5-Jan-09 11:00 AM CST

Social Media Programs: Cultivate, Don't Control as published in PR Tactics January 2009

This article was published in the January 2009 PR Tactics publication. Written by our CEO, Ed Schipul, this article was written help public relations professional wrap their brains around the 4 basic pillars of a Social Media program: 1. Planning 2. Recruiting 3. Training 4. Promotion.

A few years ago, it could be a bit lonely when I hit the road to spread the word about the impending impact of social media technologies on the practice of public relations. How times have changed. Today, you can’t find a professional development seminar for PR that doesn’t concentrate on social media. Everyone seems to have guidance regarding the best ways to implement a social media communications program.

Many in the public relations community have jumped on the social media bandwagon thinking it puts the PR practitioner in control. Countless articles and blog posts argue that the public relations function should be in charge of designing and implementing corporate social media programs. It has turned into a turf battle, pitting PR against marketing.

All of this completely misses the central point of social media. Any effort to “control” a social media initiative is almost certain to doom the effort.

Jazz and Social Media

The most important person in an orchestra is the conductor, whose job is to guide the preparation and execution of a symphony. To their credit, many in public relations think of themselves as conductors. They know what they want to accomplish and set out to accomplish it with precision.

A completely different mindset is necessary for social media.

While research and strategy continue to be essential for successful social media programs, flexibility and improvisation are equally important. Instead of thinking like a conductor, a PR practitioner needs to think like an improvisational jazz musician. You may have an idea where you would like a piece of music to go and you can help to get it started, but nobody can dictate how the piece of music will develop as everyone in the group collaborates on the fly.

Staples of public relations planning such as linear step-by-step implementation timelines may help you sleep better at night, but they are completely irrelevant for social media. Instead, plan for unpredictability and accept that successful social media efforts are largely driven by people outside your control or influence, some of whom are suspicious of or oppose what you stand for.

Accepting and even embracing their opposition can add to the credibility of your initiative.

The Proper Role of PR

Instead of seeking to control social media initiatives, public relations practitioners should concentrate on the four pillars of social media success. These include: planning to assess whether social media makes sense for your organization and integrate the efforts with the rest of the public relations program; recruiting social media participants from within the organization; training the organization’s social media participants to ensure high standards and mitigate risks; and promotion to build awareness of your initiative.

Notice that none of the four pillars describes actually participating in the social media effort itself, let alone leading it. Instead, the PR person’s role is to cultivate an environment in which social media activities can blossom and succeed organically. In some organizations, the PR person is the only one who has the time or inclination to be involved in blogging or posting photos or videos online.

Here are some tips to implement each of these ideas:

Planning – Define what you want to accomplish through social media and what role the social media initiatives will play in your company’s overall public relations program. Realistic objectives can include establishing or strengthening the company’s position as industry thought leaders, driving qualified leads back to your corporate Web site and reinforcing personnel recruiting efforts. Take time to listen to customer feedback, which should guide your planning, and examine the best ways to measure results so you can adjust course as the effort progresses.

Recruiting – Even though you will be inclined to take the reigns and implement the social media program, it is essential that you step back. Instead, identify internal experts who “get it.” If you look closely, you will probably find some who are blogging, connecting on Facebook or posting videos on YouTube. These are the social media mavens in your ranks who will drive your program. Don’t be discouraged if these are not C-level executives – your leaders probably don’t have the time to devote to the effort. Even front-line personnel can help your effort be genuine and real. If your search hits a dead end, describe your interests to human resources and your corporate recruiters so they consider social media activities when assessing job candidates throughout the organization.

Training – Participating in social media activities requires a great deal of trust and autonomy. You can’t have a committee meeting about how to respond to every comment posted on the company’s blog. Therefore, the public relations counselor’s role is to accurately assess where best to devote time and attention, and build consensus for the initiative internally. Even if the CEO isn’t personally participating, the company’s leadership needs to be briefed. Finally, before going live with the effort, educate everyone involved about the subtle nuances of online interaction such as the importance of disclosure and being generous with credit and links. This work offline can ensure high standards and mitigate risks.

Promotion – Learn where the individuals with whom you intend to connect are congregating and have your mavens participate. Did you catch those three important points? First, social media is intimate, enabling interaction between individuals. You can reach a large audience, but never lose sight of the individual. Second, you should not be in dissemination mode. These are dynamic interactions in which what you receive is probably more important that what you send. Third, it is all about participation. Remember, it is PR jazz and everyone is collaborating in what is created.

Ultimately, social media initiatives are about connecting in thoughtful ways. See an interview in your local business paper about a client? Have your maven post a congrats message on their Facebook wall. Heard a prospect speak at a recent conference? With your guidance, your maven can shoot them a Twitter or a brief mention on your blog about the knowledge they shared. It is not about your organization – it is about your connections with others.

Through it all, the most appropriate role for public relations is as a strategist, facilitator and promoter.