From drum beats to retweets: social media trends in PR
To say communication is evolving is like suggesting Meryl Streep can act. It’s a given.
I’m not quite old enough to have used drum beats, smoke signals or carrier pigeons, but I remember telexing and snail mail. And I was ecstatic when smart-faxing revolutionised sending a press release to multiple media outlets.
Social media has provided another quantum leap in the way PR professionals interact with target audiences and our new crystal ball app has shed light on future trends, with real-time engagement (once reserved for crisis management and events) an absolute given.
Billboard content: Social media has put more emphasis on succinct communication. We have become a ‘sound bite society’ prone to scrolling through memes, rather than a 10-page in-depth feature, to be informed and/or get a bead on public opinion. Communicators adept at billboard content will be increasingly in demand.
Visual communication: The wordy media release is a relic. Pictures are the lure to snare customer attention. The proliferation of infographics, photo sharing and visual storytelling means that key messages conveyed visually can cut through in a crowded market.
Short vids: Twitter legitimised short-form communication; Vine and Instagram are doing the same for visual comms. While an appetite remains for more meaty offerings on YouTube, the abbreviated vids are finding a willing audience. The ability of ever-evolving smartphones and tablets to show moving images so clearly, coupled with the convenience of lower file sizes, will ensure short vids will become even more fashionable.
Medium & message matching: Because new media is creating so much content and so many channels, messages need to be specific, compelling and relevant.
Mainstream media and bloggers don’t have the time to dive in, find their own angle and re-shape a standard media release from PRdom. It is, therefore, advantageous to provide one-to-one offerings by developing several angles and re-working headlines and introductions to appeal to specific media outlets.
Key influencing: How would you describe mamamia.com creator Mia Freedman? Is she in media, communications or marketing? Or is she a modern-day hybrid using all aspects of social media (often integrated with mainstream media) to connect and engage with a clearly defined audience?
Whatever your take, there’s no doubt Freedman is increasingly influential and a trend-setter, having used digital platforms and social media to create her own channels to develop her own soapbox.
The suite of products on Facebook now allows anyone with access to a smartphone, tablet or computer to reach and build a similar audience without even needing to set up a website or blog.
If you have content the masses value – and can put yourself on your target audience’s radar – you, too, can garner almost 900,000 followers like @TheTweetOfGod.
Patience in tribe building: Social media is a long-term process and the public will be more receptive to communicators that understand them and content that interests and assists them.
The challenge is to tell your story and those of your community in a credible way that adds value to their life/online experience. Trust will increasingly be earned on social media, particularly over a period of time, and communicators will be under pressure to genuinely be part of a tribe/community in order to have a beneficial two-way relationship.
Prized design: Brands may have a presence on any number of social media platforms, but they won’t be accessible to consumers unless they make the layout intuitive and display their most valuable content coherently. Social media sites need to be well organised and agile, with no loading difficulties and no formatting problems when activated on a different device.
Social media as news: Some of the greatest media hits in recent times have been from responding to news, rather than trying to create news.
Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has become something of a media darling by retweeting the greatest hits of his followers, including: “…if the royal baby was an Australian batsman he would’ve been out by now”. The re-quote to his 400,000+ Twitter followers was picked up by media worldwide.
More authority for PRs: Because of the need for speed to market, many PR and social media managers are being authorised to find the client’s voice and post to agreed protocols without going through the usual client sign-off systems. With such power comes great responsibility.
Pass-on PR: Physical PR events, such as launches, conferences, stunts and photo opps, will be developed with social media pass-on rates increasingly top of mind. ‘Sharing-of-photo’ is the new ‘word-of-mouth’ and the share-factor will become an important means of measuring the effectiveness of a post/campaign.
User-generated content: Reality is a big deal. Social media users are increasingly turned off by the manufactured nature of PR photos and stock shots that don’t match the honesty of real images taken by real people.
DIY PR: Social media training courses and workshops are becoming more prevalent, providing corporates and small businesses alike with the opportunity to set up their own form of communications department.
