Relationship Status of PR & Social Media

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Over the course of the past decade or so, technology has really upped its game, especially concerning social media. Some social media sites have come and gone, and others have
come and stayed. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. have been used as tools to help promote businesses, products, and people. Social Media has been a way for corporations/companies to advertise their brand(s).

“The widespread use of social media has fundamentally changed how people communicate and share information.” Studies and research has shown how more people are reached via social media than any other avenue. In this day in age, humans are obsessed with being connected with one another via Twitter, etc. We spend the majority of our time on social media, rather than having human-to-human interactions. For a lot of businesses, this is a wonderful thing. “This downright addiction to social media has made an impact in virtually every industry as companies seek to create strategies to engage on the social web.”

Our infatuation with social media is providing businesses with an audience that is far reaching. Social media has given PR professionals a way to sweep the world with information in a very timely manner. The use of hashtags and certain keywords have been ways for consumers to connect with producers/business professionals via Twitter and Facebook. From personal experience, I think hashtags are brilliant. By hashtagging a tweet, I have had the opportunity to associate myself with professionals that I otherwise wouldn’t have come in contact with.

This is a prime example of how social media can benefit both the consumer and PR professional. “Public relations is certainly no exception as practitioners seek to communicate with, and hear from consumers, as well as using social channels to share information with key audiences.”

– Leisel