Obviously the answer is not by a long shot, but think about how many ways the Web is changing the way the Publics Relations industry is, or could, work.
New biz presentations: Use a blog. Present in Second Life. Use Skype to record it and rebroadcast it as a password protected podcast to show your social media chops.
News release: Use a wiki or Google docs for collaborative editing, if you’re into that. Use an SMNR within an RSS enabled newsroom for distribution.
Conference calls: Skype them to save costs and record them to make sure you don’t miss any action points.
Media tour with a spokesperson: Podcast your own interview (video or audio) for a personalized engagement. If it’s video, upload it to YouTube and send the link to the media so they can see for themselves what they’re getting.
Want some grassroots buzz: Hello Facebook, MySpace or any number of other social networks.
Project updates: Twitter to your colleagues about media interest. And that cheese sandwich you just had for lunch.
Reporting: Set up a password protected blog and write a new post (with link) for each piece of coverage and a post for master reports. RSS even let’s the client subscribe to updates…
The best part: Measurement and tracking, whether by files served up, profile views, unique visitors or page views, are both built in!
How would you use the new, interactive, Web to make you a better Public Relations practitioner?
And speaking of grassroots buzz, here’s a Bob and Doug McKenzie video we’ve been doing some work around for Brick Beer. Worth clicking through from your feedreader to watch on this blog.
Ed Lee's Blogging Me Blogging You | @edlee 
Hi there Ed, one thing we have been working on is a press pitch Wiki, for journalists and PR practicioners alike, to discuss story needs and pitch thoughts.
/kff
Hi Ed,
Enjoyed the post. I had never thought of creating a blog for reporting on media coverage updates. Great idea — having clients subscribe to the feed makes it all the more worthwhile.
It’s our PR bleeding-Ed! 😉
I don’t disagree with your desire to explore more options (after all, SM PR is your niche-specialty), but I have to ask you…are you seeing much take-up from your *average* journalist (I’m not talking the tech ones) in wanting a plethora of information this way, from which to self-select? Frankly, I’m not.
I agree with you about the Best Part being the built-in measurement and tracking. In particular, monitoring the key words that draw in consistent traffic (and from where). A science and an art.
Kyle – the press pitch wiki sounds interesting – kudos for trying it out! i’m curious to know how much uptake it’s getting… i’m not sure how scalable it is though. the more people that get involved from the agency side will mean the site is less focused and less useful…
Judy – i agree whole heartedly that PR’s evolving role will certainly encompass search, as well as what the searcher finds when they get there (more social media tools for a greater engagement).
just as an aside, while the media is still the most important audience for a PR, we should also put in the tools for our clients/organisations to “micropersuade” people on a one-to-one level.
Ed
Ed, right now the idea is members only, keeping it to a very small range of participants AND topics (i.e. software security, open source, avatars, etc). I think the partitioning into sections, or beats, will help make it manageable.
I’m not suggesting this can be fully automated through the wiki, but I do think for general story ideas, resources, quotes, and references it could be helpful.
Of course, I’ve been known to be wrong once in a while 😉
/kff
Anything involving Bob & Doug sounds good to me!
Actually, I am a journalist and I do a lot of my background research on-line. Since my deadlines are always tight I love it when I can send an instant message through facebook requesting an interview and hear back within hours.
Same goes for RSS feeds, podcasts, blogs etc. They help me to find the info I need FAST and determine the best person to speak to (often, this will depend on how accessible and open they are in the on-line world).
FYI, many stories that get picked up by major media outlets start on-line, then get picked up by a community newspaper, and finally by Toronto Star/G&M which in turn generates more on-line noise. How can media ignore that?
Elena, I’m not saying the younger journalists (particularly the mid-20-somethings, as I believe you are) aren’t social media savvy (and many of the journalism courses have begun to include components about the online research tools in the course curriculum); however, the majority of the journalists I work with are at least 10 years older (and it is also sector-related, namely business/finance and/or accounting education), so I find they prefer to do research by telephone and e-mail, in that order.
(BTW, I always ask how the journalist found my organization and/or me. A lot of times it’s the result of a simple search of relevant, keywords….)
[…] seems to be behind the new video. I don’t understand what is viral about it. Is it because the video’s […]
[…] May 15th, 2007 Ed Lee at IStudio is excited about the grassroots buzz related to his company’s Bob & Doug shill for Redcap. I think it’s good. I saw no problems with it. Apart from the extra neck wrinkles on Dave Thomas, […]
Hey,
Yes web2.0 is making waves all over.
http://www.pitchwire.com/user/register check this link out. It seeks to positions itself as ‘an online community for influencers – journalists, bloggers, analysts – and publicists – PR professionals, and company officials – that promotes responsible pitching and transparency. The results are more successful ‘hits’ and a better relationship between influencers and publicists.’