Tag: public relations

PR in the Age of Social Media

Long gone are the days when companies and PR professionals stuck to making announcements via press releases to be aired on TV channels and printed on newspapers. Social media is a valuable asset for everyone and Public relations professionals have also realized these platforms are useful for managing communication and information between a client or company, and the public. Here are 5 ways social media is utilized by PR professionals these days:

To Spread Information:

As previously mentioned, press releases and other traditional forums are not the only channels for spreading news. PR professionals make use of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to make announcements about product launches, brand updates, etc. In this increasingly connected world, with platforms like Twitter where news travels at the speed of light, these announcements reach a much wider audience than with traditional media channels.

Crisis Management:

With social media, PR professionals can effectively understand what the public opinion is regarding their client or company. Since users can engage directly with brands online, professionals can identify and respond to customer conversations and online threats, in an effort to avoid negative reputation for the company. In situations of crisis or when negative claims are made against a company, the PR professionals also make use of social media to swiftly provide an apt response and relevant information to the public. This reaches a much wider audience.

To Connect Online with Journalists and Media:

Interacting with journalists on social media is a sure way of increasing the chances of media coverage for a company. Journalists these days make use of social media platforms to see what the public thinks about current news and trending events. PR professionals try to develop a professional relationship with journalists of relevant media outlets, sharing useful information and extending conversations with them, without being annoying or spamming them with data.

To Collaborate with Influencers:

Influencers are celebrities and personalities who have a large following on social media platforms and possess a great influence over their audience. Many companies now maintain connections with major influencers, global and regional, to promote the company and protect their reputation. A lot of brands invite influencers to their events and programs. Influencers are also invited to red carpet events, interviews and other promotional events of major films by their studios. The sway of these personalities is huge, particularly on Instagram, where influencers are the most active.

Campaign Hashtags:

Brands now use specific hashtags to promote their PR campaigns on social media platforms. These hashtags are a very strategic tool that allows companies to observe the conversations surrounding their campaign online. The campaign and brand content becomes easy to find and the company can effectively engage customers online. These catchy, easily recognizable hashtags also help the brand survey how well the campaign is working among the intended audience.

Public Relations

When the COVID-19 pandemic situation began and the whole world went into lockdown, the taxi and food delivery services company, Uber, released a video on YouTube called “Thank You for Not Riding” that was part of the campaign #MoveWhatMatters. The campaign was an effort by the company of thanking its customers for reducing travel and maintaining social distancing. They compensated Uber drivers around the world who were not able to work for many months and provided free rides and food deliveries to front-line healthcare workers and citizens. This was Uber upholding the responsibility it has in such a challenging situation. In the last two years, a lot of interesting public relations campaigns have been taken up by companies and organizations across the world.

Public Relations or PR refer to the process of communication between an organization, company, or individual, and the public. It is the art and science of talking to the right audience in the right way. Public relations can influence and shape a company’s image, reputation and brand perception. A PR specialist or PR Officer is responsible for maintaining the image of the company they work for. To ensure the company’s good image, they can formulate communication plans and use media and other direct and indirect mediums.

The primary aim of PR is to maintain a good relationship with the public, their target audience, investors, employees and stakeholders which would help the company get a positive reputation, encouraging people to believe the company is honest and relevant.

If PR is related to maintaining a company’s relevance within the public, how is it really different from advertising? Here is the difference. Advertising is paid promotion while PR is earned. Companies pay newspapers, television channels and other media to display their Ads but PR promotes a brand using editorial content appearing in various media. Audiences usually look at Ads skeptically while PR promotions help in building trust in the audience because it has a third-party validation by the medium in which it is promoted. They are also cheaper compared to advertising and marketing services in the industry.

PR is influential in building brand reputation. A good PR agency can help a company improve its credibility and reputation. They make sure the company is getting proper attention and positive feedback for all of their projects, works and news updates. PR also has a very important role to play in crisis management or situations in which the image of a company may be in danger, which may be due to some miscommunication. It is the PR team’s responsibility to communicate with their target audience and public and clear the possible misconceptions. They have to work to get rid of the negative publicity the company may have received.

Here are two more examples of great PR campaigns in India:

#TouchOfCare by Vicks:

Companies often try to bring attention to compelling public issues with their campaign. In 2017, Vicks released a heartwarming video as part of its campaign #TouchOfCare. The video showed how Gauri, a transgender woman, raised an orphan girl, Gayatri, with all the love and care in the world, even when she faced struggles in society. Vicks believes that everyone deserves to be cared for and receive the touch of care. With this video, they showed how everybody needs someone to care and love them, whether they are connected by blood or not. The video got lots of positive feedback, generating about 4 million views in the first 48 hours in which it was released.

