Public relations in a digital world

Creative careers are evolving everyday. The transition from old to new technology has influenced the way many companies operate by creating new opportunities and presenting new challenges to public relations, advertising and branding agencies.

In order to be able to embrace such revolutionary changes, a business needs to discover how technology can benefit the company and who to employ to do so. Digital public relations (PR) can begin to reconstruct an established reputation to include technologically savvy as a key attribute.

PR used to rely heavily on the publishing industry to produce and distribute information to the public. However, now that most consumer opinions derive from word of mouth and through the internet, PR has had to rapidly become more digital and engaging.

Through the technology transition, many new methods to create positive brand images have been used. Some of the most popular have turned into independent creative departments themselves, while others are frequently utilized by almost every creative department a business employs.

Digital PR heavily relies on search engine optimization (SEO) as a way to reach customers. Optimizing news content for relevant and popular key words helps information on a company rank well in a search engine search. Typically, a consumer will only survey the first few pages of a search engine, so organizations that can get positive information about them in those few pages have a higher chance of becoming noticed in the business world. PR departments use this marketing method to distribute press releases and generate consumer discussion in online communities.

Digital PR also needs to be able to utilize social media for all of its worth. Websites like Facebook and Twitter can help businesses to engage with customers and create a community of consumers that enjoy discussing the benefits or downfalls of a product. It's an easy way for businesses to obtain feedback on their products while having the opportunity to dispel any negative attention a brand may have received.

Along with social media, new PR departments that plan to embrace technology must take advantage of websites like YouTube and Vimeo as a way to host promotional videos and encourage customer interaction. PR departments that market using digital assets greatly improve the brand's opportunity of becoming a household name.

For employers looking to break into the new world of digital PR, there are many people qualified to aid in the transition. Many potential employees educated in traditional public relations would be a good match, especially in combination with SEO marketers and advertising managers who can conceive a broader image of online marketing.