Tag: strategy

In the last couple of years, I’ve noticed an increasing tension between PR and Digital teams. I see this as part of the natural progression of the digitization of the media space, as evidenced by the brutal demise of traditional media outlets, especially the broadsheets.

The PR team used to function as the intermediary between the brand and the media, but the shift to digital has seen  those boundaries become blurred. Where they used to be able to craft the message, now they are having to give up that power as consumers co-create the “narrative” with the brand, as represented by the digital team.

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Social media marketing is usually viewed as a tactic to drive traffic to a corporate website, but in my experience, its much, much more than that. It is about building a community of people that are passionate about your brand, and who will actively participate in the conversation about that brand, thus helping to form the “narrative” (in PR speak) about the product and services being discussed. If you’re lucky, you’ll even identify a few ‘ambassadors’ or ‘influencers’.

These individuals will will be your most vocal supporters and will speak up to defend the brand in times of crisis.  They will also help address concerns from fellow community members on a daily basis. If your brand can get to this stage, where the community is talking about you consistently, and are helping each other without your input, then that’s the clearest sign that your social media plan has succeeded.

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