Technology & Public Relations

Sending press releases have become much easier with e-mail. With a few simple mouse clicks, a public relations specialist to send tens or thousands of press releases to targeted groups of journalists.

This practice, however, spam has caused the press release, which means that journalists are more likely to hit the delete button even before opening the message. There are several companies that advertise their services free press release spam. These companies claim to have access to reporters and editors in publishing. The company will write and distribute press releases for a fee.

Other advanced technology in the PR is the web itself. By building a web site is designed well, a company, individual or organization can share information, and furthers the agenda of image polishing. Class website is also a great way to get accurate information to reporters. Most of the large organizations and businesses, including media room on their official website. This regional website is used to issue all press releases, company history, executive bios, high resolution digital photos and even download, digital press kit. Instead of looking for media attention by e-mail, press releases, a good website will attract its own journalists.

One of the biggest challenges posed by technology PR is an explosion of social media, sometimes referred to as Web 2.0. Social media encompasses social networking Web sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and user generated content communities such as YouTube. But the impact of Web 2.0 is much broader and deeper than a few websites. There now exists a whole generation of young people who have grown up online. This net generation does not know life without the phone and e-mail account. They are used to find all their online information and does not believe the "official" opinions or anything else that smells ad.

This generation can not be contacted by the press release. Their opinion makers and fellow blogger, not a paid critic. Sure, maybe e-mail to traditional press releases to bloggers, but the message would likely be transparent campaign ignored.

Brian Solis is a PR consultant and avid blogger who offers advice for PR companies eager to enter the social media. Solis stressed that social media represents more of a sociological change than a technical. This generation is a gift of honesty, transparency and involvement of other things. For companies to get the message to the online community, must join the community. And not as spectators but as participants are passionate, a real fan.

Solis recommends that companies invest more in community manager, who is responsible for tracking and managing customer images online. The community managers scour the message boards, read industry blogs and most importantly, communicate with the public. Their response should reflect the opinions of real people.

This may explain the wave of executive blogs in many of the company's official website. Customers want to know there are people behind this business, those who have strong opinions about the hot issues and engage with their public. The idea of a dialogue, an active two-way between the company and customers is key to managing the images with social media.

There are dangers, however, came in as a gambler of out-of-touch trying to play the game of social media. Some companies have been engaged in the practice called Astroturfing, or create a false grass roots media. Example astroturf will post videos on YouTube that appears to have been committed by two geeks in Iowa, but actually generated by the room according to Madison Avenue.

Yet another danger of the online era is the ability of negative news to be separated from control in a matter of hours, not days. Blogs take a direct hit bad and strengthen the whole world. Amateur journalists armed with camera phones can break an embarrassing story and have it on national news by six o'clock. It becomes increasingly difficult for small public relations staff to cope with the well-armed mass of opinion-makers.