Why Social Media Is The Future Of Public Relations

The 7–year anniversary of this blog passed by without remark this summer, and — well, I want to remark on it. Ya can’t blame a fellow for pausing to look in the rear view mirror now and then. This blogging business is a slog.

What is this blog about? What is the single driving idea that prompts me to continue it?

It’s simply this: the future of PR rests on the realization that everyone is an online publisher. Everyone has the power to impact the brand.

Look out your window.

See that guy drinking espresso while fiddling with his iPhone?

Maybe he’s writing a Yelp/TripAdvisor/Angie’sList/Glassdoor/Amazon/Twitter/Facebook review of your company or product… which will be indexed by Google… which will be excerpted in a mainstream media feature… which will get picked up by a blogger… which will impact the purchase decision of your next customer.

That guy drinking espresso while fiddling with his iPhone may be as important to your success as a NYTIMES reporter.

What does this mean to the modern marketer? What stories can you tell to that guy, to attract his attention and approbation? How can you serve him in a way that motivates positive Word of Mouth?

Figuring out how to deal with this paradigm shift is critical to the future of the profession. (“Paradigm shift?” Yea, I went there.)

Seven years later, it still blows my mind.

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