As a personal lifestyle blogger, the practice of blogging for organizational success has always been interesting to me. This semester, we studied how companies can use their blog sites to create a relationship with their audiences, delve into interesting topics, and engage readers on an intimate level. After reading the CDC's Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse, it is clear to see that blogs can be both fun and informative. This is what draws me to Organizational Blogging.
I find it fascinating that blogs can give a new face to an organization. We all are familiar with the Marriott brand, the largest hotel chain found around the world. Bill Marriott is the present Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board. The official blog, Marriott on the Move, shows the background of the everyday Marriott heroes, education initiatives, and philanthropy involvement. This gives you a deeper look into the humanistic aspects of the Fortune 500 company.
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| Image: www.TraderJoes.com |
The Influencers Behind the Magic
Social media influencers can often be found on active and beautifully curated Instagram, Twitter and YouTube accounts. They may be known as brand ambassadors, but the sole purpose of an influencer is to prompt action from their individual audiences. They use their own following to promote the mission, goals or products of companies with similar values. How have social media influencers prompted your views on a specific product or brand?
Blogger and Content Creator, Whitney White, is known for her natural hair and wellness YouTube videos amongst women of color across the world. She is an active brand ambassador and social media influencer for Shea Moisture. Her YouTube presence is another way for Shea Moisture to reach an independent audience, promote their product lines, and gain automatic feedback from Whitney's established subscribers. Influencers are at the face of many brands because they initiate thought and change for those who monitor their sites. From beauty and fashion, to gaming and electronics, organization's are taking full advantage of the people we see while scrolling through our social media accounts.
We Can Only Go Up From Here
I believe we are approaching a period of ultimate Digital Media Convergence. Gone are the days of going to the morning paper for news, TV for entertainment, and the Internet for research. Even more so, the days of company advertisement on one or two platforms have disappeared as well. We can now find news on Twitter, politics on YouTube and academic research articles on Facebook. The world is constantly changing around us.
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| Image: Gallup, 2013 |
In order for strategic communication to be effective, Public Relations professionals have to now, more than ever, immerse themselves in the study of Social Media. No more than 5 years ago, social media was scene as an unnecessary mechanism used by millennials to communicate and distract themselves from the real world. Today, the success of an organization can often be determined by their presence on social media. Here they can receive honest feedback, create interactive dialogue, and transcend "traditional" views of consumer relations.
Nonprofit Organizations, Higher Education Institutions, and Fortune 500 companies can each benefit from incorporating blogs and influencers into their current Public Relations tactics. Aside from seeing increased "read more here" links built into websites, I believe that these two trends will draw us closer to the organizations we know and love. As a result, audiences experience more familiarity which will in turn bring new customers, generate more buying power, and ultimately, effect the bottom line.
Ready or not, the futuristic PR wizards are here to stay. What do you foresee as the next step for Strategic Communication? Everyday is proof that, Anything is Possible.
