Public Relations: Common Outcomes Assessment

Public relations practitioners increasingly face challenges relating to technology. In order to address these challenges, the field must make sure it stays abreast of the newest technology, which includes understanding how to use it and understanding how to use it within a public relations context. Especially with a business focused on selling digital lenses, customers tend to be on the cutting edge of new technology. Additionally, the discipline of public relations must make paradigmatic shifts related to strategies for technology usage so that these new technologies can, not just be used by Public Relations professionals, but be used effectively.

Public Relations Practitioners Must Understand Technology and How to Use It

As simple as it sounds, knowing what new technology exists and understanding how it works is not an optional aspect to public relations in the present age. Briones et al. propose that the Internet and new social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, have become well-known fixtures in society (2010). According to Anderson, “As a consequence of these developments, new theories and skills will need to be introduced into the public relations curriculum to ensure future practitioners are capable of meeting the needs of their communities” (2004, 4).

Cho and Huh argue that corporate blogs can be an effective tool for communications by public relations professionals (2010). Blogs are increasingly seen as credible sources of information by the public (Porter et. al., 2009). In fact, through blog conversations, members of the public have created conversations that have resulted in far-reaching consequences, such as a legendary discussion about Dell’s poor customer service, which many see as a turning point in the life of the company (Porter et al., 2009). Companies can create blogs similar to those written by individuals but can disseminate information about a company. Company blogs are usually endorsed either explicitly or implicitly by the company, itself (Cho & Huh, 2010). Additionally, blogs can be seen to be an important way to counteract inaccurate information about a corporation.

Many companies are utilizing social media, such as Facebook, as a public relations tool (O’Neill & Schieffer, 2014). In fact, according to O’Neill and Schieffer, “Eighty-nine percent of nonprofit organizations and 58% of Fortune 500 companies have a Facebook page (2014, 3).

For modern companies, “[o]nline communications have become ubiquitous in corporate life” (Duhé, 2007, 28). Interestingly, however, while an online presence has become a necessary and expected part of running a company, many firms are still not utilizing their new media presence to their full potentials (Duhé, 2007). This shows the importance of not just understanding a new technology and using it but learning how to utilize it effectively in a public relations framework.

Public Relations Practitioners Must Adapt Strategic Paradigms to Fit New Media Models

As Bey-Ling Sha points out in the chapter of New Media and Public Relations titled Dimensions of Public Relations (2007), the traditional paradigms describing relationships between organizations and stakeholders can no longer be described in simple terms. This shift has been brought about at least in part by the advent of new media.

The introduction of the Internet and multimedia into the Public Relations realm changed the nature of some of the classic models thought to define Public Relations in the past. While allowing practitioners quick, direct access to their audiences, the online experience also allows interactive dialogue with that audience. While this could be considered a form of the “two-way “ approach that has long been one pillar of PR theory, it has become quicker, more dynamic and more about listening to the audience (Solis, 2008).

To expand a more traditional model into the modern technological world, Kent and Taylor (1998) discuss the Dialogic Loop and how it can be implemented in the context of new media. Their definition of dialogue as it relates to PR is the negotiation of a relationship by way of exchanging opinions and ideas. Significantly, they note the listening aspect on the part of the corporation when there is a two-way communication stream. They theorize that the Internet can provide tools that allow companies to interact directly with customers, without the need for middlemen. They caution that an organization should implement a “feedback” loop (Kent & Taylor, 1998, 327) in order for effective use of new media. They also stress the need for those trained to utilize new media also to be trained in appropriate PR techniques for the sake of stimulating positive interactive relationships with the public. As Briones et al. found, one of the obstacles the Red Cross experiences with respect to its social media presence and utilization is that often those who engage in social media usage on behalf of the Red Cross are volunteers who are not trained to make the interactions with the public as effective as possible (2010). Additionally, Kent and Taylor emphasize the importance of completing the full dialogic loop by making sure the organization follows up on questions, comments, or complaints that come from the public (1998).

Since Kent and Taylor’s article was written, new methods of dialogic looping have been developed and become widespread, such as Facebook and Twitter (Briones et al., 2010). PR theorists studying firms’ PR usage of social networks found that many did not close the loop with their public audience by responding promptly to comments or questions. Thus, Kent and Taylor’s dialogic loop theory can still be helpful if applied to the most up-to-date media available. The strategy involves relationship building, as opposed to one-way communication of PR objectives to the public.

One potential problem with interactive media in the public relations area, specifically in cases in which the public can leave messages, complaints, and comments on corporate blogs or websites, there can be the problem of controlling the information. Comments from the public to the corporation might not be positive, accurate, or clear, among other possibilities. This aspect of the idea of an ongoing relationship and dialogue between a company and the public can cause negative public relations issues to develop (Cho & Huh, 2010).

Conclusion

In this age of new media, Public Relations practitioners must actively work to ascertain new forms of technology and to learn how to use them. They must remain on the cutting edge of new methods of communication, so they don’t miss strategic demographic populations. Additionally, PR professionals must develop new strategic theories to effectively put new technology to use.

References

Alexander, D. (2004). Changing the public relations curriculum: A new challenge for educators.

Briones, R., Kuch, B., Liu, B., & Jin, Y. (2012). Keeping up with the digital age: How the American Red Cross uses social media to build relationships. Public Relations Review, 37, 37-43.

Cho, S., & Huh, J. (2010). Content analysis of corporate blogs as a relationship management tool. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 15(1), 30-48.

Duhé, S. C. (Ed.). (2007). New media and public relations. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.

Kent, M., & Taylor, M. (1998). Building dialogic relationship through the world wide web. Public Relations Review, 24(3), 321-334.

O’Neil, J., & Schieffer, B. (2014). An examination of Fortune 500 companies’ and Philanthropy 200 nonprofit organizations’ relationship cultivation strategies on Facebook. Public Relations Journal, 8(1), 1-27.

Porter, L., Sweetser, K., & Chung, D. (2009). The blogosphere and public relations: Investigating practitioners’ roles and blog use. Journal of Communication Management, 13(3), 250-267.

Solis, B. (2008, April 28). PR 2.0: Putting the public back in public relations. Retrieved from http://www.briansolis.com/2008/04/pr-20-putting-public-back-in-public