PR agencies are taking full advantage of the benefits that social media brings to the digital table. Katie O'Brien, Global Digital Marketing Manager at Ben & Jerry's, was searching for an agency to develop a joint digital effort. She briefed a traditional PR agency and a traditional digital shop. According to O'Brien, "the plans they brought back were...night and day."
The most significant difference between the plans were that one exercised the importance of social media better than the other - and it just so happened to be the PR agency. Although the PR sector took a downfall in 2009, it is coming back with a vengeance. According to Tom Harrison, chairman and CEO of Omnicom Group's Diversified Agency Services,
"PR can prepare a brand or product for its target market while also preparing the market for that new brand or product. There isn't another discipline in all of communications services that can do that for a brand."
According to AdAge, spending on PR will hit $3.4 billion in 2010, an increase of 3% over 2009, according to Veronis Suhler Stevenson, a private-equity firm that publishes annual reports on the state of the PR industry. It expects that number to hit $4.4 billion by 2014. PR agencies have the upper hand in social media because they understand the fundamental structure of it. They realize that the social network space is helpful as long as companies listen and understand what impacts consumers. Social networking is like one continuous conversation with each client; therefore, it is simpler to assess what evokes positive reactions out of those clients through social media.
Here are my Top 5 Social Networks that are beneficial to Businesses:
1) FACEBOOK - Great for building a large network and receiving honest feedback
2) TWITTER - Ideal for sending out quick blasts and getting immediate responses
3) LINKEDIN - The social network for making business contacts and keeping in contact with colleagues (very professional)
4) FOURSQUARE - This is a great networking tool for retail, hospitality, or restaurants. It's not as beneficial for service-related businesses
5) ENTREPRENEUR CONNECT - A network for connecting with other professionals, vendors, colleagues, and advisers
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