The Impact of Social Media on Public Relations Practice - Research Paper Example

?The impact of social media on public relations practice Contents Sr. # Topic Pg Introduction 2 1. Definitions 4 2. Key objectives of the study 4 2. Literature review 5 2.1. The relationship between PR, social media, and the concept of media relations 6 2.2. The evolution of social media landscape: Scope and Impact 8 2.3. Impact of innovations in social media on public relations practice 14 2.4. Use of social media by PR in crisis situation: Impact and consequences 15 3. Methodology 19 4. Analysis 24 5. Conclusion 26 List of tables References 1. Introduction There has been a significant change in the media landscape during the past couple of decades particularly due to the advent of social media which has singlehandedly revolutionized the concept of communication. The world of media and communications has taken giant strides towards development from its humble beginnings dominated largely by print media and radio broadcasts to the use of state-of-the art technological gadgets such as tablets, iPhones, digital recorders, and web enabled tools such as social networking services including blogs, webcasts, video blogs, YouTube and the likes (Breakenridge, 2008; Busy, 2004). Considering the vast outreach of technology and the unlimited access it offers, the gap between the public and the marketers has narrowed significantly. It would not be a far cry to claim that the generation of this era travels with technology in their pockets, thus enabling the public relations practitioners to smoothly and effectively deliver their messages to the targeted audiences, at a mere click of a button (Hazelton, Harrison-Rexrode, & Keenan, 2007). The revolutionary changes in the field of technology has also completely changed the manner in which the average consumers connect, access, interpret, and use the information made available to them. The change in the social media landscape has triggered off simultaneous changes in the practice of public relations as is evident from the growing amount of literature substantiating the claim. As these fields grow and evolve in response to the changes in the technology, the delivery of strategic information to the public is likely to change as well (Kelleher, 2009; Macnamara, 2010). 1.1. Definitions This section offers definition to key terms used in the paper, which includes – Public relations and Social media. Public Relations: The term ‘public relation’ is defined differently by different authors. In general terms it is used to describe the 'management functions' performed by a group of professionals with a pre-defined outcome in mind. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (UK) has defined the term as "the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organization and its publics" (qtd. in Watson & Noble, 2007: 6) Griswold defines public relations as "the management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest, and plans and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance" (qtd. in Heath & Vasquez, 2001: 192). The Public Relations Society of America (1999) states that "Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other" (qtd. in Health & Vasquez, 2001: 192). Social Media: According to Jue, Marr, & Kassotakis (2009: 4) the term social media refers to "the many relatively inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools that enable anyone to publish and access information, collaborate on a common effort, or build relationships". 1.2. Key objectives of the study The fundamental objectives underlying this research study are listed below: To identify various social media tools used by public relations practitioners and assess the manner in which such tools are used to manipulate the perceptions of the target consumers To examine and understand the manner in and extent to which the development and introduction of social media tools has changed, affected, or influenced the practice of public relations. To evaluate the current trends and impacts of social media tools on public relations practice. To assess the relationship between social media and public relations practitioners. The key research questions aimed to be probed by way of this study include: The manner in which organizations use social media tools to influence the perceptions of the consumers The implementation of social media tools during critical situations and its impact in salvaging the situation. 2. Literature Review There have been consistent changes in the field of media and communications in response to the simultaneous changes in the field of technology and the introduction of novel and innovative tools. These changes have brought about significant changes in the practice of public relations. As the field of communications and information technology continues to evolve, more and more sophisticated gadgets are likely to be introduced, which may have a significant impact in the manner in which the PR managers utilize and approach the target consumers. Such use of social media tools will then re-define the scope and extent of strategic communication and its impact on weakening or strengthening the practice of PR. The various key issues related to the practice of public relations, and its relative impact on the manner in which strategic information is communicated to the public / target consumers is discussed in a comprehensive manner in the following section, in order to substantiate the relevance of the research questions, and the key objectives of the study listed above. 