The role of social media in PR campaigns

Burberry social story

 

Social media impact on public relations practice has grown up rapidly and organizations started to see the importance of it.

Social media is important because:

• Improves creativity,
• Drives the media traffic, visits on company’s website, mentioning their names on social media channels helps for brand management and improves the reputation.
• Social media is forcing PRs to be more transparent and accountable. People have opinions, which are very powerful and influential. So sending the right, clear and understandable message can boost the popularity and reputation.
• Helps to build connections and improve relationships. Having contacts is a powerful tool, is about sharing knowledge and experience which can be useful in building up reputation and have a better idea how to reach people (The Drum, 2012).

The best example how social media is important and how it is beneficial to business is Burberry’s social media campaign.

Burberry introduces an innovative social media campaign which purpose was to reach their audiences and interact with them in a more personal way (Guardian, 2012). Burberry CEO, Amanda Ahrendts, says: "I grow up in the physical world and I speak English. The next generation grow up in digital world and they speak social" (Burberry social story, 2012). She explains that if the

organization wants to reach its publics, they have to speak the language their audiences speak. They chat with their customers online, they make it more personal, they gain understanding what their customers and employees want. According to Amanda "the most importantly it has been the greatest reunite of the culture of any platform we have ever put in place". Wherever the customers are in the world and if they speak about Burberry brand, they are able to hear and listen via social media. The video shown below explains Burberry social story and how social media is important for their brand development and building on stronger reputation.