|
Back >
User Profile
User Profile
Advertising, Reviews and Public Relations Collide - Social Media
Social Media is no longer just a talking point for consumer brands, it's now a way to engage with consumers. However, the rules by which social media will be governed are still being worked out and there continues to be litigation over companies' use of endorsements on social media. In the last year alone, we've seen judges rule against an NBA team for failing to comply with its sponsorship agreement, celebrities who misused the "like" function on Facebook, and celebrities who alleged that their commercial interests were violated when they were not paid for certain posts on Twitter. Are you looking pr agency Delhi?
Introduction
Public relations practitioners have a variety of opinions about using social media as a tool in their PR campaigns. Some public relations professionals embrace these new tools as part of their arsenal while others feel that these tools are overrated and prefer to use more traditional methods. However, it is difficult to ignore the impact that social media has had on public relations.
One of the main issues with using social media in public relations is the fact that advertising and reviews are now blurred together. In the past, when an individual wanted to write a review about a product or service, they would typically go to a site like Yelp or Google Reviews. However, with the advent of social media, individuals can now write reviews directly on the company's Facebook page or Twitter account. This has led to some companies requesting that customers not post negative reviews on their social media pages.go For THe Delhi pr agencies
A recent example of this occurred when actress Debra Messing tweeted that she was "so disappointed" in the salad she had eaten at a restaurant. The restaurant's Twitter account immediately replied and asked her to direct message them so that they could address the issue privately.
The use of social media in public relations has also led to the blurring of the lines between advertising and news. In the past, if a company wanted to run an ad, it would have to go through a third-party advertising agency. However, with the advent of social media, companies can now create and distribute their own ads directly on social media platforms. This has led to a number of companies using "native advertising," which is advertising that looks like regular content. Visit Here for the pr agencies in Delhi
While there are many benefits to using social media in public relations, there are also a number of issues that need to be considered. Specifically, the blurring of the lines between advertising and news is creating havoc in certain industries, such as banking and pharmaceuticals, where compliance is key. Furthermore, with the increased use of social media comes an increase in litigation over companies' endorsements on these platforms.
Prevalence of Use
Social media has become extremely important for many companies to reach their consumers. Currently, 61% of online adults use at least one social networking site, with Facebook leading the way followed by Twitter and Instagram (Pew Research Center). These numbers are even more staggering for young people between 18-29 years old; 77% use social media (Pew Research Center).
Since social media has become so prevalent among consumers, many companies have started using it as a way to engage with their consumers. In fact, 78% of companies now use social media as part of their marketing strategy (Econsultancy). Additionally, according to a survey conducted by the Public Relations Society of America, 44% of public relations professionals reported that their company's public relations efforts were enhanced by social media and 29% reported no change in these efforts due to social media (PRSA).
Many companies have been able to reach millions of people through their social media pages. For example, Domino's Pizza was able to generate 2 billion impressions from its recent "30 minutes or less" campaign which was launched on Twitter and Facebook (AdWeek). In another example, Oreo was able to successfully launch its first print advertisement on Twitter by asking people to retweet an image of the ad in order to win a free package of cookies (The New York Times).
These companies have had great success using social media as part of their public relations strategy, but not everyone is so lucky. According to a study conducted by Duke University, companies are more likely to find success with social media if they are already established or have previous public relations experience (Duke University). Additionally, this survey found that smaller companies were more successful than larger businesses because they place greater emphasis on customer service and less on advertising (Duke University).
Social Media's Effect on Public Relations
Social media has had many effects on public relations both good and bad. One major effect has been the blurring of the lines between advertising and news. With the ability to create and distribute their own ads directly on social media platforms, companies are now able to bypass third-party advertising agencies. This has led to a number of companies using "native advertising," which is advertising that looks like regular content. Here you go For THe best pr agency in Delhi
While there are many benefits to using social media in public relations, there are also a number of issues that need to be considered. For example, when companies use social media to advertise their products, it can be difficult to determine what is an ad and what is not. Additionally, because social media posts tend to be shorter in length, they often do not provide enough information for consumers to make an informed decision.
|
|
|