2.1 The relationship between PR, social media, and the concept of media relations: There is a strong, positive and direct relationship between PR, mass /social media, and media relations. The type of relationship between PR and social media ascertains the outcome of the key objectives of PR since the social media is used as a main tool / platform to reach the target consumers. According to Supa and Zoch (2009) the term media relations refers to the methodical, logical, and willful use of social media to establish a positive and long-term relationship between the journalists in the mass media and the public practitioners, as well as between the public practitioners and the public / target consumers (Kent, 2008; Weaver, Avery, Sweester, and Howes, 2009; Callison, 2002). The fundamental objective behind the excessive reliance of the public practitioners on social media tools is to ensure a positive and trustworthy relationship with the target groups and bridge the gap between them in order to persuade them in believing the information being remitted to them (Lattimore et al., 2004). The term media relations is used to define the scope and role of social media in establishing successful and positive relationship between the public relation practitioners on one hand and the public, journalists, reporters, consumers and the likes on the other. All those involved in the distribution and broadcasting of information to the targeted groups are in integral part of the media relations chain, and play a key role in controlling the information being transmitted and influencing the perceptions and attitudes of those at which such information is being directed. The concept of media relations, similar to public relations, is responsible for establishing positive and beneficial relationships with the social media, with a view to use and manipulate the said tools – i.e., print, online as well as broadcast (Tench and Yeomans, 2006: 312). Zoch and Supa (2009) posited that the use of social media is not merely restricted transmission and broadcasting of information using various tools, but is also responsible for establishing positive relationship between those at either end of the communication channel, i.e. the PR practitioners and the general public. Hence in order to ensure greater success, it is imperative for the PR practitioners to ensure that the use of social media tools is made to its optimum capacity and engage in a two-way dialog with the targeted groups, rather than restricting the use of such tools for publicity. There is substantial evidence which suggests a renewed interest on the part of the PR practitioners in their willingness to assess the various tools available at their disposal and their likely impact in the successful delivery of their strategic objectives. Since the field of social media communications is massive and constantly growing with the introduction of new and improved technological tools, restricting the use of such tools to a chosen few would limit the benefits available to the PR. Hence it is advisable to constantly explore and assess the range of social media tools available at the disposal of the PR practitioners and make simultaneous changes in their communication channels and strategies, to enable a wider outreach and increase their likelihood of successful accomplishment of their organizational desired goals. 2.2. The evolution of social media landscape: Scope and Impact The introduction of novel forms of social media tools have drastically changed the media landscape, largely replacing the humble conventional tools such as print and radio broadcasting methods with modern state-of-the art social media tools such as blogs, wikis, vlogs, YouTube, and other interactive media. The increasing reliance on such modern social media tools, which are far more reliable, effective and faster as compared to the conventional tools, have pushed the conventional tools into obscurity. This is evident from the fact that the reliance of the general public / consumers on conventional tools of social media such as newspapers has drastically reduced over the years, marked by a simultaneous shift of consumers towards online sites (Alfonso and Miguel, 2006). This changing trend is indicative of the fact that the reliance and use of social media in contemporary times is growing rapidly and are considered as far more reliable sources of information by the consumers as compared to the conventional tools. Consumers today are observed frequenting online blogs and YouTube to access information regarding a given product or organization, and form opinions based on the information shared by such sites (Bowman and Willis, 2003). This could be attributed to the fact that such modern tools of communication provide the users with an unbiased opinion and information about products or organizations, as compared to the highly manipulated and largely positive reviews provided by the organizations themselves. Researchers have observed that the advancement of technology has disrupted the conventional use and reliance of media replaced it with a new interactive form of media which affords greater transparency and reliability to the consumers. The new social media is not only reliable and transparent but also faster and affords interactive communication, rather than a biased one-way dissemination of information. The social media tools such as blogs, for instance, afford the consumers the benefit of creating and joining communities and forums and share their concerns and grievances, and offer them a platform which enables them to resolve their problems with like-minded members. Such benefits offered by the social media in modern times, makes it arguably and undeniably one of the most frequented and reliable tools of communication (Haig, 2000). The role of consumers in the modern social media scene is not of a mere spectator but that of an active participant. On the other hand, the new social media tools afford the public practitioners to share and communicate information to their target groups located across the globe, in real time thus beating the conventional form of social media tool by a large margin. The gradual shift in the social media landscape from conventional to contemporary has also led to a simultaneous and significant change in the strategic approach and policies used and implanted by the public relation practitioners. This new phenomenon has not only changed the role of PR practitioners but also, challenged their roles in the face of increasing participation of the consumers (Murray, 2007). There is ample evidence in the form of research which suggests the extent to which social media has challenged and influenced the shift of power from the press to the public. The creator of the news (i.e. the PR practitioner) has become a mediator instead, and the receiver of the news (i.e. the consumer) has grown on to become the key influencer of information, thus changing the power relations in the media landscape (David, 2008). The fact that the new social media affords the general public the power to create their own platform and broadcast the information and intended content available at their disposal to the world, via blogs and video sharing sites has given rise to a new form of journalism – owned, controlled and managed by the consumer themselves. