SOCIAL MEDIA RESEARCH

Social Media and the Evolution of Corporate Communications

This is the study from different Public relations practitioner about social media and the evolution of corporate communications.  

 In a 2007 PRSA online survey, working public relations practitioners were asked about their use of 18 social media tools and “their perception on the growth of social media trends in public relations practice” (Eyrich, Padman, & Sweetser, 2008). The survey found that social media technologies allow PR practitioners “to reach out to and engage their publics in conversation . . . and provides an avenue to strengthen media relations,” and that a majority of practitioners felt that communications technologies such as social media had made their jobs easier, allowing them to reach broader audiences and expedite the circulation of information (Eyrich, Padman, & Sweetser, 2008). On average, survey respondents used 5.97 of the 18 social media tools listed, with e-mail, a long-established tool, being the most widely used, followed by intranets, blogs, videoconferencing and podcasts (Eyrich, Padman, & Sweetser, 2008). Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li, both researchers at Forrester Research, Inc., coauthored a book called Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies. Forrester is an independent technology and market research company, and Bernoff’s and Li’s book pulls data from Forrester research studies to examine audience demographics for social media marketers.

The authors define the groundswell as “a spontaneous movement of people using online tools to connect, take charge of their own experience, and get what they need – information, support, ideas, products, and bargaining power – from each other” (Bernoff & Li, 2008). This “groundswell” gives the control to the consumers, rather than the company, something that many companies are wary of, but that Li and Bernoff address as an opportunity in their book. Bernoff and Li examined the usage of various forms of social media by online Americans. All of the relevant studies of social media and corporate communications report similar findings. Along with demographic information for both practitioners and audiences, are the ideas that content is no longer exclusively controlled by professionals, corporate communications are moving from pure output to dialogue, and traditional public relations practitioners are interested in using social media for marketing, but there are still questions and concerns regarding the proper way to infiltrate this rapidly growing market.

This research is presented as a critical analysis and interpretation of existing research studies, trade publications, online technologies, case studies, current trends, public relations theories and academic literature. The purpose of this research is to qualify aspects of traditional public relations and aspects of public relations utilizing social media, and through comparison to analyze the changes that have occurred within the industry and make projections for the future. Analysis of Traditional Public Relations Public relations traces its origins to the days of hype, promotion and propaganda and is often associated with negative perceptions and stereotypes.

 In conclusion, the history of Public relations is interested because moving from pure output to dialogue and traditional public relations for using social media for marketing.

By:  ULAYA SIJALI A. (BAPRM 42681)