If we are going to start putting more emphasis into social media PR campaigns, then we will need true integration between SM and PR (utilizing the best of both worlds in a campaign, as I like to think of it), while making sure we use tactics and measurements for our SM work, just the same as we would for our more traditional PR work, that should how we increase ROI, increase community and consumer engagement and truly help to build public awareness and brand loyalty for clients.

You make some great points in here. I, too, and pretty much in the same boat as you are in regards to being labeled the “social media” guru where I work. While that is great, and I certainly embrace that pseudo title and take some pride in it, I am also very cognizant, that we still live in a world where many clients and organizations still expect the massive print and online publication hits that typically come from traditional PR methods. That said, I think you are really correct with your assertion that it’s all about integration, something I think you see many, like you and me, advocating online a lot, but you have yet to see many firms take this stance.

Unfortunately, far too many firms (and clients/organizations) still view social media/digital media as this “star in the sky” effort that requires they set up completely separate departments and titles for. That’s really not how it needs to or should work, though. Everyone in a firm, down to interns, should have basic knowledge of how to best integrate SM with traditional PR practices in order to achieve the best results for clients. This is what I’m truly passionate about: how do we integrate these two great methods of generating publicity and make them work cohesively and in a manner that generates great results and ROI.

One point I disagree with you on, though, is that you can’t get measurable ROI solely through social media. I think Todd Defren at SHIFT Communications mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he has begun work with major brands and clients that have said no more to traditional PR plans and have asked only for social media work on their campaigns. I believe that with the right strategies and the right brands (see Dell’s revenue from Twitter in Q1), we will eventually start to see more brands and clients achieving ROI and asking for services via SM.

Keith

I’ve noticed some, not all, of this in my own agency, and think it’s a warped combination of fear from the traditionalists (let someone else take the plunge, the reward… or the failure) as well as the over-hype and too much devout attention from ‘the next generation’ (it’s fun, it’s work, it’s a godsend… or is it?). That can only be solved if both sides flip the roles, by way of teaching or learning the newly added resource of PR.

The key today, for me at least (as a PR practitioner of Corp. comm.. and media relations for fortune 500 clients), is not OFFline or ONline communications, it’s about INline communications (syncing and streamlining the message across ALL available channels). Plus, let’s be frank, social media alone wont make a PR campaign, ever… well done all, thanks for discussing!