Research Purpose
The modern globalized society that is used to move fast and make its everyday operations more efficient cannot exist without the use of social media. Therefore, every business, private or public, every agency, or a non-profit organization has to tailor their strategies to fit the needs of potential clients. With every year global brands expand their presence online to effectively communicate with customers, offer them the new experiences, and, consequently, increase revenue. Studying the effectiveness of social media strategies in a context of a public relations agency is important because there is the possibility to extend the company’s capabilities and cater to the needs of customers who are requesting to incorporate social media into the company’s PR strategy.
A Common Social Media Strategy
One of the most commonly used PR social media strategy is involving already popular Internet personalities to review a product or a service. When a company engages in the online community, it does not only have to be helpful and newsworthy; it should also connect with bloggers with similar interests. In such a way, a company is able to create a link between public relations and social media, employing a famous social media personality to play a role of a ‘link.’ For example, many technology brands such as Sony, Canon, etc. collaborate with popular Youtubers that film their videos on the newest gadgets and make reviews.
Question and Hypothesis
The research question related to this study will be “What is the impact of social media presence on a public relations company and how this impact could be turned into success for the agency?” Because the company deals with public relations on a regular basis and because loyal clients require the incorporation of social media into the agency’s strategy, it is likely that the incorporation of social media into the business process will bring fruitful results.
Literature Review
One of the useful resources for a better understanding of the issue at hand is the Forbes article written by Robert Wynne (2014) regarding the most effective social media strategies for public relations. The author gave examples of four key strategies that can help companies extend their social media presence and reach potential clients. One of such strategies is being newsworthy and offering relevant information instead of trying to impress and provide no real value. The second resource is the thesis presented by Gordon (2010) on the use, value, and impact of social media on PR practitioners. The author concluded that many PR practitioners do not use social media regularly despite valuing it; however, the majority of study participants believed that social media completely changed the way companies operate and communicate. The study by DiStaso and McCorkindale (2012) found that if a company wishes to advance its PR through the use of social media, it has to implement changes at every level of a business process.
Method
To study the impact of social media on public relations, a qualitative research design will be suitable. Data will be collected through surveys and interviews with PR practitioners that either use or don’t use social media in their profession. By analyzing the data, the correlation between the usage of social media and the success of a business can be found. The sample for the study will be a snowball sample so that public relations agencies will be able to recommend other companies for surveying and interviewing.
References
DiStaso, M., & McCorkindale, T. (2012). Social media: Uses and opportunities in public relations. Global Media Journal, 5(2), 75-82.
Gordon, J. (2010). Use, value, and impact of social media on public relations practitioners in Fox Cities. Web.
Wynne, R. (2014). Winning social media strategies for public relations. Web.
