals to be up to date on all that is social media. Through understanding the media we are better able to predict outcomes. Blogging for example, may be one of the most important means of interaction among companies and their clients right now. By understanding all aspects of social media and the potential that each market has will be the difference between the professionals and those who are just media savvy.
As a young professional determining what part of the social media world to be a part of has been hard. As a real estate agent I am my own business. I have to sell myself. It has been hard though because though social media is an amazing resource, it seems very hard to reach an older client base with it. We have learned so much in our class about using social media in a relevant way. But what do we do when others aren’t willing to participate back?
ReplyDeleteWhen others aren't willing to participate back you have to find ways to interact with each individual market you are trying to target. It is your job as a professional to determine ways of driving traffic and encouraging interaction among your client base. If your clients are representative of an older demographic, do your research and find a common media ground that can be accessible to any and all users.
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