Social Media Revolution 1

Running head: SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION

Social Media Revolution: How Twitter is changing the Face of Public Relations
Shannon McClennan
Mount Royal University

© 2009 Shannon McClennan

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Abstract

Publicly launched in July 2006 by the podcasting company Odeo, as of July 2009 Twitter
has more than 21 million global users – as compared to the more than one million users
in March of 2008 – who share more than three million posts – called tweets – per day. It
is a rapidly-growing social media tool that has been widely adopted by individuals and
professional organizations around the globe. Recent studies have shown that social media
have had a dramatic impact on the role and practice of public relations in North America.
As such, public relations professionals face the challenge of evolving their methods to
engage with social media or risk becoming obsolete in this information-rich society. This
paper suggests that, while Twitter is a relatively new social media tool, it has the
potential to maximize outcomes for organizations when utilized properly in conjunction
with traditional public relations avenues.

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Social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate
technology, social interaction and the construction of words and pictures. This
interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied
perspectives and ‘building’ of shared meaning, as people share their stories and
understandings” (Anvil Media, Inc., 2009, n.p.). Simply put, ‘social media’ is user-
created content – including text, audio and video – that is shared within a community,
often via the internet, for personal or business purposes. By virtue of its social element,
‘social media’ is more about Social Science than technology. While understanding how
to use the technology is pertinent to the successful use of social media tools, it does not
define the overall value of the social interaction taking place via the various social media
channels. As Brian Solis explains:
Social media is much more than user-generated content. It’s driven by people in
the communities where they communicate and congregate. They create, share,
and discover new content with or without [the help of professionals and are]
creating vibrant and rich cultures across online networks using social
tools…everyday to stay connected. (2008, p.5)
According the Solis, “any social network is a melting pot of various cultures” and
therefore, “an understanding of how human interaction and the ensuing ecosystem shape
individual attitudes and behaviors” (2008, p.5) is key to understanding the true impact
social media on society.
The social-networking site Twitter is one of the most commonly-used and fastest
growing social media tools today. Twitter is categorized as a microblogging1 site – a
social media tool that allows users to post and share messages of no more than 140
characters. The site has recently enabled the posting of images and videos, and provides
tools to create and manage lists of followers and track the popularity of click-through
links posted to the site. Publicly launched in July 2006 by the podcasting company Odeo
(Wikipedia, 2009, n.p.), as of July 2009 Twitter has more than 21 million global users –

1
Microblogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates or
micromedia such as photos or audio clips and publish them, either to be viewed by anyone or by a
restricted group which can be chosen by the users. These messages can be submitted by a variety of means,
including text message, instant message, e-mail, digital audio or via the web. The content of a microblog
differs from a traditional blog in that it is typically smaller in actual size and aggregate file size (Wikipedia,
2009, n.p.)

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as compared to the more than one million users in March 2008 – who share more than
three million posts – called tweets – per day (Arrington, 2008, n.p.). Twitter has proven a
useful tool in the increasing popularity of citizen journalism and has been a key method
of information distribution during several recent crises, including the 2008 Mumbai
attacks (Busari, 2008, n.p.). The microblogging social networking site was instrumental
in Barack Obama’s 2008 U.S presidential and continues to be used by individuals and
organizations around the globe (Wikipedia, 2009, n.p.). According to the New York
Times, just 11 percent of Twitter users are between the ages of 12 and 172 (Miller, 2009,
n.p.). Contrary to expectations, “Twitter’s unparalleled explosion in popularity has been
driven by a decidedly older group” (Miller, 2009, n.p.), many of whom may have never
made use of social media tools before. According to Andrew Lipsman, director of
industry analysis at comSCORE3, this “success has shattered a widely held belief that
young people lead the way to popularizing innovations…Teenagers, after all, drove the
early growth of the social networks Facebook MySpace and Friendster” (Miller, 2008,
n.p.). According to Forrester Research4, “use of social networking by people aged 35 to
54 grew 60 percent” (Miller, 2008, n.p.) in 2008, which demonstrates that Twitter usage
continues to widen its demographic despite criticism regarding the value of Twitter and
sometimes frivolous nature of tweets (Lavallee, 2007, n.p.).
The rise in social media usage has changed the landscape of public relations
significantly (Hopkins, 2008, n.p.) and continues to expand the roles of, and relationships
between, public relations professionals, marketers and journalists. As new media
techniques are introduced, the role of public relations has been forced to “evolve step for
step with the changing nature of media itself” (Hopkins, 2008, n.p.). “Recent research
suggests public relations professionals are now more on par with adoption of online
tools” (Eyrich, Padman & Sweetser, 2008, p.412). According to the 2007 PRSA Wired
for Change Survey, “the majority of public relations professionals state[d] that the use of
communication technology… made their job easier by expediting the circulation of
information to reach broader audiences” (Eyrich, Padman & Sweetser, 2008, p.412).

