What’s all the Buzz about Social Media?

With the way the Public Relations industry is headed, social media is sure to be a key player. As new technological advances are being made constantly, it is not surprising that individuals look to the internet for a quick and easy way to access information. Although social media is not exclusively an online outlet to spread information through messages, it is becoming increasingly popular. Social media may only be one form of PR; however, it is most definitely a trend that shows a great deal of impact on how individuals gather and learn about messages.

Simply put, social media is also known as user generated content that is usually found online or through some form of an electronic source. As opposed to traditional broadcast media in which messages are distributed directly to an audience from one source, social media allows for messages to be passed to and from many individuals, allowing anyone to utilize it without requiring any special skills. A perk of social media compared to industrial or broadcast media is that there is usually little or no cost associated with it. Social media is also very efficient in that it is usually available just as soon as, or in most cases sooner than traditional media, and it can generate responses almost instantaneously. Social media is also very flexible in that it can be altered by being edited or added to, and it is great for allowing other individuals to comment or respond as a way to increase the buzz on a certain issue or topic of interest.

It is evident that social media is expanding PR in this new wave of increased reliance and confidence in technology, and is an excellent way to create buzz or generate popularity on any subject matter. As traditional media is being put on the back burner, social media is a trend that does not appear to be going out of style any time soon! Could it be that social media is more of a revolution rather than a trend after all?