PR in Digital Era

Running head: PR IN DIGITAL ERA
PR in Digital Era
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1PR IN DIGITAL ERA
Introduction:
The essay aims at discussing Public Relations (PR) in the era of digital media. The
report therefore tries to focus on the how the proliferation of the online media platform has
brought about a significant change between the PR and the marketing function. Public
relations refer to umbrella function that not only contributes to the management of
communication between an organization and the public’s for enhancing and building
healthier relationships for the benefits of all the involved parties. In the recent years, there
has been a massive change in the field PR and marketing function where mass press releases
got replaced by the modified email management tools, Customer Relationship Management
(CRM), excel sheets, journalist to influencers to bloggers. These changes stem from the
digitalization of the industry and PR and marketing function is consumed by its influence.
The management of relationship between the company and its publics put public relation at a
level of strategic management function since it influences the manner in which the
stakeholders support the goals of the company. Thus, the PR has a goal of creating and
developing a clear image in the minds of the public. The report tries to show how the
relationship between PR and marketing function helps in the generation of the quality content
of a brand without overwhelming the senses with blatant promotion.
Discussion:
According to Vercic et al. (2015), before the emergence of digitalisation,
communication and marketing regarding a brand took place only through the means of verbal
communication. It involved introspection and obnoxiously telling the story to the audience
who seemed uninterested. Such approach no longer seems to work. With the incoming of
online digital media it is not sufficient for only talking about the brand but ensure the creation
of the content and finding people who helps in getting the content out. It is found that online

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digital technologies instigate storytelling through the combination of the four aspects that
involves connectivity, accessibility, integration and interactivity. Amongst them, the
connectivity and the interactivity holds the most importance in determining the relationship
between the PR and the management function
Connectivity:
This refers to building blocks of technology, application, devices and media assets
that are connected with one another for the means of communication (Rowley 2016). In the
recent years, the connectivity has dramatically increased in the recent years. This is explained
with the examples of media convergence, technologies and devices and the social network
and the sharing platform.
 Media Convergence: This refers to consolidation of the distinct traditional
disciplines like the television, print and radio
 Technology and Devices: This refers to people mailing with the use of the
smart phones and going online with the radio and the television. Mobile
devices like the tablets and the smart phones open newer user scenarios and
put forward experience through the digital utilities and apps.
 Social Networks: This refers to the sharing platforms that help in generating
newer communication forms where each of the individuals can rate, access,
comment, forward, and create content by them.
Interactivity:
Interactivity refers to the close ties between the connectivity and integration. This aspect acts
as vital difference to the traditional storytelling (Tyner 2014). Thus, Interactivity represents
the feature in the digital media that distinguishes it from non digital traditional genres. Thus,

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Interactivity is described as selective means that involves clicking of a link or being
productive instead of participation in the story plot via gesture or dialogue. Thus, PR through
online digital platforms portrays an active user compared to the traditional PR that consisted
of active narrator and passive audience. The digital PR can directly influence the relationship.
Moreover users can reach into communication and help in shaping it. However, collective
and organized movements of the consumers against a company are a part of risk taken
through interactivity.
Social Media
Social media has brought about a radical change in the communication behaviour and
put forward newer means for managing relationships. According to Hudson et al. (2016), in
addition to newer opportunities social media also puts forward risks for the political actors.
This is because the instant they start making use of the social media, they seem to enter into
implied communicative agreement with public. In such a scenario they must undertake
reciprocity and interaction instead of traditional approach of prioritizing the organization of
the internal party, supporters, members and media other than the public. Particularly, the
various online social media platforms grant the companies and the PR to engage and contact
with the potential and existing customers. Platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Google+ and
Twitter have led to the alternation of the possibilities for engaging the public and hence the
relationship management. This form of media is enabling the users in participating both
passively and actively in the process of communication so that they can not only integrate but
at the same time co- create the brand messages. Hence social media is enabling the real time
communication amongst the group and the people. In other words, social media represents
online digital platforms that serve to nurture, establish and manage the social relationship as
well as create newer ones thereby serving towards the care and expansion of the relationship
networks (Ashley and Tuten 2015).