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as citizen journalism, where the social media tools act as a media center for the consumer and is used to share and communicate information. Such incredible power handed to the common public by social media, has threatened the existence and role of the public relation practitioners and essentially redefined the role and scope of media practice, as a whole. The field of media and mass communication today, finds itself at a highly vulnerable situation – a rare moment in history, where for the first time the role of the owner of information (organizations, public relations practitioners) is challenged and threatened by the receiver (i.e. consumers). Research indicates that the revolutionary changes which have led to an online movement led by the consumers and common public, has challenged the freedom of the press and basically changed the rules of the game. It is also stated that social media has and continues to give more prominence and control to the consumers, thus expanding their role from mere receivers of information to key stakeholders in the news process (Wright and Hinson, 2009; White and Raman, 1999). The interactive platforms made available to them via social media tools which enables them to put forward their opinions, views, and criticisms via comments on blogs or video blogging / sharing sites, have the potential to either completely thwart the efforts put in by the PR practitioners or support and validate it. Such claims are substantiated with the statistics made available by PR Week which states that as many as 70 per cent of the journalists believed that the use of social networking sites is inevitable for promoting and reporting the status and progress of their businesses, as compared to a mere 41 per cent in the year 2008 (Maul, 2009). This indicates the growing role of and reliance on social media tools and the likely benefit expected out of it. According to a survey conducted by the European Digital Journalism there is a significant rise in the reliance and use of social networking sites and blogs as a reliable source of information, by the public. The survey suggested that more and more consumers are demanding sharing of information through blogs and other social media tools since such platforms are perceived by them as relatively more reliable and faster than other sources of information. Also it was observed that almost 25 per cent of journalists rely on the information shared by bloggers and use it as credible sources of information, thus indicating the significance of such social media platforms (PR Network 2009). Such excessive reliance on social media tools by journalists has drastically increased the pressure on the public relations practitioners to generate and outsource more information and make it available to the public via blogs, online video sharing websites, and social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter, MySpace etc. Another key aspect of the new social media tools is the fact that unlike the conventional tools, the new social media affords greater transparency by eliminating the “middle-men” and making the information as is, directly to the consumers without any editing or altering. In conventional media, such level of transparency was unheard of. The transmission of information via conventional media entailed significant editing by the editors and only the key information provided by the journalists, as perceived important by the editors, was made available to the public (Tench and Yeomans, 2006). Furthermore the conventional media resorted to heavy editing of information due to lack of space for printing or less than adequate time for broadcasting. Such censorship of information is completely eliminated by the new social media, since the space and time constraint is absent in the online world (Shirky, 2008). Hence the consumer today, is far closer to the real happenings in their immediate surroundings than ever before. According to the reports the transparency and unedited availability of information has drastically increased the favorability of new social media tools as credible sources of information, and is evident from the fact that more and more consumers are now shifting away from journalistic institutions towards obscure individual voices online. However there are also reports negating the ‘gradual death of journalism’ as predicted by the alarming trend. Some researchers have aptly pointed out that although the growing significance, scope and reliability of new social media tools is rapidly on the rise, and is here to stay, this in no way marks the end of professional journalism. This is mainly because; such conventional sources of information such as those offered by government bodies, for instance, are regarded as relatively more credible sources of information particularly in terms of analyzing a crisis situation, as they are unaffiliated and not restricted to individual opinions (Liu, 2009). The continuous and radical changes in the field of communication and hence the social media results in a never-ending change in the relationship between social media and the practice of public relations. As the social media scene changes there is a simultaneous change in the balance of power between the two. Such changes in the relationship between PR and social media also lead to a change in the conventional hierarchy of information and control of the mainstream press. The drastic change in the power structure of the practice of social media significantly influences the relationship between the producer of information and the consumer, and the changes are more prominent in the digital domain where the power is tilted more towards the consumers, who enjoy a visibly more control over information and the manner in which it is be used, interpreted and shared. Some researchers view such shift in the power structure as a decline of journalism and the blurring of boundaries and roles between the producer and consumers. According to Weaver, Avery, Sweester, and Howes (2009) there is a high probability that the role of social media in influencing the perceptions of the consumers would grow to unprecedented proportions, and the boundaries between the provider and receiver of information is likely to change drastically. Hence it is imperative for the public relations practitioners to actively engage in extensive use of social media tools as means to retain their power and influence over the consumers. It is also suggested that the audience / consumers have grown bigger than the provider / producer of information, thus the public relations practitioners must take active steps in participating in the new media landscape and understand and implement effective ways to use it to their advantage (PR Network, 2009). 