Social Media is currently playing a vital role in these slow economic times.  It is the most cost effective manner in which to market your company – get talked about – but only if it is done right.   Having everyone look into your life, be invited behind the scenes of your company, read your take on the world in your blog are only good things if it presents you in a positive light.  Social media gives your potential clients the opportunity to learn everything there is about you before they even meet you – if you aren’t careful you could give the wrong impression.

This is where PR actually provides an edge. PR takes the time to develop strategy for a social media plan, as well as the content that drives it.  When working with traditional media, a public relations plan analyzes what a company’s awareness and branding goals are, which avenues are the best to take to achieve the goals, how to measure the achievement of the goals, and then where to go next.  The social media plan really shouldn’t be any different.

After all the planning is done, the action steps and the content creation come next.  When a person is speaking on behalf of a company via chats on a social network site or blogs about certain market relevant topics – they need to speak carefully.  It seems that missteps, poorly chosen words, and bad reviews travel faster via social networks than one could ever imagine.

From Al and Laura Ries’ book, “The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR”:

“PR has credibility,” they assert: “Advertising does not.”

Al and Laura have consulted with the most renowned names of corporate America. The pair’s advice is that a marketing campaign should start with publicity and shift to advertising only after the PR objectives have been accomplished. Since branding/positioning must be aligned with corporate goals and consistently repeated through all key client touch points – marketing, advertising, and sales messages, PR firms often provide strategic advice to senior management. It is not uncommon for seasoned public relations professionals to move beyond the role of service provider to the role of consultant.