But it’s all very well appreciating the technical aspects of social media interaction, it’s another to develop content that engages and elicits a positive response as part of a cohesive integrated comms strategy.
Disseminating content is just the start. The follow-up phone calls, relationship-building and clear understanding of the media’s editorial policies and audience are still vital, as is knowledge of individual journalist’s predilections and previous stories.
Get your content or timing wrong and the backlash on social media can be much more vitriolic and damaging than it would’ve been in old times.
Your carrier pigeon going to the wrong address or your smoke signal being mis-spelt doesn’t seem so distressing these days.
Jackie Crossman is managing director at Crossman Communications.
To read more about the state of PR, see the current issue of B&T magazine, out this week, which includes a main feature dedicated to the sector.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Latest News
Choose A Path Less Trodden This Cannes In Cairns
Don’t be basic. Think creatively and you shall reap the benefits of Cannes in Cairns. “We want brands!” “We want the CMOs!” We heard you and we acted. The content slate at this year’s Cannes in Cairns, presented by Pinterest, is packed to the rafters with some epic brands and top marketing talent. But that’s […]
Cannes In Cairns MC Keeva Stratton Shares Her Top Session Picks
Self-professed nerd and one of four top Cannes in Cairns, presented by Pinterest MCs, Keeva Stratton has a front-row seat to some fascinating minds and fierce debates. But who should you put on your must-see, must-hear list? Here, B&T grabs five with the Quip agency founder, who will be helming the lecture in the Rainforest […]
Here Are The Agencies That Made AFR’s Best Places To Work List And What The Industry Can Learn From Them
Did your office not make the list? Make sure your boss shouts at least two schooners at office drinks come Friday.
Get Ready, B&T’s Best Of The Best Is Back With The Top Holding Company Executive Leaders – Creative!
Want to know who the Grandest of the Grand Poobahs in the industry are? Look no further than this exhaustive list.
How A Glittering Campaign Helped The Australian Museum Sell 400,000 Tickets
B&T thoroughly enjoyed the Ramses exhibition at The Australian Museum, despite thinking we were going to the Archibald.
TV Ratings (30/04/2024): A “Shoey” Straight From A Fish’s Mouth Launches The Cheap Seats Into 2024
Last night's TV saw horny farmers beat Lego nerds, who beat fame-obsessed home cooks, who beat a chap with a large fish.
Spotlight Extends Partnership With Starlight Children’s Foundation
B&T always happy to promote the excellent work of the Starlight Foundation. Less so the Starfish Fanciers Foundation.
Amazon’s Advertising Quarterly Revenue Soars To $11.8bn
There are so many Amazon couriers visiting B&T headquarters at the moment our office dog doesn't know who to maul first.
VML Wellington Welcomes Jacob McGregor As Pou Ārahi Māori
McGregor set to lead cultural competency and safety at VML Wellington in important new gig.
“They Grow Up So Fast”: Simon Fowler On Five Years Of ABEL
Abel's CEO talks lessons learned from the agency's first five years. Including staff nicking all the Nespresso capsules.
Kyle & Jackie O Urge Melbourne To Pick A Side
Who can stop Kyle & Jackie O's indelible march into Melbourne radio? Is Peter 'Moony' Moon waiting by the phone?
Future & Taika Waititi Feature In Striking New Global Belvedere Campaign
Not only does drinking vodka make you cool like these dudes, it also has great weight loss properties for the bone idle.
The Fall Of Bonza: A Case Study In How To, And Not To, React In A Crisis
Does the collapse of yet another budget airline hark back to a gentler time of 17 hours spent on a Greyhound bus?
Opinion: Agencies, Be Unique – Stop Using The Word “Unique!”
Trinity P3's Ellie Angell says agencies are overusing the word unique. You could add omnichannel & holisitic to that.
Ex Marketing & Advertising Exec Releases Melanoma Memoir
Ex-adlander Anne Gately has penned a tome to skin cancer. Which is a handy reminder to check your moles, people.
