For decades, “coverage” was public relations’ raison d’être. Brands published press releases and built relationships with big media institutions, all in effort to have their news appear in widely syndicated publications.
Those tactics are still valuable, but PR is changing. As audiences increasingly gravitate toward social media, people are driving the conversation about brands rather than the other way around. For brands that embrace these changes, social media enables a more relevant, participatory PR. Thankfully, it’s a highly effective PR, too.
Social media encourages two-way conversations
Everyone is a publisher. Brands publish content, but so do their audiences. And since audiences have just as much power as brands to influence discussions on social media, brands absolutely must participate in ongoing, public conversations about relevant topics. It’s a two-way street.
A good example is Intel, which engages in ongoing Twitter conversations with people who tweet at or about the company. Having these conversations humanizes the Intel brand, a difficult task when you consider that Intel is fundamentally a chip-making company that sells microelectronic components to other businesses.
As a result of embracing social media’s two-way conversation format, Intel delivers a more human PR built upon grassroots interaction. Remember when PR felt like companies were shouting at you from atop a podium? Well, PR isn’t like that anymore, and Intel gets it.
Read more at Phoenix Business Blog.
