New Public Relations.

With new social media tools, traditional public relations is beginning to fade away into obscutiry. The era of mass broadcasting is losing its relevance as less people buy newspapers and even read the news. 

For the countries which have strong restriction on media, and tight controls on broadcasting, new media WILL have a very strong impact. As the overly controlled media focus on only one view and provide a skewed image on society, covering all the imperfections, showing only what is needed, the new social media is definitely change much perceptions as the governments are slow to manage the new and fast progress of the changing environment. 

Public relations and marketing departments in progressive companies now have to think of new ways and expand the scope of participation and outreach to customers and the public. Understanding and engaging the hyper-connected leaders and the network of bloggers and tweeters now becomes an important part of any company's media team as gaining the authority to create, shape and distribute opinions and insights on this democratic online platform plays a HUGE role in a company's image and success.

In this new era of influence and participation, shouting and broadcasting marketing efforts is going to be obsolete and we have to evolve and genuinely and intelligently humanize our story to connect with real people and the online communities they inhabit.

With the trend of mass customization and a more engaging platform to engage the people, new media will very soon take over as customers who uses a successful product and tweets or blogs about it now feels that they contributed and indeed they do. Their reviews and opinions when handled properly can positively help a company and it will certainly be appreciated.

Mass communication, once thought to be a one way street via mass broadcast will turn into a 2 way communication model thanks to today's technology. Greenyarn, a sustainable Nano-technology startup company based in Boston opened its communications to its customers listened to the feedback from their customers and enhanced their already technological advanced socks to make them even better.

I've read some insightful blogs, from Brian Solis, a regular contributor to marketing & tech insight.  http://www.briansolis.com/index.htm and it is becoming clearer, new social media is here to stay. It is not a fad and those who ignore it will be left behind.

-- Iron Bowl