Wednesday, September 30, 2009

A Powerful Tool in The Hands of PR Professionals


A recent KPMG survey, polling more than 200 marketing and advertising executives, found that 75 percent of executives predict that advertisers will shift more than a quarter of their media time and resources to “new media,” social networks and mobile marketing.

The survey also found that 30 percent of ad agencies have a plan in place to manage social media for their clients. Social media have become a powerful tool in the hand of PR professionals and it represents a competitive advantage that PR firms have gained over ad agencies or digital marketers.

Social media management is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing sectors for PR. It can be sold separately or be a part of a larger program.

Unlike advertising, there are hardly any barriers between traditional PR and social media. PR, like social media, is all about two-way conversations,sharing information, developing relationships and influencing actions.

“One of our clients had been using an ad agency to write its online content. The copy was promotional, fine for advertising, but totally inappropriate for the social media.” Said Ken Makovsky, CEO,Makovsky &Company.

“We told the client to talk to them, not at them. It’s not about marketing. It’s about cultivating a dialogue. The client moved the assignment from its advertising agency to us," said Makovsky.

http://us.kpmg.com/RutUS_prod/Documents/8/PULLBACKOFADDOLLARS.pdf

http://insider.prweekblogs.com/2009/06/15/are-we-in-a-battle-you-bet-and-pr-must-win/

2 comments:

Roxanne Riojas said...

This article solidifies everything that our mass. comm. professors have been telling us the past few years. PR professional, as well as students, should keep up with the latest social media trends because it is a key tool that is used now, and will be in the future.

Brett said...

Social Media programs also take up a lot of time and can be time consuming for a PR professional. I really think that a new job is emerging where the PR practitioner comes up with the plan, and someone else implements it. Social Media junkie position if you will.