#ItsJustAPeriod by Stayfree

Stayfree launched the campaign #ItsJustAPeriod in 2020 to encourage period-related conversations and remove the stigma associated with it in Indian families, particularly as India went into lockdown and schools closed. A video was released on YouTube with many actors and influencers coming forward in support of the movement. With the majority of the Indian population at home, this campaign was able to get a huge social media outreach, with 10.17 million engagements collectively on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

Types of Internships for Communications Majors

With their ability to communicate effectively in almost any situation, communications majors are some of the most sought after candidates in all sorts of professional fields. With so many opportunities available, you might be wondering how to find a job that’s a good fit for you. The best way to do that is through an internship where you can get exposure to a specific field or position.

Here are some of the best internships for communications majors:

Marketing intern

As a marketing intern, you’ll assist the marketing team with projects and find out how marketers help brands connect with their audience. During your internship, you’ll be taking on a number of tasks such as collaborating on blog post ideas, developing social media strategy and writing email copy. As a result, you’ll be gaining lots of hands-on experience and also getting exposed to all of the different elements involved in crafting a successful marketing campaign.

Editorial intern

From sharpening your SEO skills to shadowing an editorial meeting, an editorial internship can be a great and enriching experience. Depending on the type of company you intern with, you could be writing blog or news articles, learning how to research and fact-check news stories, or learning the ins and outs of copy editing and AP style.

Public relations intern

As a public relations intern, you’ll assist the PR team with campaign strategy, pitches and handling client relationships. You’ll also likely get to attend publicity events including sporting events and product launches. Best of all, you’ll learn the basics of writing a press release and assisting in the development of a full-scale PR campaign.

Content marketing intern

Content marketing internships give you direct exposure to drafting content for the company website, as well as copy for ads and blog posts. In addition, you’re likely to also get hands-on experience with other things such as managing social media accounts. Best of all, you’ll get to sit in meetings where ideas for new content are developed.

Social media intern

As a social media intern, you’ll engage your company’s followers, commenters and readers, while also attempting to grow the community. From coming up with funny memes to post on Instagram to crafting a great Snapchat story, a social media internship is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about engagement and about how to use social media as a powerful tool for business.

Copywriting Intern

As a copywriting intern, you’ll be trained in researching, drafting and editing copy for all types of content including blog posts, news articles and email campaigns. You’ll also learn how to match your writing style to a specific brand and fine-tune your copywriting skills. This internship is a great opportunity to get a feel for what’s required to thrive as a full-time copywriter.

Broadcast intern

A broadcast internship is a wonderful opportunity to learn the ins and out of working for a TV or radio station. From shadowing staff to fact-checking, researching and assisting with different aspects of production, you’ll be getting exposure to the whole world of broadcasting. Best of all, internship experience in broadcasting is essential and valued when it comes to applying for full-time jobs in the field after graduation.

In addition to the critical skills communications majors develop during college, they also benefit from the more specialized hands-on experience that can only result from an internship. By taking on one or more internships during your time in college, you’ll be able to learn more about your options and find a career path that’s right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Communications Major and is it Right for Me? 

If you are looking for internship in above categories then Eduindex News will welcome you. Write mail to career@eduindex.org or visit job opening page at https://eduindexnews.com/tag/work-with-eduindex-news/

What is a Communications Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you enjoy talking to people and figuring out what makes them tick? Are you an outgoing person who is comfortable connecting with diverse groups of people and getting your message across effectively? If you answered yes to these questions, then being a communications major might just be for you.

The modern age and future in journalism and mass communication is about use of communication and information technology. With the digital onslaught suddenly the power has landed in the hands of a media person. The overall perception of a media person in a khadi kurta, black rimmed thick glasses and a loose bag with a pen has blown. Now emerges a person who is young, savvy, smart and up to date and has an access to a load of gadgets that will give an IT person a run for its money. 

What is a communications major?

A communications major is a major designed to teach you about effective communication and how to apply it to fields like media, law and business. Coursework for this major is very similar to coursework for related majors such as public relations, advertising and journalism. As a communications major, you’ll be taking a broad range of classes including marketing, sociology and business as well as more traditional communications classes like media studies and journalism.

Is it right for me?

Majoring in communications means having a broad understanding of how this field impacts others such as business and media. Here are some key questions to ask yourself before embarking on this major:

Do I feel confident in my writing and communication skills?
Do I like studying a broad range of subjects including sociology, psychology and media studies?
Am I able to handle and incorporate criticism and feedback from my professors and peers?
Am I good at multitasking and working on multiple projects and subjects at once?
Will I dedicate myself to getting internships and jobs through college that will further my level of experience?

What can I do with a communications major?

Since communications is a broad major with significant overlap to other majors, there are plenty of available career options. Some of the most common ones include:

  • public relations
  • journalism
  • law
  • marketing
  • copywriting
  • … and more

What do communications majors earn?

Salaries for communications majors are as varied as the career paths they take after graduation. While public relations specialists can expect to earn starting salaries between ₹40,000-₹45,000, entry-level salaries for attorneys start at ₹55,000-₹60,000 and quickly go up from there.