Drawing
closer to the end of my placement at 32dsg, I was quick to learn the reality of
social media as the future of public relations. But why is such importance
placed on a medium that may not exist in 10 years? Concluding what has been an
exhausting week at the office, I have come bearing the gift of ‘social media
wisdom’.
The first
surprise of the week came as I discovered
the importance that government organisations placed on social media,
with 32dsg being contracted by the Department of Commerce to manage the social
media component of the Western Australia Innovator of the Year Awards. However,
this led to a more startling revelation… since when did social media become so
prominent that a consultancy firm would be contracted to work solely on a
client’s social media needs? Whilst producing PR plans throughout university, I
often dedicated one strategy or tactic to social media activities – however I
had now been given the task of working on a lengthy social media strategy that
required vast attention (my role: the production of a portfolio of Facebook
posts and Tweets). In a short amount of time, I fully embraced the significance
placed on social media in the real world.
Furthermore,
having previously used social media for personal use, I considered it a forum
that embodied freedom, creativity and power, however where there is a
government agency involved, this was a far cry from reality. When developing my
portfolio, everything I had produced required approval by the Department of
Commerce prior to it being published online. This taught me that even when a PR
consultancy is provided with social media responsibilities by a client, they
may not always receive the flexibility and creativity needed to meet their own aspirations.
In my opinion, social media is current and if nothing else, the two to three
day deferral required for confirmation would prove detrimental in maximising social
media effectiveness.
In three
days I had accumulated over 100 Facebook posts and Tweets ready to reach a
substantial following of innovators, corporations and sponsors. Although this experience
was surprisingly demanding, I believe it equipped me with enough knowledge to
guide many of the social media tasks I will experience throughout my career.
Here are the key lessons I will recall when faced with similar tasks in the
future;
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Firstly,
when asked to draft a large quantity of tweets and posts, it is important to
plan. Rather than creating individual
posts on anything that springs to mind, develop categories which guide research
and maximise logic for the client. My categories included; information on
sponsors, information about past winners, current news stories on innovation in
WA and nationally, quotes and more.
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Secondly,
it is important to have a solid understanding of the communications purpose and
therefore who the target audience is. In my instance, the target market for the
WA Innovator of the Year Awards was mature adults, with past winners often in
medical and other professional fields. As a result, my portfolio required a
professional and informative approach, rather than adopting a casual language
style.
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Thirdly,
communication has to be regular. Whilst working on the project, Tweets and
posts were often updated two to three times a day. This ensures that awareness
and recognition is maximised. With any frequent communication, planning and relevant
content is essential, so much so that 32dsg has just hired a part time social
media manager to oversee a number of social media projects.
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Lastly,
information must be accurate. Despite the laid back approach to social media
that many adopt, nothing reduces credibility like information that is incorrect.
Therefore, even when publishing one sentence, ensuring the accuracy of either the
source or article is critical.
In my
opinion, social media will acquire greater significance throughout the public
relations profession in the very near future, but why? Social media encompasses
the ability to create impact. It is
timely, to the point and engaging; three attributes essential to public relations.
With busier schedules and hectic lifestyles, accompanied by evolving
technologies with smart phones and tablets, individuals look to social media,
and businesses must respond.
Although I
have learnt a lot on social media over the past few days, I am looking forward
to discovering different areas of public relations over my final days at 32dsg.
