Last week’s lecture consisted of the foundation for our projects – how to understand the brand by listening to the communication that takes place externally, as well as, internally throughout the company. I think that this is one of the most important lessons public relations students can have throughout their studies, because social media and two-way communication has become a large part of the current generation. Companies can no longer just advertise their perspectives or what they want consumers to think, because actual users of the product have the ability to post their thoughts on Facebook, Twitter, in online forums, etc. I think one of the most powerful tools a company can have is good two-way communication. When I think of great companies, they are the ones who are constantly taking into consideration their customers thoughts and needs and then finding a way to overcome them.
The first step is understanding the brand’s perspective. In order to fully comprehend this, a person should look at their client’s mission statement, website, issues the company covers, and their target audience. Step two involves assessing the current social media the company already has in play. Is it easy to use, engaging, distinct, reachable by the target audience, identifiable, and respectful of the users thoughts and ideas? These are all very important factors of success when it comes to social media. Step three is listening to the online conversation. It is important to know what is going on in the entire conversation including pros and cons of other brands and competitors. In order to promote a brand to the fullest you must go directly to the target audience to find out their needs and desires. The final step to this process is defining the ecosystem. When people are interested in a brand they usually start by searching the brand or product, then move on Blogs and forums, then branded social media, and finally the company’s website. Interesting enough, the company’s website is where they spend the most money but the last place people look.
I had no idea the number of tools that were available to public relations professionals that monitor the prevalence of companies and issues within social media and the internet. There is Google Blog Search, Board Reader, Twitter Search, YouTube Video Search, and countless other listening vendors. While I attempted to use them a little bit this week, I have a feeling by the end of the project, I will be well educated in each of these resources.
