Social Media and PR – Post #4
Since social media became popular, I have always considered it to be a crucial part of any business if it wanted to be successful. Most brands that are well known have a strong social media presence. Since I have begun this course, I have learned many ways that social media can help and hurt a company. It is vital for companies to be aware of what others are saying about them because after all, your brand is what others say it is, not what you say it is. Companies need to be aware of the negative comments so that they can be addressed and please the consumer. They also need to reply to the individual as soon as possible to show that they are listening and that they care about the issue. When positive remarks are left online, it is also important to reply to these and let the public know that you are listening and appreciate their feedback. Social media is a great way to interact with your target audience and to gain new customers. Those who use it proficiently have a much greater chance at improving the quality of their business.
I definitely plan to continue using my twitter account that I have been using for this class. I also have a personal Twitter in addition to the class account, but I have read some really interesting things from other classmates and the accounts we have been required to follow. I believe that the use of Twitter for this class has helped me learn how to use it in a more professional manner than I have before, and will help me succeed at any public relations job where I am required to use social media.
Online Activism – Comments
Online Activism – Post #3
I have never participated in any online causes or movements online that I can think of. Many times in the past I have liked a page to show my support for a certain cause or event, but that is usually the extent of it. I don’t really enjoy reading all of the posts and arguments on Facebook and other social media, because I feel like the conversation hardly ever gets anywhere. People will have their own opinions and just because someone posts their own opinion on their site, the whole world isn’t going to magically agree with you.
For organizations, I think this kind of online activism can be useful if they have the right kind of person managing all of the online activity. I think it is great when people are passionate about a cause and want to make a change, but other people I think simply seek attention when making their opinions so blunt and in your face on social media. The arguments go back and forth while never seeming to end, and my Facebook news feed is constantly filled with people voicing their opinions about an issue and getting in heated arguments over the internet. In theory, the social media is a great place to support a cause and show what you believe in because there are massive numbers of people who can see, listen, and respond to you, but it is uncommon in my opinion that many people do this in a civil and respectful manner. At the moment, I do not plan on participating in this kind of activism.
Social Media Oops – Comments
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Social Media Oops – Post #2
Recently Shutterfly, a large online card business, sent out a mass email congratulating new parents. Unfortunately, many of those recipients were not parents, or worse, were dealing with infertility, miscarriage, or even a child’s death. To make matters even worse, this happened not too long after Mother’s Day. Did Shutterfly make a huge mistake by sending out that email? Absolutely. But like in many PR crisis situations, it can sometimes make all the difference if the offender responds with an apology quickly and sincerely. Personally, I think Shutterfly handled the situation very well, or at least the best they could have handled it. They hardly waited till the next day to send out an apology email stating what happened and were very sincere when doing so. Also, they tweeted about the mistake. The tweet stated, “This morning, an email was sent unintentionally to some customers. We deeply apologize for any offense this may have caused.” Shutterfly at first received extremely negative feedback and attention, but after the apology was released many seemed to forgive. Another tweet stated, “I appreciate when a company admits a mistake and apologizes promptly. Apology accepted, @Shutterfly.”
It is obvious that the company made a mistake, but it happens sometimes. The important thing in this situation is how the company chose to handle the problem. They obviously had good intentions, and there could have been many worse emails that could have been sent out. In my opinion, they handled the situation very well. If Shutterfuly wanted to step the apology up another notch they could offer some kind of discount or free gift, such as one free card of the customer’s choice.
Social Media & T.V. – Comments
Social Media & T.V. – Post #1
I think using hashtags during a program is a great strategy to get fans to become more engaged. Fans can connect with one another via twitter and bounce thoughts and ideas off each other. The hashtag allows basically a “chat room” type of situation where all of the comments concerning the program are in one spot. It is also great press for twitter. If a fan is watching the show and sees the hashtag at the bottom of the screen they may become curious and set up an account because of it.
Personally, i have never tweeted during a live show or tweeted directly to a celebrity. Although I do not directly tweet, I often read the tweets about a particular program, such as American Horror Story or American Idol. I do follow a few celebrities on social media because I think it is interesting to see their thoughts on twitter and random moments of their day being captured on Instagram, but I do not directly tweet or message them. The hashtag is also great because if a viewer was not able to watch the episode they can keep up with the events on their phone. This could be a good thing for some and a not so good thing for others, as it could spoil the outcome of the show. I also know many people that have been upset with a product or service and had the official twitter respond to their tweet with an apology and a solution to correct the issue. Especially in circumstances like this, and overall, I think twitter is a great tool for communication.
Social Media- PRCA 3334 