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In the 21st century, the face of public relations is changing, largely due to social media. As companies tighten spending, inexpensive social media is the next frontier. Social media offers enormous opportunities, along with large pitfalls that need to be avoided.

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Although the Internet and social media have transformed communications, they have not replaced human relationships. This is true both in society and in the practice of public relations.

The Internet and social media are merely tools in the public relations arsenal.
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

The Internet is a cooperatively run, globally distributed collection of computer networks that exchange information through common rules. It began as the ARPANET, developed by the Department of Defense during the Cold War in l969. The World Wide Web was developed in 1989 by physicist Tim Berners-Lee to expand the Internet to accommodate multiple uses.

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The World Wide Web is a collection of millions of computers on the Internet that connect using information in HTML, or hypertext markup language.
Multimedia can be combined using sound, graphics, video and animation to create a powerful tool in cyberspace.
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

In 2009: 24% of the worlds population used the Internet. Thats more than 1.5 billion people.

Nearly 73% of North Americans used the Internet.

650 million people logged on in Asia. 390 million people logged on in Europe.

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What is the digital divide? Answer: It is the gap that exists between those who have access to computers and the Internet and those who do not. What implications does this concept create for the public relations practice?

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The Internet has transformed the way that people communicate with each other. Public relations departments now utilize interactive specialists to communicate via the Internet. Journalists have embraced the Internet for research and reporting.

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With tremendous growth expected, practitioners face these challenges:

The demand to be educated rather than sold. The quest for conversation. The need for real-time performance. The need for customization.

What do each of these mean to YOU? For a review, see p. 362 of your text.
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Web sites are oldest and most widely used social media tool. Most often, the Web site serves as an organizations first face to the public, enabling it to speak in its own voice.

Web site development is a major public relations responsibility.

Web duties include media relations, company profiles, product promotion, and position issues.

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In many ways, the organizations Web site is the most important public interface. Before developing one, answer these questions: What is our goal? What content will you include? How often will you edit?

How will you enhance design? How interactive will it be? How will you track use? Who will be responsible?

Your Web site is a first line of communication to the public. It requires full-time attention.
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What is a sticky website? Answer: One that provides the information that visitors seek.

The more this objective is achieved, the more sticky your site becomes.

Stickiness is measured by the amount of time visitors spend at the site and how many pages they view.

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Visit your universitys home page and evaluate its stickiness. Is your college website a strong site?

Defend your answer.

(Insert link to your universitys home page here.)

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According to a recent survey: 90% of adult Internet users regularly use e-mail.

Only 14% of teenagers send e-mails to their friends each day.

Instead, teenagers prefer: Text messaging, at 36% Instant messaging, at 29% Social network site messaging, at 23%

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For organizations, e-mail has become a pervasive internal communications vehicle. E-mail has now replaced fax and print vehicles for rapid delivery of information. E-mail tends to produce more honest and immediate feedback for employees.

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These have largely replaced the employee print newsletter. E-mail newsletters are more immediate and interactive. External e-mail newslettersto customers, investors, or the mediaare equally valuable. When designing an e-newsletter, remember these guidelines: Should be no more than one page Link content Regular dissemination
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

IM is an online, nonlinear realtime form of communication. It enables users to send text and small pictures. IM is most closely related to conversation.

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Refers to text messages of 160 characters or less, sent from cell phones. Is most often used for person-to-person messaging, but also to interact with automated systems. Test messaging is now the most widely used mobile data service.

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A blog is an online diary published through a Web page. Blogs are now utilized extensively by professional communicators, print and broadcast media. Blogs are used to encourage and enhance dialogue among publics on every topic imaginable.

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The blogosphere is immense: More than 113 million blogs were operating by 2008. Technorati catalogues 1.5 million postings per day. It took only 320 days for the blogosphere to grow from 35 to 75 million blogs. Public relations professionals use blogs to monitor, identify and build relationships with influential bloggers. Organizations must understand that they are now participating in a larger community and not controlling the conversation.

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Leading CEOs have received credit for blogging consistently during both good and bad times.

However, too many companies treat blogs like tired, warmed-over press releases.

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These enable participants with common interests, opinions and activities to interact through:
messaging e-mail

video
file sharing blogging

discussion groups

The use of social networks for public relations is still in its infancy.
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The best-known sites include:

MySpace
Facebook Bebo

LinkedIn

Social networking opportunities for public relations people will increase. It should be approached with both enthusiasm and caution.
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

A microblogging service that allows the typing of short messages to alert friends and followers of ones activities.

Although Twitters permanence and public relations value is still unclear, practitioners have been using it as a media relations and IMC vehicle.

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As the Internet has evolved, the importance of graphics and video has increased.

Photo sharing sites allow users to upload, edit, print and send digital photos to others.
Video sharing has become a dominant communication form on the Internet.
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Intranets expand internal communications capabilities.

Extranets allow the organization to use the Internet to communicate to targeted external targets.

Wikis are collaborative websites that combine the work of many authors.
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Podcasting makes audio programs available for download to any MP3 player.
RSS or real simple syndication is an easy way to distribute content on the Internet; similar to a newsgroup. Second Life is an online 3-D universe in which members can congregate, chat, explore and even fly around. Professionals must remember that technology changes every day. We must change along with technology!
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Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

In the 21st century, Internet monitoring is frontline public relations responsibility. The net is free, wide open, international and anonymous. Anyone can start a movement and ruin your organizations reputation. Closely watch:
Discussion groups and chat rooms Rogue Web sites Urban legends

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As a professional, much of your career will involve mastering and monitoring the Internet. At the same time, traditional skills will prevail. These include: writing and speaking media relations overall communications knowledge Those who can blend traditional skills with new online skills will find a rewarding calling in 21st-century public relations.

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Thats the way the Online Cookie Crumbles

Review this case on p. 369. As a class, discuss:

Assess the ethics involved here, both from the standpoint of Wild Freeborn and that of the Girl Scouts. Do you think the Girl Scouts did the right thing in going after the organizations own member?

For more information on this case, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19scout.html

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