2
As of August 2009.
3
http://www.comscore.com/
4
http://www.forrester.com/rb/research

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The 2007 survey also found that public relations practitioners felt that “[s]ocial media not
only [allows them] to reach out and engage their publics in conversation, but also
provides an avenue to strengthen media relations” (Eyrich, Padman & Sweetser, 2008,
p.412).
A 2009 study by Donald K. Wright and Michelle D. Hinson found that new media
and social media “technologies are dramatically changing public relations… In 2008, 61
percent [of public relations practitioners surveyed] believed the emergence of blogs and
social media had changed the way their organizations (or their client organizations)
communicate” (Wright & Hinson, 2009, p.1). In 2009, that number grew to 73 percent
(Wright & Hinson, 2009, p.1). Sixty-one percent of respondents agreed that the
emergence of social media, including blogs, has changed the way their organization, or
client organization(s) communicate, while 59 percent indicated that social media have
changed the way their organization or client organization(s) handle external
communications (2009, p.9). Seventy-two percent of respondents agreed that social
media have changed the practice of public relations, while 88 percent believe that “since
social media (including blogs) have made communications more instantaneous, they have
forced organizations to respond more quickly to criticism” (Wright & Hinson, 2009,
p.11). Finally, according to Wright and Hinson (2009), 66 percent of public relations
professionals involved in their 2009 study believe that “social media have enhanced
public relations” (p.12), compared to 16 percent who disagree or strongly disagree with
this suggestion.
These results indicate that social media, including blogs, have had a dramatic
impact on the role and practice of public relations in North America. As such, PR
professionals cannot simply “apply the same methods [they] used 10 years ago to [social
media tools such as] Twitter. It’s impossible. Instead, [they] must find new ways to reach
media contacts” (Payton, 2009, n.p.). John Patella, managing partner of Patella Ink
Creative Communications explains that
[f]or professional communicators, social media is like a new, wild river born from
the converging streams of public relations and marketing… [and] brings a
paradigm shift for both camps. Marketers need to restrain their often-innate
impulse to sell, and join the more conversational culture of the blogosphere. PR

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folks need to learn a new set of tools, look beyond the comfort zone of
conventional – and vanishing – media and sift for opportunities in an ever-
changing news landscape. (Patella, 2009, n.p.)
The emergence of new media channels has meant that individuals and organizations alike
have far greater access to information – both official and unofficial, accurate and
inaccurate – than they did even 20 years ago. As such, journalists and bloggers are
inundated with story pitches, making it ever more difficult for public relations
professionals to ensure that their organizations’ story is told in a timely and accurate
fashion. Utilizing Twitter in today’s information-rich world reaches both communicators
– journalists, bloggers, etc. – and publics – readers, consumers, etc. – where they ‘live’
(Payton, 2009) and increases the likelihood that the communication will be received and
re-distributed. While Twitter is built on the premise of posting and sharing information,
the social media ecosystem itself is inherently social. Users can post or read, respond to
and retweet5 a post, sharing that information with a global audience that far surpasses the
audience – followers – of the original sender.
Many social media practitioners insist that the predominantly one-way method of
communication traditionally used by public relations professionals will not succeed in the
social media environment. Instead, they suggest a conversational method that
incorporates participant observation, engagement and discussion along with the
traditional pitching (Payton, 2009). Prior to the advent of the Internet, public relations
professionals targeted their many publics via the mass media. Today however, with the
explosion of citizen journalism and social media tools, public relations practitioners –
speaking on behalf of their organization(s) and/or client(s) – often find themselves in
direct communication with their publics. “[T]he voice of many corporations has lost its
humanity. Few people respond well to the carefully-crafted and jargon-packed messages
they receive from corporations, especially during a time like this when once seemingly
stable brands can collapse overnight” (Galant, 2009). Instead, the public are depending
on organizations to provide them with true value and honesty. According to Greg Galant,
CEO of Sawhorse Media, “Twitter allows, if not forces, businesses to act human again”
(Galant, 2009). Organizations such as Southwest Airlines have made ample use of

