# Are PR And Social Media Merging Into One?

- Link: https://chatterblast.com/blog/are-pr-and-social-media-merging-into-one/
- Published: 2015-11-03T16:32:34-05:00
- Author: chatterblastteam

Publicists, take note: **you all need new jobs**.

As social media becomes an ever-larger part of a brand’s persona, traditional media
relations with a dash of digital strategy is _no longer _cutting it. Until recently,
a social media plan was often tacked onto a more traditional PR campaign to help
boost its reach. [Print publications have steadily been losing traction since 2006](http://www.stateofthemedia.org/2013/newspapers-stabilizing-but-still-threatened/newspapers-by-the-numbers/),
which begs the question:

Why haven’t PR pros turned their attention (and their craft) to the form of media
that can’t seem to _slow down_ – **social**?

[⌊blog 1⌉⌊blog 1⌉[

The kiss seen round the world (on TV): Madonna and Britney kiss at the 2003 VMA’s,
before social media was around to make it viral.

Well, some have and some haven’t. PR pros are quickly learning that to be relevant
and effective in the digital age, there’s _more_ to competency and professional 
success than traditional event planning and media relations. **Technology **has 
become a requirement of the skill set. And yet, so many of these “_PR pros_” are
deficient in average computer understanding, much less that of web-based technologies
and tools.

Being a master of your craft is more than just what your product looks like. To 
win in social media – _much like public relations_ – you have to know **who your
audience is** and **where** **they devote their attention.** It’s almost 2016. The
attention is on _social media_.

“_As newsrooms change and resources shrink and people consume the news and information
in new and different ways, they are far less reliant on traditional media outlets,_”
says **Maureen Garrity**, **Principal** at **Maureen Garrity Communications**. “
_The ongoing challenge, where social is a fantastic vehicle, is in finding ways 
to continually make the information relevant. With traditional media, we are often
limited to one hit,” _she continues._  “With social, we can create campaigns that
allow information to live, evolve and grow and adjust in a way that allows us to
connect more closely with people_.”

When you’re challenged with developing an impactful campaign, it’s time to stop 
thinking of the social media component as a _mere_ hashtag to throw on your Instagram
pictures. The social media component should have _a life of its own_, that exists
and makes an impact even without a typical real-life element.

[⌊blog2⌉⌊blog2⌉[

Batkid takes Gotham by storm: over 12,000 people fill the streets of San Francisco
after the Make-A-Wish Foundation [best online casino](http://www.nbso.ca/) used 
its social media platforms to urge citizens to cheer on Miles Scott.

**The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge**, [**Make a Wish’s Batkid takeover**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMUw4Ndpbdw),**
the #LikeAGirl campaign** – all campaigns that were _social_ first and grabbed the
world’s attention, not to mention gained _unprecedented_ interest for each of these
organizations. It’s impossible to imagine the most successful brands getting where
they are today without an intensive social media presence. We here at ChatterBlast
HQ know firsthand that even the most unlikely companies benefit from a strong digital
component. Check out the [PPA](https://www.facebook.com/PhilaPark) for some inspiration.

“_Social media and PR should always work hand-in-hand_,” says **Alex Mazza**, **
Public Relations Manager** for the **Hersha Hospitality Group**. “_As an indispensable
source for public relations professionals, social media provides invaluable feedback
on clients as well as their competitors. It also acts as an extremely helpful research
tool and the perfect platform to fully leverage press,” _she says.

“_With the ever-changing media landscape, I would expect PR and social media to 
become even more fully integrated as time goes on. PR is about telling a great story
and social media allows you to do that in an instant_.”

So maybe I _over exaggerated_. Shocking. Publicists don’t _necessarily_ need to 
find new jobs. They _do_ need to build a new skill set: one that includes traditional
_and_ social media expertise. After all – if that next cool campaign happens and
_doesn’t_ go viral, who’s going to believe it happened anyway?

 

Are you a PR pro? What do you think about social media and its place in public relations?
Sound off in the comments!