Digital PR, ePR, social media PR. Whatever the tag, the basic principles are the same as traditional public relations, it’s simply that the channels and nuances are different (in much the same as there are differences between TV, radio and print). Unlike traditional media, the online world is far more interactive and more individual orientated than company-centric.
Furthermore, it’s a global and deep-reaching medium that can quickly bring together groups of like-minded people. That can be a huge benefit, if, say, they are all keen to share knowledge and praise a great new product. Equally, it can cause considerable pain for an organisation that is on the wrong end of a venting of anger or critical comment.
It’s precisely because anyone can write anything that makes online public relations an absolute requirement as opposed to a bolt-on option. Check out a relevant blog or forum and, chances are, the organisation you work for will be part of the conversation. Part of a conversation, quite possibly, that, until then, the organisation itself didn’t know was happening.
Engaging with those conversations is a bespoke process, and one that needs to be carefully considered as there’s no hiding place online. A well intended blog, a ‘funny viral’ or a dignified silence can easily backfire. Yet all three, and more, can be hugely effective in positively benefiting an organisation.
The usual point of entry for a formalised online public relations campaign is auditing the online landscapes in which an organisation sits, and identifying the blogs, forums and conversations that do and don’t matter. From that point on imagination, combined with a little common sense, is the only limitation.
Online PR