- Image via Wikipedia
DEFINITION: Social Media is a place where two or more people are communicating about something publically.
(This means things like blogs, forums, facebook and other places where ‘the people’ are in control of the content.)
So as marketers, business owners and brand managers, we want to expose our message through this channe – and its EXCITING TIMES, as its new and very misunderstood.
Social media is exactly the same as traditional media in principle with some technical differences.
So if social media is just a delivery channel, like ‘traditional’ media, why are there social media specialists? Well, because its widely misunderstood.
Social media has the following communication benefits for marketers
- Market ressearch: Listen, read and watch what people think about you, your competitors or your category
- Public Relations: free exposure of your message by building relationships with the media
- Advertising: buying the opportunity to expose your message to your
There is no confusion around advertising on social media, and market research is being used by very few, however public relations is the gray area where people are becoming social media specialists, and its WRONG!
How Public Relations works in media relations (and I’m no expert)
Public Relations consultants have relationships with editors at media outlets. At one newspaper there will be 10′s if not 100′s of editors, from the business section to the social pages. PR people also create content that is relevant to individual editors. Through either good content or a strong relationship, the PR consultant can get their message to their audience. But at the end of the day, the editor has control of the message.
What is a media outlet?
This may seem silly, but media outlets historically have been newspapers, TV, radio. What most people seem to be missing the point on is that blogs, forums, Facebook and all social media is just another media outlet. Sure, there are a few technical differences, however the key fundamental is still there: the publisher is in control of the message.
What scares people, PR firms and marketers is that the person ‘in control’ of the message isn’t a ‘respected newspaper editor’ or some such thing, its some teenager in their bedroom blogging about random stuff. And we all know this isn’t true.
If you build a relationship with a blogger, community manager, online activist or whoever, and give them good content, you’re likely to get the same outcome as you would with a newspaper.
ITS NO DAMN DIFFERENT! PR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR DECADES!
So why then, are there all these ‘social media specialists’?
I believe its a mentally that wont shift, its a bunch of people (I’m looking at you PR industry) who have done what they’ve done for so long, and don’t like change, so a bunch of people have jumped into the gap that is continuing to widen.
So don’t call yourself a social media specialist, you’re a PR person, or if you’re a PR person, be a leader in your industry in the top 21% infact (based on a recent study) and start seeing ‘social media’ as another channel, like TV, radio or print. Start building relationships, reading their articles and giving them content, or whatever they want, product samples, event invitations, whatever.
And what I’m saying is in no way new, Public Relations has been around for many moons, and social media was identified as a PR exercise way back in 1993, when Brian Solis coined the phrase “PR 2.0″.
Footnote
Sorry about the strong language (in caps) I’ve been working with PR people for years, and trying to help them realise this with very little progress.
January 9th, 2009 on 8:09 pm
I agree that social media is of course another PR outlet – because PR is not just media relations, it’s the whole shebang of getting a message across to people using any medium. But there are a few differences and coming from a background of old school journalism i feel kinda sad that journalists may not be perceived of value up against the flood of citizen journalism. The biggest difference is that journalists are trained to report a story more or less without prejudice, whereas bloggers ALWAYS have prejudice….
Further, yes you can promote your product online rapidly — but you still need the skills of a GOOD or even GREAT PR person to manage your message – it’s not just about the relationship with a journalist, it is multi-dimensional. Somewhere along the line you want someone to buy your product – you do and I do. Somewhere along the line you need to close the deal. I’m interested to see how the wonderful world of social media will wend its way — inevitably towards that sale! And now I think I’ll use this in my blog too LOL (This is an area where i have specialised – indeed I’ve managed to write a whole book about it!)
January 10th, 2009 on 12:58 am
I pointedly disagree with you Simon.
Social Media (and web 2.0 strategy in general) is something new that has ELEMENTS of public relations but is not the same.
Social Media is:
“Discussing Ideas With People In Communities”
I’m not going to retype the article, you can read it here:
http://admaven.blogspot.com/2008/12/social-media-discussing-ideas-with.html
January 10th, 2009 on 1:32 am
I agree with your premise…as a traditional pr veteran, I’m working to adapt the old-school tactics for the here and now. I’m very hesitant with the term “social media expert” — what exactly does this mean? You are familiar with facebook? Know how to use Twitter?
Social media is, like you’re saying, a new medium, for PR professionals need to adapt, in the same way the industry adapted to the broadcast medium and later the internet. I’ve found, that unlike the more traditional mediums, social media has more participation, more interaction, moves more quickly, allows more more personal interaction with the audience, and tends to have a greater and more immediate ROI.
At the foundation of ANY PR or marketing campaign, there must be a clear, well-researched strategy. Without this, no tactic has a chance for success. Within social media, there are limitless tactics that must be applied correctly and with the right integration of other tactics and tools. Rarely is it possible (or wise) for one tactic to be the end all be all key to success.
January 10th, 2009 on 8:06 am
Thanks all for the debate.
Buzztart
Great work, its a fine line, I’ll check the book out.
Nicholas
I agree, its a new set of skills, it’ll take a long time for PR people to catch up, however, they’re setup with the core principles to approach ‘social media’, as compared to advertising agencies or design agencies.
Social media is new right now, but when all the dust settles it’ll be less exciting and just a tool that people use to achieve marketing outcomes.
Your post talks about facilitating conversations, but for what end? To increase sales, manage product perception, provide customer support, there are many outcomes… and depending on the outcome a different agency should be involved. Also, companies need to do this internally.
I think social media experts are required to educate and persuade, but after that they’ll have less value to add.
Thanks for your views
Kary
Great point, nothing is a one shot wonder. Its great to see you’re out there in ‘social media’.
January 19th, 2009 on 8:34 am
There’s PR and there’s PR. Most PR is based around who you know – your network. Journalists, Government, -> need to get a message out? Go to your PR network with a press release and ask them to pick it up. Based on your social currency and the contextual relevancy of the story, it will, or won’t be picked up.
But there’s also strong elements of Customer Service in online communities. As we are trading blog posts – heh – here’s mine http://laurelpapworth.com/australia-social-network-future/. I think I have other posts too but basicall, in social network terms, marketers deal with groups and demographics, PR deal with leaders and influencers, Customer Service connect directly with each and every customer.
… though there are plenty of corporate blogs out there being used as press release channels