PR Practitioners’ Key Questions On Social Media And Some Academic Contributions

Prof. Dr. Thomas Pleil Institute for Communication & Media

Euprera Spring Symposion 2011 Lisbon, March, 3-5

•  Digital opportunity: What are European academics contributing to theory and practice? what are the challenges when synthesising an understanding of online into evolving

theoretical framings? knowledge transfer: what are the obstacles AND ways to integrating academic findings

into organisational practice? what are the key questions which practitioners wish academics to answer?

#The Call

Education: Online-PR as Area of Concentration

• Problem Based Learning • Learning by Teaching

#Background

Research: University of Applied Sciences • „Traditional Research“ • Participatory Action Research

•  Researchers and participants work together to solve problems

•  Workflow: Research, Action, Reflection •  Originally in politcal & social contexts ‣  Collaboration instead of distance

#Background

(Kindon/Pain 2007)

Innovation in a Networked World

•  Knowledge as continued process •  Knowledge on demand instead of containers •  Innovation as a result of interaction •  Effectiveness of difference within networks

(Morath 2002)

#Background

#PRactitioners & Social Web

Studies, Cases & Expert Interviews: • Pleil (2007): Online-PR im Web 2.0 • Pleil (2010): Social Media in der B2B-Kommunikation • Zerfass et.al. (2007-2010): European Communications Monitor • Zerfass (2010): Social Media Governance

Informal Sources: • Practitioner Workshops • Consulting & Projects • Panel Discussions

#Social Media as Innovation

#Knowledge Transfer (h_da)

#Knowledge Transfer (h_da)

#Model of Online-PR Digital PR Internet-PR Cluetrain PR

Paradigm Internet Galaxy Google World

Communication Model

Monologue Monologue (+ indirect backchannel)

Communication networks, prepared for dialogue

Typical Elements Text, Pictures, Web Design Usability Tests, Contact Forms, Stats

Monitoring, Social Media, Content first

Strategy & Action being present; offering basic information

Enforce Interests Digital Reputation, Web as Room for Maneuver, Providing Added Value, Storytelling, Personalization

User Individual Recipient Recipient with some possibilities for interaction

Communication Partner, organized within Networks

Pleil 2007

#Model of Online-PR Digital PR Internet-PR Cluetrain PR

Requirements UnderstandingofHypermedia ContentManagement,SocialResearch

Strategic&SocialSkills;Trus@ulPosiBon;Coaching

Investments Minor;AddonServiceforPRDepartment

SpecialistforOnlineComms „Alwayson“

Role Execute Canalise EnablingRole:EstablishOpenness,StakeholerEmpowerment

MainAim InformaBon PersuaBon ComprehenBon&IntegraBon

Investment, Competence, Culture

Pleil 2007

#5 Layers of Analysis

Society

Stakeholder

Organization

Actors

Technics

A suitable Model of Online-PR

What does this mean?

Academia helps Practice helps Academia

•  Participatory Action Research

#Integration

Research

Consulting Education

Participation

•  Academia as a Part of Innovation Networks •  Strong Interaction between Research, Modeling, and

Consulting •  Good Job Perspectives for Students •  Third Party Funds •  High Density of Applied Research •  A Perpetual Learning System •  Different Role for Academics •  Acceptance of Academia

#Positive Effects

‣  Time ‣  Timing ‣  Teams ‣  Administration ‣  Closeness ‣  Roles ‣  Density

#Obstacles & Problems

Perspectives

#Gaps

„Without internet engagement at a much deeper level PR, as practised today just cannot survive.“

(Phillips 2011)

#Gaps

•  What about Development? (Phillips 2011)

• Web of Things • New Devices • Social Search • Augmented Reality • Platform Drop Outs • Legal Issues (Privacy,

Documentation) •  tbc

„Without internet engagement at a much deeper level PR, as practised today just cannot survive.“

(Phillips 2011)

Kindon,SaraLouiseKindon/Pain,Rachel(2007):ParBcipatoryacBonresearchapproachesandmethods,Routledge

Morath,Frank(2002):InnovaBoninNetzwerken‐WiekommtdasNeueineinevernetzteWelt?Konstanz(Diss.)

Phillips,David(2011):HowcanacademiaservetheemergingPRparadigm?In:LeverWealth,h_p://leverwealth.blogspot.com/2011/02/how‐can‐academia‐serve‐emerging‐pr.html(24.Feb.11)

Pleil,Thomas(Hg.)(2007)Online‐PRimWeb2.0.FallbeispieleausWirtschaaundPoliBk,Konstanz:UVK

Pleil,Thomas&Students(2010):MehrWertschaffen.SocialMediainderB2B‐KommunikaBon,Darmstadt

Zerfass,Ansgaret.al.(2007‐2010):EuropeanCommunicaBonsMonitor,h_p://www.communicaBonmonitor.de/

Zerfass,Ansgar(2010):SocialMediaGovernance,h_p://www.slideshare.net/FFPR/studie‐social‐media‐governance‐2010‐studienergebnisse

Pictures:#5:h_da,#19:Krajewski#others:tp21

#References

Thankyou!

@tp_da,das‐textdepot.de,thomaspleil.de