The main goal of PR is to build the reputation of a brand by creating avenues of communication and understanding between that brand and its various publics. public relations. PR seeks to build memorable and profitable relationships between both parties.
Contrary to what some youngsters may think, social media is not the entire internet. Social media is a plethora of online platforms where people network, engage, share ideas, discuss issues, comment on news and events, etc.
There is this fear going around in the traditional media industry. Most believe that social media is gradually taking over and killing traditional platforms. But that’s not exactly the whole truth. Communication becomes very effective when long-standing PR principles are applied strategically using social platforms and techniques.
Today, there exists a very thin line between online and the offline world. Language on social determines the everyday speech in physical communities. PR professionals can use social listening tools in order to strategically interject their point of views into the discussions on social to either change the negative perception of the public or position who or what is represented in good light. Buhari’s social PR campaign is a good example of how PR pros can use social media to change perception and win advocates for their brands.
Marketing communications has witnessed a surge in the rise of consumer power. In the past, messages were crafted and distributed according to day-to-day consumer insights. Today, consumers create their own stories. As a matter of fact, there are more citizens reporting ‘news’ than there are professional journalists, thanks to microblogging. Social media has given consumers the power to start movements that have caused powerful changes in the world today.
PR has moved past the era of bulk e-mails and SMS. PR professionals need to put a halt to generic press releases. What they should be doing is finding the right messages and strategically tailoring them to the taste of their audiences and platforms.
We need social media to attract people to our messages and the organizations we represent. Most marketing budgets today include social media allocations. Social media is not free. It is imperative to promote content from time to time to enable the message to get to a wider audience.
Managing social content comes at a cost. Knowing what the cost items are will help in planning. Also, understanding what the key expectations are will also help in estimating success.
Many PR pros still struggle with convincing their bosses and clients to spend more money on social PR than they currently spend on outright advertising and media buying. Probably because many PR pros over-promise and under-deliver or bite more than they can chew.
Data is the best argument to support a social PR budget.
What are the numbers saying?
Never send a proposal to a client without including statistics to back up your claim.
Believe it or not, radio is the most used medium of communication, followed by social media in Nigeria. But social is growing so fast and should overtake radio in a few years. In America, 71% of the population get their daily dose of news from social channels.
Content is still king… sitting on the Iron Throne, ruling the Seven Kingdoms… wearing a coat of many colours!
Great content has become the currency of BHM Group, and this shows all across various arms of the businesses and platforms.
Got any questions?
This article was culled from a presentation by Femi Falodun at the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Digital Media Workshop, held July 22nd, 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.
Watch “Who Is Afraid of Social PR? Nigerian PR practise in the age of social media.” here.