Public Relations Leads Social Media Engagement In Most Organizations Says Eric Schwartzman
August 24th, 2009 •
3 comments
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Social Media Strategist, Eric Schwartzman talked to Marketing Voices about his newly released study highlights, and the findings were enlightening.
Public relations professionals (not the marketing pros) at corporations are taking the lead in managing the organizations use of social media communications channels, in this 13 minute podcast, Eric discusses other salient findings from the study by iPressroom, PRSA, Trendstream and Korn Ferry International.
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What a terrific discussion piece, thank you Jennifer and Eric. I haven’t read the entire study (shame on me) but would like to comment briefly on the enablement of metrics in the social sphere to achieve an ROI perspective because, if I understand you correctly, this is an area that challenges organizations.
Your comment that companies are better able to engage visitors with an enhanced “trust” factor through their own website is important information. I would then add that the creation of appropriate landing pages linked through well planned and executed anchor text links in the social mediasphere (SM) can provide companies with a strong reference as to ROI. Not, repeat NOT that this should be their only goal / requirement for such activity because SM offers an opportunity to listen and engage in numerous ways with visitors. However, where and when appropriate, this tactic allows for accurate measurement, which in turn, under a closed loop metrics system, provides accurate information on the ROI front.
As a result, it’s interesting that content development was a less desired skill. Are companies still operating as siloed structures where PR, marketing and sales operate in isolation and relatively blind of each others actions? In the increasingly connected environment we operate in, is this not a risky behaviour? My thought is that we now live in a time where nothing in these areas can be considered in isolation, rather, organizations will benefit tremendously from recognizing the synergies created by a wholistic approach. In my view this means that if a company is looking to extend their internet presence they must accept and develop a comprehensive strategy and ongoing process that includes relevant content development with SEO in mind and well promoted including SM, the creation of frequent, effective and relevant, anchor text driven conversion opportunities, (So often links go to a home page which is completely irrelevant!) and finally the use of closed loop analysis so that campaigns can be measured individually and those that work, expanded on, those that don’t, teach lessons. I truly believe that organizations who fail to embrace a comprehensive, wholistic planning and implementation approach will miss extraordinary opportunities…use of the web continues to grow.
We’re at the edge of the future!
Andy Xhignesse
It makes sense because social media is seen as a ‘media’, a ‘channel’ but I think it’s more than that. It’s a platform. As such, it will invade all aspects of marketing’s process and beyond. Some cutting edge companies like Microsoft/Sun microsystems have x1000s bloggers so it goes much beyond PR (PR provide the guidance policy and some of the social media activity but it goes more beyond PR). And it already does. Over the past month, I’ve talked to more people outside of PR about social media than PR. As you know there’s this big battle on who owns social media. Is there a battle on who owns email
?
One thing really important in this podcast is “people trust other people” so brands have to let their people network with other relevant people in their ecosystems and trust will be the reward.
Andy, Thanks for your comment. I too agree with what you said”that we now live in a time where nothing in these areas can be considered in isolation, rather, organizations will benefit tremendously from recognizing the synergies created by a wholistic approach. In my view this means that if a company is looking to extend their internet presence they must accept and develop a comprehensive strategy and ongoing process that includes relevant content development with SEO in mind and well promoted including SM, the creation of frequent, effective and relevant, anchor text driven conversion opportunities,”
And Laurent i too have had many discussions over who owns social media. My opinion is that PR does given that they are the “word of mouth” experts more so than the ad side.