Unit 4: Social Media and Public Relations

4a. Explain the influence of social media platforms on modern public relations practices and strategies

  • What is the definition of social media?
  • What is a social media release?
  • What are examples of social media platforms a PR professional might use in a campaign?

Social media are online communications platforms that allow people to share content. Examples of social media platforms a PR professional might use in a campaign include Facebook or Instagram, but can be anywhere that people share ideas. Social media also includes platforms such as review sites (Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes) and microblogging (like Twitter/X). PR professionals produce social media releases to meet the needs of traditional media members and social media influencers. Social media releases include all the same information as a traditional news release but in a shorter form to make it easier for reporters and producers to pull and locate quotes and soundbite materials. Organizations use social media platforms to build relationships directly with stakeholders and publics. Thus, PR professionals must learn to manage these communication tools.

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4b. Select the most appropriate media for connecting with target audiences, such as social media channels

  • What are some benefits of using social media to communicate with members of the media and social media influencers?
  • What are examples of the strengths of some social media platforms?
  • What are hashtags?

There are many benefits to using social media (shared media) in your PR media mix. You can reach more people with fewer media relations tactics. Tweeting your pitches on Twitter/X will allow you to contact more media members in a short time frame. As you create content for PR and marketing campaigns, develop content that can be used on multiple platforms – Twitter/X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. Locate blogger communities that represent your stakeholders so you can build relationships directly with them. Understand that each social media platform has its strengths. Some platforms are better for sharing images and videos (TikTok and Instagram), while others are more suited for short messages (Facebook, Twitter/X, and texting). Hashtags are metadata tags that use the hash symbol, #. On social media, microblogging, and photo-sharing platforms, hashtags are a means for users to cross-reference content by topic or theme. Using hashtags can help PR professionals locate information about their organization and measure the use of their PR tactics and messages. The more you know about your target audiences and stakeholders, the better you can match their use with a platform.

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4c. Explain why influencers are effective in communication strategies for PR and in reaching target audiences

  • What is a social media influencer?
  • Why should PR professionals invest in developing relationships with social media influencers?
  • What are some effective ways to engage with social media influencers?

The overall goal of media relations is to establish relationships with traditional mass media members and content producers like social media influencers to help foster accurate, balanced, and timely coverage of an organization's information. Social media influencers are independent third-party endorsers who shape audience attitudes through blogs, posts, and the production of other social media content. There are three types of influencers: connectors, who are good at connecting people; mavens, who are problem solvers; and persuaders, who are good at convincing others to follow their lead. PR practitioners should acknowledge the positives of forging alliances with social media influencers to publicize and promote their organization and its brand. Engaging social media influencers should be an extension of an organization's media relations strategy. Some effective ways to engage with social media influencers include becoming one of their followers, locating blogger communities that represent your stakeholders and target publics, learning what information they are most interested in sharing, and feeding that need.

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Unit 4 Vocabulary

This vocabulary list includes terms you will need to know to successfully complete the final exam.

  • connector
  • hashtag
  • maven
  • persuader
  • social media
  • social media influencer
  • social media release
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