Online public relations has undergone a rapid transformation in order to take advantage of Web 2.0 platforms. The internet has evolved into an environment in which people interact with each other through an expanding menu of tools. In essence, content has largely ceded territory to conversations. Businesses can use these Web 2.0 tools to not only generate a buzz in their market, but to also develop public relations campaigns that build perpetual momentum. By taking advantage of social media sites, wikis, communities, and other collaborative environments, companies can further propel their PR efforts. Having said that, it's important to realize that Web 2.0 has dramatically shifted the landscape. Public relations must now focus upon engaging those within a community rather than merely speaking to them. Today, we'll describe a few popular Web 2.0 strategies that are leading the evolution of online public relations. We'll also discuss the role of your market in your pursuit of increased exposure for your company. Public Relations 2.0 - PR With A Web 2.0 Flavor The use of Web 2.0 tools for public relations can be described as PR 2.0. Much of it relies upon the enormous popularity of social networking sites and their tendency to humanize communities within a market. Gone are the strappings of hypebole and spin marketing. In their place, conversations influence goodwill, customer loyalty, exposure, and ultimately, purchase decisions. For example, sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace allow your company to construct a social network that creates a connection between you and your target market. Blogger, Wordpress, and other blogging platforms let you inject a human voice into your corporate image. RSS feeds further expand your reach to a larger audience, lending momentum to your public relations efforts. Twitter has become the darling of the social communities as companies, politicians and even news anchors use it to micro-blog to thousands of loyal followers. PR executives have started to allocate a larger portion of their budgets to Web 2.0 efforts. The traditional methods of stoking the marketplace fires with vapid hype and spin have exhausted their usefulness. Social marketing online has become the new frontier of public relations. Public Relations And Web 2.0 Is About People The one overriding principle of public relations in a Web 2.0 environment is the necessity of establishing and maintaining conversations with people. It is more than merely distributing a press release or attracting fleeting media coverage. It is no longer enough to address or message a market. Companies hoping to leverage online PR strategies must identify and communicate with the communities that represent their market. They must also reach out to key influencers within those communities. Influencers who maintain their own respective followings will become raving fans if presented with the right opportunity within the right framing. In a way, the power of PR has moved from companies to the consumers they hope to reach. Web 2.0 represents a still-evolving public relations paradigm that lets businesses tap into the raw potency of their market. If harnessed properly, it can yield enormous long-term competitive advantages.
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