The 2012 London Summer Olympics proved to be a rough time for NBC. Following the delayed broadcasting of the opening ceremonies and many anticipated events, the network found itself the subject of Twitter’s trending #FailNBC. This go-round, however, NBC promises not to disappoint. Its solution? Digital coverage – and lots of it.
The 2014 Winter Olympics started today with hundreds of athletes flocking to Sochi, Russia to compete. Team USA fans can watch the Olympics in primetime on NBC or in realtime through NBC Sports Live Extra. However, extreme olympic fans can get a different perspective of the games through competing Olympians’ social media accounts.
Staying close to those away from you has never been easier. Distance seems to become less of an issue in long distance relationships (boyfriends/girlfriends, friends, family members, etc) nowadays because of all the social media possibilities you have today; you have Facebook, and Instagram, and Twitter, and LinkedIn, and all these tools that help you keep in touch with those that are far away from you.
Twitter has not been around that long; in fact it is only seven years old. To say that Twitter has been successful would be putting it lightly. Twitter has more than 200 million active users. For PR professionals Twitter has changed the way they do their job. The way PR professionals get their message to the world is hugely based off Twitter today. What exactly has Twitter done however to the way PR professionals do their job, and is it extremely prevalent throughout the PR community?
In this weekend of celebrated pigskin, seven layer dips, and laziness, marketers and social media mavens have honed in on a whole ‘nother media strategy- puppy love. Earlier this week, all of America was given a taste for what lay in store super bowl Sunday. While the internet watches and shares “Puppy Love” for the next few days, Animal Planet plans to capitalize on the love for their tenth annual Puppy Bowl.
Even for those who have been in the Communication field for a while it is important to keep in mind what being a communicator entails. It is also important to recognize the impact technology has had on the way communications is delivered nowadays.
Digital communications has rapidly become one of the most important aspects of any business. Word of mouth used to be the best form of advertising; now the best “word of mouth” is actually social media. Continue reading
Parody Accounts vs. Real Accounts — the ultimate battle of the wits on social media. Companies should not only take notice, but take notes as parodies begin to gain more popularity than the accounts they mock.
Entertaining legions of twitter followers, these satire accounts have no trouble getting laughs but not everyone is in on the joke. Most companies are in the dark when it comes to social media, and the real joke will be on them if they don’t step up their Twitter game.
Parody accounts are one of Twitter’s most distinctive features. On this social media network you can virtually have any username to your liking, unlike on Google Plus and Facebook. Due to Twitter’s relaxed rules on parody and satire, these accounts have become the most celebrated form of poking fun at others.
Twitter has not been around that long; in fact it is only seven years old. To say that Twitter has been successful would be putting it lightly. Twitter has more than 200 million active users. For PR professionals Twitter has changed the way they do their job. The way PR professionals get their message to the world is hugely based off Twitter today. What exactly has Twitter done however to the way PR professionals do their job, and is it extremely prevalent throughout the PR community?
To begin we must define Twitter and what it is. Twitter is an online tool that allows its users to send updates to the people that are following them on what is happening in their life and their personal thoughts (Twitter) <http://www.techterms.com/definition/twitter>. It is free to join and once a member anyone can follow any other user to see their “tweets”. Once you follow someone their posts will show up on your homepage once logged onto twitter. The character limit which means how many words someone can type per entry is 140(Twitter) <http://www.techterms.com/definition/twitter>. Twitter allows people to stay connected to each other at the touch of a button.
Next to understand this research question we must understand the concept of public relations. The definition of PR from the Public Relations Society of America is, ““Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”(PRSA) <http://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/PublicRelationsDefined/>. To break this down it means that these professionals help bring together individuals and organizations to stakeholders. They use communication strategies to bring together these individuals. To be successful PR professionals must know a great deal about their clients and understand their interests and concerns (Roos)<http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-public-relations-works1.htm>. . It used to be that most of what PR professionals did was draft press releases which ultimately were sent to the media. Today these professionals do much more; they are the face of the client (Roos) <http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-public-relations-works1.htm>.. They answer the hard questions to the media, organize community volunteer programs, and form relationships with possible investors of companies (Roos)<http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-public-relations-works1.htm>. .
