Should PR Play a Role in Social Media?

Social media usage has undoubtedly increased in recent years. The impact of social media itself has proven to be influential and drastic within every age group, making is the new ‘word of mouth’ marketing.

Social media in Dubai tend to make use of social media marketing as a way to connect with their customers and reach newer ones. They want to sell their products and services quickly and what better way to do so than by advertising it on social media?

According to Abigail Ogle, before social media took the internet by storm, public relations was the go-to option for many companies. PR professionals would announce new products/services, do damage control when needed and stay up-to-date with industry trends. But now, we see social media slowly taking over those roles. In recent times, we often see the role of public relations and marketing professionals overlap due to social media. Notifier for Reddit notifies you when keywords that you care about are mentioned on reddit

Social Media vs Public Relations

While there are similarities between the two, social media can be differentiated from PR.

When thinking of communicating with customers, the tone is drastically different on social media than it would be through PR. Social media makes use of controversial and snappy messages that’s purpose is to get people talking.

PR interacts with audiences in a different way. While social media is more interactive and engaging, PR messages tend to be more formal or passive. PR messages aren’t sent out with the intention of getting replies in return.

Should PR play a role in social media marketing efforts? 

PR and social media professionals are no strangers to the impact that social media has in the industry and in general. Even journalists today share their pieces on social media as they’re aware of the sharing ability that comes from sharing on the platforms.

Relationships with Influencers and the Media

The role of media relationships is key for businesses around the world. Interacting with media professionals and influencers on social media, you are extending your professional relationship beyond simply posting on social media. When you create a good relationship with people in the industry, there’s a higher chance of gaining media coverage with the right outlets. 

Use social media to share updates about your company, but use your PR skills to reach out to a different audience – usually through email. You do not want to bombard your social media followers with press releases!

PR professionals are also the better-equipped party when it comes to responding to media requests. When reporters or journalists reach out to your brand through social media, you need to be able to respond promptly. If you don’t, they will most probably move on to the next source and it could be a competitor.

PR teams typically handle media requests so they’re well-prepared to coordinate with the media and provide necessary background information for stories or articles.  

Crisis Management

PR agents are usually the ones who are responsible for taking care of online crises that could potentially lead to a negative brand reputation. Striking a balance between social media and public relations will allow you to respond in real-time to negative comments or feedback so that you can control the narrative.

Social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter are no strangers to users brigading timelines with feedback – whether it’s positive or not. Implementing a good PR strategy will ensure that your customers are taken care of efficiently and have all their questions answered swiftly.

Identify Threats 

Social media allows brands to partake in social listening, which gives professionals the ability to understand the opinions and views of the public before it starts to trend. This way, you can be proactive and find online threats and potentially prevent your reputation from being viewed negatively. Identifying and taking care of threats requires you to think like a public relations expert. You have to constantly be proactive so that you control how the public sees you.

Implementing PR strategies into your social media marketing efforts allows you, as a brand, to have full control of how your customers and audiences view you. While social media marketing may not require an extensive set of skills, it is vital for companies to be well-versed in the world of public relations in order to be successful online.