The new face of PR

The subject of public relations has been a source of contention for many. There are those who believe it to be all about “spin,” “schmoozing” and “glad-handing,” and others who think PR is a most valuable asset and one of the most important functions in an organization.

The practice of public relations has changed significantly over the last two decades; and changed for the better. Today, sound public relations practices can result in great successes for an organization. With a strong approach to building and maintaining relationships both internally and externally, the public relations function has become an integral part of many organizations.

Today, with the impact of globalization and advances in technology both in the media and on the web, organizations are being held liable are not able to get away with deceiving their publics. The practice of public relations has become more visible and therefore more responsible. Watch dogs like the publication, PR Watch, are holding practitioners accountable and reporting on their dubious PR practices.

Strong public relations practices that are ethical and sound can be invaluable. Organizations are using PR in times of change, crisis, and for reputation management and rebranding. With the proper use of public relations, many a company has been able to revive, sustain and even re-invent itself. The correct use of PR and organization can get the right message to the right audiences.

Public relations today has evolved into a management function and become a vital part of organizations around the world. PR has become more professional thanks to a changing world where actions are more visible and companies are being held responsible. Changes in the social and political environment, as well as developments in technology and globalization, have had a significant impact on the way in which public relations is now practiced. It is a great step for a profession that has been plagued by many a bad reputation.

Some best practices for PR 2.0

the right tools for the job

Throughout the course Online PR, taught by Melanie McBride at Centennial College, we’ve been learning a lot about the various social media tools out there and how to use them. I must admit that it was overwhelming at first; trying to keep up with all the sites, the passwords and creating snazzy handles, but the experience to date has been extremely valuable.

I’ve learned about different aspects of social media, how it works and most importantly, how it can benefit me in my chosen field. With social media you have the ability to stand out and be heard by a much larger and wider audience. More and more people are spending time online and participating. As Julie Rusciolelli’s of MAVERICK Public Relations stated at (CPRS) 360 degrees,

            “Social media has brought the public back in public relations.”

Keeping this in mind, I have come to realize the importance of social media and its place in the world of public relations.

Here are few lessons I have learned with regards to practicing good PR on the web.

Trends and Tools

#1 Public/Private – Think about what’s appropriate. When posting content, think about how much information you want to be made public and what should be kept private. Ask yourself who your audience is and how you want them to perceive you.

#2 Presence – If you are going to use social media tools to gain exposure, have a presence. Be sure to check-in regularly, respond to comments or questions, post latest news and keep your audience updated. Ignoring or leaving comments unanswered can leave you open to damaging attacks.

#3 Focus – Be focused in your use of web 2.0 tools. There are so many of them out there, it’s easy to lose sight and get overwhelmed. They can distract you and become intrusive. Limit your use of these tools. Pick and choose the right ones that will best help your cause and stick to those few.

#4 Impressions – Think about what impression you want to make on your audience. Are you serious, trustworthy, responsible, a hard-worker? Your content reflects who you/your company are. Remember that when practicing social media.

#5 Credibility – Establish credibility. Do this by assigning your name to everything online. Listen, find out who’s talking about you or your company and offer a response. Make sure you comment on consumers complaints and put forth a solution – when you write, remember to offer information, insight or something worthwhile. Most importantly, be discernible and genuine. As Joseph Thornley, CEO of Thornley Fallis states in his blog,

Social media demands transparency and authenticity. That means that we must be front and centre as individuals when we are playing the role of spokesperson for our organization…The corporate spokesperson becomes a real person – and our trust increases because of this.

#6 Social Bookmarking – Social bookmarking sites like Delicious are great for saving articles or sites that pertain to your work. To avoid trouble when searching for that article you once saved, use tags. They allow you to categorize items and make it easy to find them again. In turn, it makes it easier for you to search what others are saying about your product or service.

#7 E-mail Alerts – When using e-mail alerts like Google Alerts to monitor selected topics, be careful how you input your search terms. The way you write your topic can affect what alerts you receive. Often times your inbox will fill with a lot of clutter. Avoid this by choosing your topic carefully and being very specific. Spelling or the use of quotation marks can have a large effect on e-mail alerts.

#8 Vlogs – For first-time users of vlog sites like Seesmic, I recommend posting video privately and getting feedback from people you trust before making your vlog public. This helps you get comfortable with taking video of yourself and builds confidence. It also allows you to determine what’s appropriate behaviour when posting vlogs.

#9 Social Networks - Be particular about who you add to your social networks. Ask yourself if the person fits the purpose of your network. Is the purpose friendship, reconnecting with people from the past, a platform for enhancing your career? Networks like Facebook for example are more for friendship and reconnecting with childhood friends, whereas LinkedIn is more of a career networking site.

#10 Subscriptions – When using RSS feeds to subscribe to websites, I recommend using a reader like Google Reader. It’s great for sorting and categorizing your subscriptions. There is also Google Homepage, but not all sites will allow you to send your subscriptions there. I have had better luck using a reader.