5
http://mashable.com/2009/04/16/retweet-guide/

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Twitter to communicate to, and with, their public. Moving away from the traditional
marketing/PR approach, Southwest Airlines not only informs their clients of special
events and promotions, but engages with them directly via Twitter, answering questions
and addressing concerns. Many other large organizations, including Comcast, JetBlue
and Zappos, utilize Twitter on a regular basis to engage with clients and various members
of their publics to increase transparency and foster a deeper company-client relationship.
In many cases, these organizations have developed Twitter policies which allow a large
number of their employees to send and respond to tweets on their behalf, not limiting
these conversations to the PR or communications department(s). Employees at Southwest
Airlines are encouraged to tweet openly (Murray, 2009, p.6), while Comcast Twitter
conversations are monitored and addressed by the customer service department rather
than PR (Galant, 2009, n.p.). This shift away from traditional public relations, and even
away from PR involvement at all, signals a significant transition in the way organizations
communicate and the role that public relations plays in those organizations. “While many
PR professionals are on Twitter, their role in how companies use Twitter is still
undefined. As everyone in a company starts ‘doing public relations,’ it will be up to PR
people to lead or become irrelevant” (Galant, 2009, n.p.).
Southwest Airlines and Comcast have won much praise for their quick response
to customer concerns and un-edited tweets which are have been shown to “[earn]
customers’ trust” by acting like real people (Galant, 2009, n.p.). As the Twitter userbase
continues to grow exponentially, fostering transparent, two-way communication is one
more way in which organizations can retain and increase their potential clientele. “One
thing that makes social media unique is its huge multiplier effect, which lets you enlist
not only your friends to spread the word, but your friends’ friends, too” (Patella, 2009,
n.p.). Using Twitter, PR professions have the potential to speak to and connect with
multiple unintended audiences, increasing their market to conversations that benefit their
organization(s) and/or client(s). Twitter’s “userbase, already in the millions, is growing
quickly, and even people who haven’t signed up for Twitter can easily read a Twitter
feed. Twitter has a powerful echo effect – even if your target audience is not on Twitter,
those who reach them are” (Galant, 2009, n.p.).

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Although a relatively new technology, Twitter is a powerful public relations tool

with the potential to reach millions in a short period of time. The technology forces
organizations to be concise, and has shifted the focus of communications away from
traditional, structured discourse to a more transparent, open dialogue between
organization and consumer. This movement has humanized many organizations who, like
Southwest Airlines and Comcast, are utilizing Twitter effectively and regularly to open
and maintain dialogue with their publics. While many PR professionals have joined the
social media conversation – specifically Twitter – the tool still has its’ detractors.
However, as new media continues to evolve, and the line between organizations and their
publics becomes less defined, social media conversations are
taking place [with or] without [public relations practitioners]… If [PR
professionals and their relevant organizations] don’t engage, [the] competition
will… If [they’re] not part of the conversation, then [they’re] leaving it to others
to answer questions and provide information [on their behalf], whether it’s
accurate or not. (Solis, 2008, p. 3)
As such, you PR practitioners need to “become a Social Media sociologist[s] and
participant observer[s]” (Solis, 2008, p. 3).
Because Twitter is a relatively new tool, the role of public relations is yet to be
fully defined and many believe that, as non-PR employees take to the social media arena,
public relations professionals need to engage in the conversation or risk becoming
obsolete. Although criticized by traditionalists for its unprofessional and unofficial
delivery, the use of social media, particularly Twitter, has the potential to reach a
significant audience via a media that the general public is becoming increasingly familiar
with. As media evolves, communications have been forced to evolve with it to ensure that
they continue to reach publics effectively. John Patella, managing partner of Patella Ink
Creative Communications suggests a hybrid approach that incorporates the use of many
social media tools with “good old-fashioned PR” (2009) to increase results in a world
bombarded by social media. Because “not everyone chooses to partake of the online
community” (Patella, 2009, n.p.), it is important to pair a variety of social media avenues
with traditional PR channels, including media and new media, to reach your maximum
audience.

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© 2009 Shannon McClennan