2.3. Impact of innovations in social media on public relations practice: The introduction and evolution of modern communication devices empowered and supported by social media tools has given ample opportunities to the public relation practitioners, businesses, as well as individuals alike to engage in active dialog with a view to share available information on a broader scale through varied platforms. Such innovations in the field of social media have transformed the manner in which businesses and organizations communicate with their customers and interact with the stakeholders. This phenomenon marked by increased use and reliance of social media tools by the public relation practitioners and consumers alike is defined by Charlene and Bernoff (2009) as ‘groundswell’. Groundswell refers to “a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than institutions like corporations” (pg. 9). The concept of groundswell is referred to as a mad rush on the part of the public to access information faster and quicker than anyone else in a bid to avoid being left-behind and lose out on the competition (Heath, 2010). This change in behavior indicates the new transformation brought about by social media and its simultaneous adaptation by the PR industry. According to some researchers the power shift in favor of consumers is largely attributed to the lack of initiative on the part of the public relation industry to actively engage and involve in the process of transformation and keep pace with the active involvement and use of social media tools by the consumers. Such lack of participation resulted in their ouster by the consumers who managed to gain a greater hold and control over the new trend (White and Raman, 1999). 2.4. Use of social media by PR in crisis situations: Impact and consequences More and more public relation practitioners in present times have started using social media platforms as a means to salvage critical situations. According to Scoble and Israel (2006) organizations today are actively involved in following the practice of ‘listen and participate’ as means to reaching out to their consumers and engage them in active dialog with a view to enhance their ability to resolve their grievances and concerns. Furthermore it has also been observed by researchers that there is a growing trend among the PR practitioners to use social media tools for repairing and building new relationships with the consumers and improving their image and reputation. This practice is evident from the case of American cable giant, Comcast who successfully leveraged the use of social media platform by transforming customer relations into media relations and hence furthering their cause. The organization managed to effectively use SNS (social networking sites) Twitter, for approaching their customers and used as a tool to seek out consumer complaints and offer effective and prompt solutions online (Siegler, 2009). As a result the company garnered increasing media and public attention for its novel use of social networking sites and was lauded for its pioneering effort in a field which was dominated by rigid and outdated PR structure marked by formal customer complaint and grievances department. Salvaging crisis situations through effective use of communication tools is one of the most important jobs of the public relation practitioners. They are in charge of handling the internal as well as external communication channels and establishing and engaging the consumers in an active two-way dialog with a view to resolve all or any crisis faced by them (Burnett, 1998). The PR personnel are responsible for maintaining and building trustworthy and positive relationships with the consumers (Broom, Casey and Ritchey, 1997) and social media tools offer the perfect vehicle for them to execute their strategies in a systematic, faster and effective manner. One of the key purposes behind the active involvement of the PR personnel with the consumers is to keep track of their preferences, concerns, grievances, and issues faced by them and use them for developing effective solutions in order to avoid crisis situations (Marra, 1998). Engaging in active dialog with the consumers allows the PR practitioners to avoid any untoward situation and react promptly in times of adversity (Cho and Gower, 2006). Furthermore studies suggest that the perception and image of an organization by the consumers relies heavily on the manner in which the PR personnel handle its activities. Thus any lackluster behavior on the part of the PR practitioners could cause irreparable damage to the organization (Murray, 2007). According to Penrose (2000) the competitive standing of an organization depends on the manner in which its PR personnel handle the crises situations. This is possible only through proactive participation of the PR practitioners, which in turn is ensured through the effective use of social media tools (Mitrof, Diamond, and Alspaslan, 2006). According to Christ (2005) the social media powered by internet technology has incredible potential to act as a mediator between the PR practitioners and the consumers and can play a key role in engaging the consumers in participating in active communication with the PR. Hence it is imperative for the PR personnel to actively and effectively use the varied social media tools available at its disposal and