Three reasons why public relations practitioners should be using blogs

Blogs inundate the Internet and it’s questionable to assume the technology is ultimately the best way to get one’s message across. It’s wise to be guarded about trends, especially in public relations. Conversely, it’s wise to follow communications trends to be aware of where, and how, people will get their information.

Consider blogs the independent media of the day. When I was in journalism school, I took part in what was then being called the ‘zine revolution, wherein independent publishers printed booklets, journals, newspapers, magazines on shoestring budgets. The impact was similar to how blogs break stories today.

The advent of desktop publishing had put into the hands of the lay public the means to communicate beyond normal channels. Media became more democratized, and consumers relied less on traditional news outlets. People paid attention as zines drove news stories on occasion when the mainstream news media either couldn’t or was blind to other important stories in the world.

Blogs serve the same function today, yet even more dramatically. Zines never had the impact to shift the entire direction of the news media the way blogs do today (though, the independent press indubitably laid the foundation for blogs), probably in large effect because consuming blog content is free and more accessible, which is why PR pros should be beyond just monitoring blog content and actually generating it themselves.

There are three main reasons why:

1. Blogs publish information in real time. It’s obvious to say, but the need to release and respond to information in a timely manner is ever more critical. Organizations that fail to respond quickly to allegations and attacks will in effect be giving tacit approval to their critics’ complaints. Blogs offer a mechanism to respond quickly and affirmatively.
2. Blogs place information on public record,without inundating other media channels. Sometimes in public relations it’s important to put out news that isn’t meant to read at a mass scale. Blogs are one place to put this information, and with a personal touch, rather than sending out a blast news release. Blogs, similar to direct email, are a tactic to target certain publics.
3. Blogs are cost effective, and if used correctly, can equate with the search engine ranking power of mass media outlets. Giving publics the access to your information that is easily found by search engines puts you on a more equal online footing as anybody else.

In short, blogs allow you to be less reliant on others who filter your voice.