Social media has absolutely become an undeniable and unmissable part of our lives. The influence it has on our lives is enormous and has entangled itself in our lives by giving promises of keeping us connected to the world. And now for some people, social media has become their whole world. While many people go on and on about the ills and how it has impacted our real lives, one cannot deny its role in expanding the reach of digital marketing. It has not only created employment opportunities for many individuals but has also become an essential component of PR Agencies, says Astro Strategist cum Business Astrologer Hirav Shah.
Table of Contents
What is PR (Public Relations)?
Hirav Shah explains, “Public Relations or PR merely is strategic communication done to bridge the gap between brands, organizations, and the public. As a PR firm, their job is to make sure their clients have a positive image in public eyes and manage all the communication. Digital promotions have become a vital PR tool as it reaches a wide array of audiences in no time and low cost.”
How has social media affected the field of PR?
Hirav Shah explains extensively about the effects of social media on PR.
Two Way Communication
With the advent of social media, communication between brands and the public has become more elaborate. As PR firms handle all the communication between the organization and the public, it has become a tool for PR firms to communicate and help maintain a positive image of the organization.
In turn, with social media, it has become easier for people to give feedback and criticism. PR teams look into customer experiences to better understand the organization about how they should implement their strategies to keep the positive image running.
Affordability
Earlier the PR reach to the public was based on the traditional media. While they were effective at that time, they lacked the intensity and affordability that social media provides. Getting space in a newspaper or getting a time slot on television is very expensive but making a social media account is free.
Instead of organizing expensive campaigns in various locations, social media campaigns can be organized, which are very affordable and can reach a more comprehensive audience range. Social media is free of cost. Making accounts on various social media platforms and continually posting content increases the engagement of the organization with the public on a meager budget.
Integrated PR(Public Relations)
As social media is complicated with it comes to reach and engagement, PR firms go beyond their usual practices and apply various other strategies to increase their clients’ engagement on social media. This has led to PR firms using marketing strategies and concepts from advertising to reach their goal, thus giving birth to integrated PR.
Greater Engagement
Social media has done wonders in terms of engage
ment with the public. PR Agencies work towards maintaining an active and engaging social media presence of their clients to be relevant. An excellent social media presence ensures good engagement which in terms affects company profit.
A higher engagement on social media ensures that the brand stays relevant, which, in turn, profits the PR firm.
24/7 Presence
The digital world has no time limit. Be it at 10 am, or 3 am, social media is always active with content constantly pouring on users’ screens. This has ensured a more prolonged engagement of the public. PR firms have utilized this 24/7 aspect of social media to make engaging content all day long.
Unlike other traditional media that have a time limit and are expensive, social media is the cherry on top. A more extended social media engagement ensures that the brand or the organization is continuously on-screen of the public, which then leads to brand recall.
Hirav Shah concludes by saying, “Social media has aided PR and make the field into what it is today. More and more brands and organizations want an active social presence; this is where the PR Agency steps in. They provide a longer and broader social engagement and give required feedback to the company taken from the customer feedback. Social media has made PR a very powerful job prospect and helps bridge the gap between public and organization more effectively than other traditional mediums.”
