A major new study released by the USC Annenberg Strategic Communication and Public Relations Center, which surveyed 620 senior-level PR experts, confirms the growing importance of social media in today’s PR world.
“As expected, social media monitoring and participation have significantly increased and can now be considered a mainstream responsibility of [PR and communications],” the study noted.
Social media is on the rise as a “core responsibility,” indicating the increased demand for social media strategy and tactical execution in today’s public relations arena. When asked about their chief responsibilities, respondents said corporate communications, executive communication, internal communication, crisis management, social media management and social media participation take up the bulk of their time.
This landmark study indicates that the PR industry is currently transitioning from an “old school” approach to a “new school” approach, largely due to the impact of social media on the PR landscape.
“Companies that embrace ‘new school’ best practices are more likely to be associated with success variables,” the report stated.
At Abshire Public Relations, we’ve been riding the social media wave for quite some time. We dove into the deep end head first several years ago and offer continuing social media education opportunities for our entire team to ensure that everyone stays up-to-date on the latest technology trends.
Today, we successfully manage Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media accounts for a wide range of clients. We develop social media strategy, organize Facebook contests and post items regularly for corporate as well as non-profit clients.
APR combines the best of “old school” and “new school” public relations, offering high-profile media placements as well as social media buzz. We understand that traditional media and new media are most effective when used in connection with one another.
After all, social media serves as an ideal way to share media placements with a larger audience and to offer an important venue for expanding key marketing messages, encouraging engagement, reinforcing branding and sparking dialogue with customers.
Whether your company is social media savvy or just beginning to explore this brave new world, APR can help develop a smart strategy to help maximize your market share and raise your profile in the eyes, minds and wallets of the target audience that matters most to you.