build long-lasting and positive relationships with its consumers. According to Baker and Green (2005) social media has grown manifolds and emerged as an undisputed leader in the field of communication. It is one of the most widely used technologies with a power to influence masses. The use of social media by public relation practitioners is known to result in improved relationship with the consumers (Eyrich, Padman & Sweester 2008). It allows them to control the information shared by them and sway public opinion in their favor through creative use of social networking sites (Marken, 2007). Among the various means of communication afforded by social media, blogs and social networking sites are known to be highly popular and effective in putting across the desired message to the targeted group, since blogs are generally subscribed to and followed by particular segment of consumers who share common interests. The increased information sharing and communication platforms made available by social media has given rise to a new participatory culture marked by increased and uninhibited participation of consumers from all walks of life sharing concerns and issues significant to them, in a candid manner and expect it to be heard by those concerned (van Dijck, 2009). It can be hence safely deduced that it is about time that organizations catch up with the trend and increase its use and participation in this new virtual public sphere to access and understand the candid consumer confessions and conversations and use them to learn, evolve and grow as a responsible organization (Murray, 2007). In this information age, where sharing and communicating vital information is just a click away, it is imperative for public relation practitioners to make optimum use of the immense opportunities that the internet and the social media affords it, and use it wisely to resolve consumer grievances. Failure to do so might attract public outrage and wrath since sharing of information on a publicly accessible site can spread like wildfire within seconds tarnishing the brand image and reputation of the organization in the process (Heath, 1998; Porter & Sallot, 2003; Bucher, 2002). The problem is further compounded due to the fact that deleting the information shared is a cumbersome and difficult process, and by the time the crisis is dealt with the negative publicity gained by the organization is sometimes beyond repair (Gonzalez-Herrero & Smith, 2008; Learmonth and Parekh, 2008). Bucher (2002) thus aptly describes the internet and the power of social media as a double-edged sword which helps organizations instantly connect to the public and gauge their grievances in advance providing them ample time to salvage the situation, however on the other hand, it may completely destroy the brand image of the organization if the negative publicity / information is shared on an online media. The conventional journalistic control available at the disposal of the PR is now a thing of the past, thus indicating the arrival of a new form of social media with unrestricted and uninhibited access to information (Dinardo, 2001; Taylor and Perry, 2005). 3. Methodology For the purpose of this study personal interviews were conducted to collect quantifiable information from the public relations practitioners. The choice of interviewees was based on a diverse field of industries within the state of name of the state. The interview was conducted in the form of questionnaires which were distributed to the chosen candidates. The interview questions comprised of both multiple choice as well as Likert-style questions. The multiple-choice questions were designed to generate adequate information regarding the background information of the chosen topic and lay a foundation for the study, while the Likert-style questions were designed with an aim to generate answers which would help in substantiating the key hypothesis of this study and which would help in accomplishing the listed objectives. The information so generated is likely to help the audience in making legitimate assumptions regarding the role of social media and the use of social media tools by public relation practitioners, as well as its efficiency in deriving desired outcomes. Ultimately, it would help in answering the key research questions and re-affirm the basic underlying research objectives listed in the previous section of this study. Research Questionnaire: 4. Analysis On the basis of the information collected from the participants it was observed that all three participants accepted to have used at least two of the social media tools listed in Question 1 of the questionnaire. With respect to the question regarding use of social media in improving the brand image of the organization one of the participants expressed strong agreement while the rest of them agreed to the positive impact of social media on PR. They also strongly agreed the role of social media in enhancing communication with their customers, and its role in reducing and/ or eliminating any or all grievances of their consumers. Regarding the role of social media in influencing the manner in which information is perceived by consumers, two of the participants agreed while one of them was neutral. The responses for question 6 were varied. One participant chose 'enhancing public relations' as the key purpose for using social media, participant# 2 chose salvaging crisis situations, while participant# 3 chose listening to and resolving consumer grievances. Two of the participants were neutral regarding the reliability of social media over traditional media sources, while one of them was neutral. All three participants unanimously chose SNS (social networking sites) and YouTube as very important tools for communication, and blogs and wikis as somewhat important. All the participants agreed strongly regarding the role of social media in increasing profitability and improving customer confidence in the brand; and all of them agreed to very frequent use of social media tools. 5. Conclusion The onset of the information age has ushered in a new era dominated by high-tech tools providing the consumers with a bigger and better platform to share and exchange information. 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