“Many companies mistakenly look to public relations as form of advertising with a better ROI as if companies talk, audiences listen and the key message of the brand remains intact,” says Bennett. “What the practice of public relations actually strives towards is an ideal model of two-way symmetrical conversation between a company and its stakeholders, whether online or offline. Practitioners employing social media tactics must ensure they are actively contributing to online dialogue and not exploiting social media as simply another tool to unilaterally broadcast brand messages.”

Public relations practitioners must be aware that online communities want to talk back and are more skeptical about the role of brands in their sphere than traditional media audiences. Print media outlets, such as magazines, have carried advertising alongside editorial content for decades. Unlike traditional media, the Internet’s early adopters were idealistic: dreamers and inventors who partook in online dialogue for amusement. Bennett says these pioneers communicated just to stay in touch and these conversations preceded companies using the Internet to make money.

“The result of this foundation has been an opinionated democratic community where organizations can not ‘bullhorn’ brand messages as they might in other spheres,” says Bennett. “The online community continues to dictate its own ethics, norms and values. Organizations must ensure they actively engage online audiences and treat people as individuals in this fragile environment.”

Bennett points out that even companies perceived to have online expertise can slip up. In one case, the management at Facebook altered the company’s TOS (terms of service) to suggest that the personal information and photographs of its users would become the legal property of Facebook. Public outcry against the policy caused the company to flip-flop back to the old terms.

A recent glitch at Amazon provides another compelling example of the power of online audiences. Reading materials with homosexual content were mistakenly classified as ‘adult’ and removed from Amazon’s book ranking listings. What resulted was an outpouring of opposition on Twitter that caused the company to declare this opposition had been a “glitch” and reclassify the content. This event demonstrated that Amazon’s size and wealth were no match for the voices of the social media community. Bennett says organizations are more directly accountable for their actions when functioning online than they are in other spheres because their audiences have the immediate means to communicate opposition.

By underestimating social media, organizations can also risk vulnerability. In the case of Skittles, the company decided to redirect its homepage directly to the Skittles Twitter feed. This resulted in some users posting sabotage and inappropriate content that became directly affiliated with the company. Bennett says companies should engage online audiences, but not open up the floodgates. They need to manage the dialogue, to act and to react.

“Social media has become a buzz word, but communicators must remember that it is a tactic fitting into a greater strategy,” says Bennett. “Companies need to think about how social media helps them toward their goals rather than blindly implement it as a band-aid solution.”

According to the results of a recent collaborative CNW Group and Leger Marketing poll, 69% of PR practitioners feel they understand social media but could be using it more effectively. Only 29% know who their organization’s key online influencers are. Social media consultants like Jess Bennett can help organizations to smoothly develop an effective online presence.

Jess Bennett’s tips for organizations moving towards social media:

1. Discuss why your organization wants to implement social media. What role does it play in the larger goals and strategy of your organization?
2. Begin with research: listen to others and look at best practices examples before you broadcast your message. Listen, engage and then speak.
3. Online communities respond better to real people than giant corporations: it helps to have a personal face with a real personality representing your company online. Think Richard@Dell or @MolsonFerg.
4. Be humble, honest and transparent, listen to feedback, admit errors and become better.

ABOUT JESS BENNETT
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An accomplished communicator, Bennett understands the nuances required for a public relations practitioner to thrive in the social media realm. Bennett is a graduate of Seneca College’s Corporate Communication program and has also received a Master of Professional Communication from the University of Western Sydney.

Jess Bennett’s skills have been put to good use most recently as a key member to Palette PR’s growing online public relations presence. The social media consultant continues to hone her online communication prowess through active participation in a variety of Toronto’s most innovative and cutting edge professional development events, including Third Tuesday, Podcamp, MeSH, and CPRS and IABC events.

Bennett is also an accomplished blogger, writing about her passion for food in the aptly titled Sift, Dust & Toss. Her writing has received acclaim from social media experts and professional chefs alike. Most recently, Sift, Dust and Toss was featured in both The Toronto Star and Macleans.ca, both outlets combining for a total reach number of well over one million impressions.

Jess Bennett Consulting helps companies strengthen their brand presence online through targeted and responsible engagement with their audiences. We help clients move from everyone-else-is-doing-it to why-didn’t-we-think-of-that? For more information, contact Jess Bennett at 416-828-6775 or jessbennett@gmail.com

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