PR, Collective Intelligence and Web 2.0

How is collective intelligence used in your profession?

The ideology of collective intelligence provides a unique way in which to view how technological tools and applications can support human interaction, collaboration and the sharing of ideas. Under the paradigm of collective intelligence, the focus is on harnessing the intelligence of individuals to enable greater productivity and better decision-making than would be possible by individuals working in isolation (Gregg 2010). Whilst this may seem to be a broad concept, it is highly pertinent to the field of public relations when applied to the Web 2.0 phenomenon and the advent of social media.

Collective intelligence can be broadly defined as the shared knowledge that emerges when many individuals come together in collaboration. According to Gregg (2010), a collective intelligence application is one that channels the shared knowledge and experience of its users so as to improve its usefulness and to facilitate collaboration and increased competition amongst individuals. A primary example of this is the notion of Web 2.0, which is a term used to describe web applications that facilitate interactive sharing of information, user-centered design, interoperability and collaboration. Key examples of Web 2.0 applications include wikis, blogs and online social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. In light of the proliferation of Web 2.0 applications, the concept of collective intelligence has gained momentum as an increasing number of tools have become available that facilitate online collaboration.

Web 2.0 and the manifestation of collective intelligence applications have been central to the leveraging of online public relations practice in recent years. The advent of Web 2.0 in the early 2000’s marked a significant shift in the way in which individuals interacted via the Internet, which led to vast changes in the field of public relations. The online landscape has evolved such that it is no longer enough for public relations practitioners to be aware of consumer activity on the Internet – they have had to become involved in it. As individuals have become increasingly involved in Web 2.0 and collective intelligence applications, organisations are under increasing pressure to find new ways of disseminating information and engaging with their publics.

As public relations practitioners, we now have to offer more than just a thinly disguised press release or sales pitch to the online community, and look beyond the blog as the only opportunity to reach consumers via the Internet (Marken 2007). Whilst the growth of Web 2.0 collective intelligence applications poses significant challenges to the field of public relations, it also provides a plethora of opportunities as it lets organisations communicate with their public in new and unique ways:

• ‘Webinars’ by staff describing how to use and how to get the most out of products or services. A ‘webinar’ that features industry experts adds credibility and enhances the image of the organisation.
• Sites like Youtube to share information with publics such as news, product coverage and reviews.
• Search engines such as Google and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. Understanding these tools is important for organisations in increasingly visibility new information, news and content (Marken 2007).
• Social media monitoring tools such as Social Mention. These are essential for tracking an organisation’s relationship with its publics.

To conclude, a pivotal aspect of public relations practice is developing a transparent, 2-way symmetrical model of communication with an organisation's publics and understanding the many elements that go into building a marketplace’s trust (Marken 2007). Web 2.0 and collective intelligence applications have facilitated this function, and have subsequently become an integral part of public relations practice. In examining the notion of collective intelligence and its functions via the Internet, it is clear that public relations is a highly malleable field of communication that will continue to evolve in the future with advances in technology and social media.

References

(2010). Designing for collective intelligence. Communications of the ACM, 53(4), 134-138. Retrieved from E-Journals database.

Marken, G. (2007). Will Public Relations be a Profession by 2010?. Public Relations Quarterly, 52(4), 34-37. Retrieved from Business Source Complete database.

PR and Convergence

Consider the concept of "convergence" and think ten years in the future. How will your profession be different and what role will convergence play, if any, in your work?

New technologies are highly pertinent to the field of public relations. Laptops, mobile phones, the Internet and social media have all had a permanent impact on the way in which information is disseminated to the public, and have become the standard tools of PR. It is the convergence of these communication technologies that has transformed the landscape of PR, and will certainly continue to shape its role in the future.

Technology has always been an integral part of PR practice. Originally typed on paper and sent via fax or mail, media releases are now generated on computer and distributed by email. Video news releases are produced digitally and delivered by the Internet or satellite, and public opinion is monitored via the web (Pavlik, 2007). Because of this reliance on the media, PR practitioners have had to constantly adapt to the changing media realm as technologies have continued to evolve. Twitter, Facebook and the ‘blogosphere’ among other forms of social media have created a new realm of public opinion, and represent the move away from traditional media to the direct and unmediated channels of the Internet.

Web 2.0 has altered the traditional notions of PR by breaking down the asymmetrical model of communication in which organisations control the dissemination of messages to their publics (Pavlik, 2007). It is breaking down this barrier by empowering audiences to communicate directly online via social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and particularly blogging. Communication channels between organisations and their publics have become increasingly symmetrical, creating the need for PR to evolve and explore new ways of interacting to build positive relationships with stakeholders (Berger, 2003). Web 2.0 has far from disadvantaged the PR profession, however, as it provides an invaluable means of gauging public opinion and interacting with key publics in a capacity that is not impossible through traditional media outlets (Pavlik, 2007). The growth of the Internet has been hugely advantageous to the PR field, as it as facilitated cost effective two-way communication between an organisation and its publics.

Technological convergence will continue to play a vital role in PR practice in the future. For example, the current societal shift from mass consumption of media (‘push’ media) to personalised consumption of media (‘pull’ media) will have a continuing affect on the media release, the primary tool of PR (Berger, 2003). Over the next decade the field will move away from the traditional format to an interactive media release, encompassing a variety of content such as text, video, SMS, podcast, website links and other elements. Furthermore, social media platforms will continue to evolve within the PR industry as higher value is placed on monitoring and measuring returns. Industry-specific social networks will also develop so as to provide easier communication for journalists, PR practitioners and media contacts. The future will also see increased growth in listening platforms via social media and less for reporting, thus facilitating a more fluid 2-way interaction between an organisation and its stakeholders.

Suffice it to say, technological convergence is an integral part of public relations. At this point in time, technology, the Internet and social media are all vitally important to an organisation's interaction with its publics, with the failure to adequately manage these tools often leading to disastrous consequences. Just ask Domino’s – the company witnessed first-hand the destruction caused by a YouTube video gone viral (See it here). Such incidents highlight the importance for PR practitioners in leveraging communication technologies to engage with an organisation’s stakeholders via Twitter, Facebook and other online social networks (Berger, 2003). Despite its challenges, technological convergence provides an invaluable platform for effective public relations and will continue to drastically influence the field in the future.

References

Berger, B. (2003). Public relation(ship)s or private controls? Practitioner perspectives on the uses and benefits of new technologies. Atlantic Journal of Communication , 11 (1), 76-99.

Pavlik, J. V. (2007). Mapping the Consequences of Technology on Public Relations. New Jersey: Institute for Public Relations.