Mamamia Appoint Danni Wright As New Head Of Strategy
Danni Wright takes up Mamamia's strategy reins with a feng shui expert called over positioning of office chaise lounge.
From The Bureau: Championing Competency & Cross-Industry Collaboration
The IAB's Jonas Jaanimagi calls for more specialisation in adtech. Meaning you'll understand it less than you already do.
Rumble Nabs Renee Park From Cutting Edge
Rumble has recruited Renee Park as one of its new sound designers. And it's only right to make some noise about it.
iD Collective Teams Up With City Of Parramatta To Amp Up NRL Fan Experience
Adland's often lampooned for never going further west than Surry Hills. So this Parramatta news is welcome indeed.
Slew Of New Hires At The Company We Keep
The Company We Keep announces new hires. Here's hoping it doesn't impact the RBA's interest rate decision.
UnDigital Announces Brand Refresh Helping Clients Achieve More Than 600% Sales Increase
Warning - this headline comes with some obscene bragging. Much like the B&T editor's 5/8 in the weekend footy tipping.
Microsoft Advertising: “We Make The Complicated Simple”
Microsoft ads wants to make the complicated simple. The total opposite to Korean restaurant menus & the recent Yes vote.
TV Ratings 29/4/24: Farmer Wants A Wife And Lego Masters Lock Horns In Overnight’s Battle
Who won the battle of the big guns - Lego or Farmer Wants A Wife? One thing's for sure, it wasn't Great Train Journeys.
Nielsen Data Reveals Brands Spending Big To Attract Aussie Tourists
Nielsen Ad Intel data has revealed that the travel and tourism industry spent more than $153 million on advertising in Australia in Q1, 2024 – an increase of 8 per cent from the previous quarter, with TripADeal the biggest spender, followed by Virgin Australia, then the Flight Centre-owned Ignite Travel. As many Australians return from […]
IAS Awarded New Responsible AI Certification From Trustarc
Integral Ad Science tossing up over the mahogany or teak frame after being awarded TRUSTe Responsible AI Certification.
AWARD Calls For Hall Of Fame Nominations
B&T's noms for AWARD Hall of Famer includes Louis The Fly, Chums' talking Scottie dog & Mumbrella's coke dealer.
Havas Red Wins PagerDuty PR Account
Havas Red wins PagerDuty's PR. And judging by B&T having to Google PagerDuty, it could probably do with some help.
ACA Poised To Release Results Of 2023 Create Space Census
The Advertising Council unveils date for its census results. Hey, why not coincide it with an office lamington drive?
Why Fear Is Essential To Fernando Machado’s Creativity
If there's anyone B&T loves to chat to, it's fabled marketer Fernando Machado. Although the 5am time difference sucks.
Superdry Drafts AFL’s Patrick Lipinski For New Campaign
B&T fast regretting that poncho we just bought, as it appears the puffer jacket returns as winter's hottest trend.
Elon Musk vs eSafety: Legal Experts Warn That ‘Rogue Operators’ Like X Are Unlikely To Win Federal Court Battle
If this legal stoush boils down to who can afford the better lawyers, B&T's backing Mr Musk every single time.
Amy Poehler Presents First Look At Inside Out 2 At Vivid Sydney 2024
Vivid isn't about freezing your arse off while looking at lights on a wall, as you'll learn with this Amy Poehler news.
Mutinex Launches DataOS Improving Data Warehousing & Quality For MMM Marketers
Work in marketing? Does your data warehousing resemble a teenager's bedroom? Here's a Marie Kondo-approved read.
IMAA Celebrates Three Years Of Group Trade Credit Insurance Deal
Are you a struggling indie? Thinking of firebombing the building for the insurance money? IMAA has you covered here.
Adam Sandler Seemingly ‘Slams’ Ukraine In Pro-Kremlin Campaign
Host of A-list celebs caught slamming Ukraine's president. Thankfully it does have the Milli Vanillis about it.
New Marketing & Comms Agency For Defence & Aerospace Industry Takes Flight
As painful as this is to say, judging by current world events, the bomb & tank industries must be in rude health.