In order to come to the answer of how twitter affected public relations, we must look at how these two subjects fit together. Well first the purpose of public relations is to build mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. The purpose of Twitter is to keep people connected. So if you combine these two they ultimately benefit one another by PR professionals using Twitter to form relationships between organizations and its stakeholders.
In the past PR professionals only source to gain attention was to pay for expensive advertising, get media to present story, or to hire someone to approach people one by one. Social media which includes Twitter changed all that. Now PR professionals can publish information onto social media cites to gain attention which is cheaper, reaches more people, and fast and easy. People are greatly influenced by what they see and read on Twitter which companies can use to their advantage. Ultimately Twitter along with other social media platforms have made it easier for PR professionals to reach their ultimate goal in getting their message out to the public.
Cited Sources
“Twitter.” Daily Definition RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://www.techterms.com/definition/twitter>.
Roos, Dave. “How Public Relations Works.” HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2013. <http://money.howstuffworks.com/business-communications/how-public-relations-works1.htm>.
“What Is Public Relations?” PR Definition: PRSA Official Statement. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. <http://www.prsa.org/AboutPRSA/PublicRelationsDefined/>.
Today, in the 21st century, it is essential for business professionals to understand the realms of the social media world. Through social media outlets, businesses are able to reach their audience 24/7, 365 days out of the year. With this consistent and immediate presence, it is vital for businesses to understand digital communications in order to successfully run their companies.
The first order of business is to focus on the company’s website. The website is the cornerstone of digital communications as it provides all the information about the company. From history of the business to the products or services it provides, the website is where customers come to find all the information. Since the website is so important, it needs to be easy to operate because customers will not have the patience to figure out how to maneuver a website. Therefore, make sure the company’s website is clear and direct to ensure that no customers are lost because of confusion.
Has the text messaging era come to an end?
When texting at the dinner table was deemed to be rude, who would have thought posing for a “selfie” while biting into a burger would become the next biggest fad? Well, today the world of communicating has escalated to a whole other level.
While many people are still getting the hang of texting on the Iphone, people around the world are “snapping” pictures of themselves to friends in lieu of a text. Thus, creating a much more intimate way of communicating with one another. Rather than adding an emojicon to a text in order to convey emotions, Snapchat is able to express the physicality of communication through photos. Being able to share a specific moment face-to-face with someone across the country adds character and familiarity to communication, when text messages do not. Continue reading
Nearly two years ago Amber Venz, fashion blogger, decided there was something missing in the blogging world: a way for bloggers to make money from the content of their blogs. Thus she and her boyfriend created RewardStyle, an online monetization mechanism for bloggers. With RewardStyle bloggers must ask to join and if accepted they become a part of the online money- making blog world.
Social media has certainly had a great influence on America, but what about one of America’s most celebrated days—Super Bowl Sunday? Commercials have become as vital to the party as the beer and the company. Continue reading
Disney got it right- it’s a small world after all. There might be 7 continents, 7 seas and 7 billion people in the world but we are all more connected than we think. A 2012 study by the University of Milan and Facebook revealed that Continue reading
In today’s digital world there is a constant battle of not only being the most creative, but also being able to think quick on your feet and take advantage of any opportunities thrown your way. This last Sunday at the Grammys, Arby’s did just that. Arby’s became an excellent example for communications professionals about how to jump into a digital conversation and stand out among the rest.
A new merger in the digital world has everyone talking this Valentines Day. Lithium Technologies has purchased the social media analytics startup company, Klout, which measures a persons online influence, for a projected $100 million dollars. This purchase stands to allow Lithium a unique opportunity to integrate Klout’s social media engagement tools within their already successful business practices.
I don’t know about you but I do not understand the concept of the American Express Black Card. You have to pay some absurd amount of money each year in order to have the card, and you have to spend upwards of $150,000 per year just on that card to maintain it! So, when Starbucks announced that they would be producing their version of the “Black Card” for the second year in a row, I was a bit dumbfounded.
I’m finding it extremely difficult to accept that my time at SMU is coming to an end. The last three years have been the most challenging, exciting and unforgettable years of my life. I could write pages on pages, yet I still believe that would not adequately describe my time at SMU. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I wonder how many words a gif is worth? Inspired by my fellow classmates, I will be using gifs to highlight my time at SMU. Continue reading