Social-Networking Web sites a Great Campaigning Tool

In a story compiled for PR Tactics and The Strategist Online, Greg Beaubien talks about how 2008 presidential hopefuls are exploring social-networking Web sites such as MySpace to engage and communicate with young people. MySpace is launching a new political section on its Web site called the "Impact Channel." Visitors will be able to look at candidates’ MySpace pages and other information about the upcoming presidential race.

I understand and support the candidates’ move to social-networking Web sites. Today’s young people rely on such means for entertainment and even use it as a news source. Web sites such as MySpace can serve as a virtual form of grassroots campaigning. If I were looking for a cheap, easy and effective way to reach a mass of young people, I would turn to social-networking Web sites. Unfortunately, young people are not as motivated to vote and participate in elections and this is a way for candidates to reach young adults where they are—on Web sites like MySpace.

Blogs: form of paid advertising?

In a story posted on PR Tactics and The Strategist Online, bloggers have begun writing sponsored posts about products and other topics and are raising concern over online ethics. I am disturbed by this action because a lot of people look to blogs as unbiased opinion. I personally look at blogs about products and services to hear from an actual user or owner, not a paid voice of their providers. Sponsored blogs are paid advertisements and this misleads consumers and customers and blog readers. If this problem persists, consumers and customers won’t be willing to rely on blogs as a source of information when making decisions.

Instead of paying bloggers for their posts, companies should address the unbiased posts bloggers write. If companies want their voices to be heard, they should contact unbiased blogs requesting that the blogger mention a certain topic or provide more information to the blogger about their company, industry, competition, etc.

Calling all CEOs: You need PR

In a commentary published on Forbes.com Harold Burson stressed the importance of public relations in today’s global economy. As Burson pointed out, with overseas public attitudes of Americans being so low, it is important for CEOs of large corporations to utilize PR practitioners to help them communicate with their target audiences such as investors, employees and customers. To do this, Burson recommends that CEOs demonstrate commitment to public relations. He urges companies to protect their reputations and use PR practitioners to provide a single, unified voice anywhere in the world. Lastly, he emphasizes the importance of public relations for corporations and their CEOs in proactive and responsive dealings with various publics.

I agree with Burson. Unfortunately, many public figures, companies and corporations don’t realize the value of public relations until it is too late. CEOs generally only look to public relations when it is time to handle a crisis or when they want to “advertise” to their target publics. It is evident when a company or public figure is not utilizing public relations initiatives and, even worse, just conducting bad PR.

Media Relations: Relationship Building

In an interview mentioned in PR Tactics and The Strategist Online, Hope Heyman, a senior vice president in Edelman’s New York office talked about the relationship between public relations and business journalism. Heyman mentioned how journalists and PR practitioners have diminished interaction, how fewer young people rely on newspapers as a news source and how younger and entry-level PR practitioners handle media relations. I agree with Heyman. PR practitioners do communicate more and more via e-mail and the time isn’t taken to cultivate relationships with various media outlets.

Heyman also mentioned that media relations is not valued at many large PR agencies. While I have not had any experience in large PR agencies I have worked in the communications offices of a government and educational entity. A small amount of time is dedicated to media relations. In both settings, our contact with the media was limited to pitching news stories and fielding media inquiries. I expected more interaction between the media and communications office, but more emphasis was placed on other methods of disseminating information, such as the Web site and in-house publications.

While searching for jobs I have noticed that one of the main job responsibilities of entry-level PR practitioners and interns is media relations. Young and relatively inexperienced people are expected to pitch stories, create media lists and handle media relations. The media is an important public and a beneficial tool to reach other publics as well for any business. Reporters and journalists have enough pressure trying to meet deadlines and having to go through dozens of pitch letters to have to deal with a young and naïve PR practitioner. Sometimes, I have sensed a journalist’s frustration as an intern when he needed information immediately and I was unable to provide it. Cultivating and maintaining positive relationships with the media is necessary and more time and effort should be dedicated to increasing interaction between journalists and PR practitioners.

Why aren't we blogging?

In the Feb. 22 article “Study: 72 percent of PR pros don’t monitor blogosphere” in PR Tactics and The Strategist Online, a survey found that 72 percent of PR professionals do not have a formal system for monitoring the blogosphere. The study found that 18.5 percent of PR pros say they work for an organization that uses their own blogs to facilitate communication with key stakeholders. Those who use blogs use them to connect with customers and end users, reach news media and communicate with employees.

I think there are several reasons why organizations are not involved in the blogsphere.

Reason #1: Lack of control- I once asked one of my former employers why she did not have a blog for her organization. Her only explanation was because she couldn’t control it. She didn’t want people to post negative information about her organization and thought it would be unethical to remove negative information that she did not like.

Reason #2: Seemingly unnecessary- Because there are still viable ways to communicate with key stakeholders, employees and customers, some organizations don’t want to dedicate the time to createand monitor blogs. They would rather use something that they have more control over such as Web sites and e-mail.

Reason #3: Lack of participation- There is still this view that only a small number of people actually spend time blogging. I can’t speak for everyone, but if my organization had a blog, I would steer clear of it because I know it is being monitored. No one really feels comfortable on informal discussion boards at work and participation would be low, in effect, defeating its purpose.

Reason #4: Too many blogs- There are millions of blogs in the blogosphere. It is really difficult and time consuming to monitor the blogosphere for negative comments or miscommunication about one’s organization. And out of those millions, only a few have constructive criticisms. PR professionals in certain fields and areas are still pondering whether or not the blogosphere is influential enough to warrant dedicating time and resources to monitor and participate in blogging.