5 massive ways social media has changed the face of traditional PR

Most businesses are still only using traditional PR to build name recognition and awareness. The truth is that traditional PR doesn’t work as well and efficiently as it did back in the day because of the declining audience on traditional media outlets such as television, radio, newspapers, and with the birth of the social web.

Social media has drastically changed information dissemination in a couple of important ways and so digital PR was born. Digital PR aims to bring brands online by creating valuable relationships with brand influencers by offering them optimized digital assets (magnetic content) such as news related content, video, and links that can be used online. Having a digital PR strategy that you can use together with your social media marketing campaign can help you expand your reach and grow your business online.

How did the birth of social media changed traditional PR?

1. Social media made information readily available
Traditional media usually broadcasts information on a one-to-many basis and companies responded to customers on a one-to-one basis, and this way of communication doesn’t allow for any response or interaction. Social media changed this and enables many-to-many communications to take place within your business.

2. Distribute your content to millions
While traditional media such as radio, television, magazines, newspapers, and owned media such as websites, catalogs, and email lists have existed for years, the social web has changed the playing field in the last couple of years. Social media enables you to distribute your content and own tailored message in seconds, without substantial costs involved.

3. Engage with your message
Distributing your magnetic content on the social web allows you to engage with your readers. Traditional media outlets are one way communication channels where the recipients cannot add any input or respond. Social media changes this and enables the recipients of the information to consume it, but they can also add their own comments to your message. In general, 90% of people consume information on the social web, nine percent comment and engage, and one percent creates content.

4. Use more than one channel to distribute your content
Digital PR enables everyone to extend their content reach across one or more channels with social sharing. These information portals can work separately or together eg: real-time blogging or tweeting at an event. Using these activities can extend your message reach beyond just targeting direct participants. Use more than one channel to spread your magnetic content to increase the number of people you reach in the content format of their choice.

5. Communicate your message in real-time
Digital PR allows you to communicate your content and message in real-time. While many traditional media outlets communicate after the fact, the social web enables your information to be distributed in real-time as it happens. Social media enables these messages and content to be searchable. The social web enables a conversation to surround your magnetic content in real-time.