Four ways social media has changed public relations

Over the last decade, the world of public relations has seen a significant shift in strategy and tactics. Here are four ways social media has changed how PR is practiced.

• Customer focus: The advent and wide use of social media completely flipped the focus for many brands. With the ability to share a bad experience through multiple platforms, brands have focused on customer service and building relationships. Brands now have an opportunity to avoid crises and share compliments quickly.

• Never-ending news: While the 24/7 news cycle certainly has its curses like the spread of bad or false news, there is some good that comes with it. Brands now have the ability to share good news at any time of the day – and someone will listen and respond. Social media also makes delivery of crisis situation and management updates possible.

• IMC is a thing:Paid (marketing) and earned (public relations) is now easily integrated and shared via a variety of channels. As a result, messaging can remain consistent across platforms and strategies can be built to include communications across an organization.

• Engage!The time for one-way communication is gone. Today, thanks to social media, brands can respond and receive feedback in real time. Customers and potential clients can tell brands what they like, what they want, and whether the brand is offering a quality product or service.

For tips on how PR professionals should use social media, check out this story from Inc., this one from AdWeek, and this blog from HuffPost.

Cheers!