6 March 2007

Get to grips with social media or get left behind, says PRINZ.

The public relations and communications sector must be at the forefront when it comes to using the social media, says Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) Executive Director Paul Dryden.

"Mainstream media, including the New Zealand Herald and other newspapers, have embraced social media, taking on sites like Digg, Newsvine, Reddit and del.icio.us, but many PR practitioners still have a lot to learn about how it works and the impact on our industry."

Social media are changing at lightning speed, says Dryden. "Only a year ago, most people had never heard of YouTube - now it's part of the daily lives of thousands of New Zealanders. Practitioners mustn't get left behind."

As well as connecting people, blogs, podcasts and videologs provide valuable insight into trends and issues, days or even weeks before their inevitable spillover into the mainstream.

For message delivery too, the social media is pivotal, says social media specialist Catherine Arrow, currently working alongside PRINZ.

"The way we communicate has changed irrevocably. It is about creating conversations directly with people our organizations interact with – real conversations that make a difference to the way we do business or provide a service. Our listening becomes more effective and we can quickly feedback the issues or actions that are causing concern. Using social media thoughtfully - using the right tool for the right job - is the key to nurturing any new communications venture."

And reach is unfiltered and direct, says Arrow. "For example, an exceptional Web 2.0 video was posted on YouTube on 31 January. Just five weeks later, it had reached over 1.6 million people and by tomorrow those numbers will be even bigger. "The public controls the content and the agenda with bloggers and social bookmarkers personally helping to shape and broadcast news."

Social media reach extends across all sectors, including the political. Those who previously had no voice - other a trip to the ballot box - now have the ability to challenge the political agenda on their podcast, YouTube upload or blogpost, adds Arrow.

In partnership with PRINZ, Catherine Arrow is running a Web 2.0 social media workshop in Auckland on March 13. For further information call 09 358 9808 or visit www.prinz.org.nz.

ENDS