chapter 18 seitel pr11e

7/29/2019 Chapter 18 Seitel Pr11e

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18-1Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall


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In the 21st century, the face of public relations is

changing, largely due to social media.

As companies tighten spending, inexpensive social

media is the next frontier.

Social media offers enormous opportunities, alongwith large pitfalls that need to be avoided.


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Although the Internet and socialmedia have transformedcommunications, they have not

replaced human relationships.

This is true both in society and inthe practice of public relations.

The Internet and social media aremerely tools in the public relationsarsenal.


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The Internet is a cooperatively run, globallydistributed collection of computer networks thatexchange information through common rules.

It began as the ARPANET, developed by theDepartment of Defense during the Cold War in l969.

The World Wide Web was developed in 1989 byphysicist Tim Berners-Lee to expand the Internet toaccommodate multiple uses.


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The World Wide Web is acollection of millions ofcomputers on the Internet

that connect usinginformation in HTML, orhypertext markup language.

Multimedia can be combinedusing sound, graphics, videoand animation to create apowerful tool in cyberspace.


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In 2009:

24% of the worlds population used the Internet.

Thats more than 1.5 billion people.

Nearly 73% of North Americans used the Internet.

650 million people logged on in Asia.

390 million people logged on in Europe.


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What is the digital divide?

Answer:

It is the gap that exists between those who have

access to computers and the Internet and those whodo not.

What implications does this concept create for the

public relations practice?


8/3118-8Copyright 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

The Internet has transformedthe way that peoplecommunicate with each other.

Public relations departmentsnow utilize interactive specialiststo communicate via the Internet.

Journalists have embraced theInternet for research andreporting.



With tremendous growth expected, practitioners face

these challenges:

The demand to be educated rather than sold. The quest for conversation. The need for real-time performance. The need for customization.

What do each of these mean to YOU?For a review, see p. 362 of your text.



Web sites are oldest and most widely used social media tool.

Most often, the Web site serves as an organizations first face

to the public, enabling it to speak in its own voice.

Web site development is a major public relations responsibility.

Web duties include media relations, company profiles, productpromotion, and position issues.



What is our goal? What content will you

include? How often will you edit?

How will you enhancedesign?

How interactive will it be? How will you track use?

Who will be responsible?

In many ways, the organizations Web site is the mostimportant public interface. Before developing one, answerthese questions:

Your Web site is a first line of communication to the public.It requires full-time attention.



What is a sticky website?

Answer:

One that provides the information that visitors seek.

The more this objective is achieved, the more sticky yoursite becomes.

Stickiness is measured by the amount of time visitorsspend at the site and how many pages they view.



Visit your universitys home page and evaluate its

stickiness. Is your college website a strong site?

Defend your answer.

(Insert link to your universitys home page here.)



According to a recent survey: 90% of adult Internet users regularly use e-mail.

Only 14% of teenagers send e-mails to their friends each day.

Instead, teenagers prefer:

Text messaging, at 36%

Instant messaging, at 29% Social network site messaging, at 23%



For organizations, e-mail has become a pervasive internalcommunications vehicle.

E-mail has now replaced fax and print vehicles for rapiddelivery of information.

E-mail tends to produce more honest and immediatefeedback for employees.



These have largely replaced the employee print newsletter.

E-mail newsletters are more immediate and interactive.

External e-mail newslettersto customers, investors, or themediaare equally valuable.

When designing an e-newsletter, remember these guidelines:

Should be no more than one page

Link content

Regular dissemination



IM is an online, nonlinear real-

time form of communication.

It enables users to send textand small pictures.

IM is most closely related to

conversation.



Refers to text messages of 160 characters or less,

sent from cell phones.

Is most often used for person-to-person messaging,but also to interact with automated systems.

Test messaging is now the most widely used mobile

data service.



A blog is an online diary published through a Web

page.

Blogs are now utilized extensively by professional

communicators, print and broadcast media.

Blogs are used to encourage and enhance dialogueamong publics on every topic imaginable.



The blogosphere is immense:

More than 113 million blogs were operating by 2008.

Technorati catalogues 1.5 million postings per day. It took only 320 days for the blogosphere to grow from 35

to 75 million blogs. Public relations professionals use blogs to monitor, identify

and build relationships with influential bloggers. Organizations must understand that they are now

participating in a larger community and not controlling theconversation.



Leading CEOs havereceived credit for bloggingconsistently during both

good and bad times.

However, too manycompanies treat blogs liketired, warmed-over pressreleases.



These enable participants with common interests,

opinions and activities to interact through:

messaging

e-mail

video

file sharing

blogging discussion groups

The use of social networks for public relations is still

in its infancy.



The best-known sites include:

MySpace

Facebook

Bebo LinkedIn

Social networking opportunities for public relations

people will increase.

It should be approached with both enthusiasm and

caution.



A microblogging service that allowsthe typing of short messages to alertfriends and followers of ones

activities.

Although Twitters permanence andpublic relations value is still unclear,practitioners have been using it as amedia relations and IMC vehicle.



As the Internet has evolved, the

importance of graphics and video has

increased.

Photo sharing sites allow users toupload, edit, print and send digital

photos to others.

Video sharing has become a dominant

communication form on the Internet.



Intranets expand internalcommunications capabilities.

Extranets allow theorganization to use theInternet to communicate totargeted external targets.

Wikis are collaborativewebsites that combine thework of many authors.


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Podcasting makes audio programs available for download toany MP3 player.

RSSor real simple syndication is an easy way to distributecontent on the Internet; similar to a newsgroup.

Second Life is an online 3-D universe in which members cancongregate, chat, explore and even fly around.

Professionals must remember that technology changes everyday. We must change along with technology!


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In the 21st century, Internet monitoring is frontline

public relations responsibility.

The net is free, wide open, international andanonymous. Anyone can start a movement and ruinyour organizations reputation.

Closely watch: Discussion groups and chat rooms

Rogue Web sites

Urban legends


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As a professional, much of your career will involve masteringand monitoring the Internet.

At the same time, traditional skills will prevail. These include: writing and speaking media relations overall communications knowledge

Those who can blend traditional skills with new online skillswill find a rewarding calling in 21st-century public relations.


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Thats the way the Online Cookie CrumblesReview this case on p. 369. As a class, discuss:

Assess the ethics involved here, both from the standpoint of WildFreeborn and that of the Girl Scouts.

Do you think the Girl Scouts did the right thing in going after theorganizations own member?

For more information on this case, go to:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19scout.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19scout.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19scout.html

chapter 18 seitel pr11e

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