And Todd, I agree … with your comment here and your post at your blog. I tracked by to it from the new post.

Thanks. Take care.

Can’t we agree that for SOME companies, for SOME reasons, BLOGS are preferable, but that for SOME companies, for SOME reasons, “press releases” (and other PR “stuff”) might be preferable?

It’s a WORLD WIDE WEB, a global communications opportunity, which to me implies that there are probably many potential means to approach similar challenges.

One thing that few people mention: whether you choose to use Blogs or Press Releases, if NO ONE IS LISTENING IN THE FIRST PLACE, then no one is gonna give a rat’s a$$. If you’re running Widgets Inc. – a company no one has ever heard of – then using JUST press releases or JUST a blog (or both!) won’t get your voice heard.

One of the benefits of Public Relations (the total practice, not just press releases) is the outreach to influencers whose advocacy, in turn, lead to “audiences” who subscribe to the company blog and the company’s future press releases.

Your argument boils down to the fact that established mechanisms of PR have been baked into law and other conventions, and therefore blogging — which wasn’t foreseen when those where codified. I have suggested that we could work collectively to get these conventions, or laws, if necessary, changed.

But no, let’s instead just keep the status quo. I hear nothing more than “Get a horse!” style kvetching, here.

And, oh, by te way, the idea that PR folks are communicating directly to farmers in Appalachian valleys through press releases is patently crazy. PR is principally directed to media: newspapers, et al. And they all have internet now, even if they are in Boondocks LA or wherever.

We may differ a bit, but only a bit, in views about the adoption of blogs to-date. It may be true that “blogs will be adopted by all and will revolutionize the way Public Relations practitioners communicate.” In fact, in some ways it already has. But, the jury is still out.

Also, internet access is not universally available (nor even adpopted where it is available) in all areas of the United States. The Pew Research findings from December 2005 report that there are still non-internet users in rural areas measuring approximately 38% and 30% in urban areas. By now, those numbers may have dropped, but still – it is not universal. Even if the average is 25%, that’s a large number of people. And, for those rural areas I referred to above, a very important realization to take into account.

“Loads of people” is a broad claim, but it has yet to be sufficiently researched – particularly in a longitudinal research effort – beyond Pew’s efforts and a few others.

Finally, I’m all about providing the options. My point was to not have it declared the only option.

Here at Auburn, we have been trying to prepare those “Public Relations practitioners to start providing their clients with another medium to communicate with their stakeholders” for a few years now. That’s just one of the reasons why my students all blog and study the use of blogs in the applications you suggest.

You say that only a small percentage of people actually read blogs and it will take years for the use of online communication practices to be adopted as accepted practice for all those required public notifications, I have to differ with you on that point. Loads of people are reading blogs it is becoming a form of mainstream communication. Also it didn’t take long for people to adopt to the net or to email as new form of communication. Look how fast the technology has expanded in the past ten years. If blogs are created as form of communication for all those city halls and public safety and police offices, people will adapt to them and use them. You just have to provide it as an option.

Re: “because press releases themselves can turn up in search engine results” … this highlights something I’ve been a bit amused by in some posts in the meme. There are those that say we are not addressing audiences, but rather people – directly. I agree with that, but re: SEO, we are really targeting computers / software / algorithms as much as (if not more than) we are reaching out to people. The broader idea of communication is often lost in this failed observation.

I also agree that devoting all external communication to any one media is often / usually a failure to realize the need for a mix of strategies.

All great points. Thank you for sharing here. All the best.

As someone new to the PR industry (I worked in politics, and had no formal PR training), I think the SMPR can be a useful tool to compliment existing PR strategies. To be sure, a well-written news-worthy press release is ultimately what determines media coverage (no amount of new-fangled tools can make up for the inability to write well).

However, because press releases themselves can turn up in search engine results, often or job as PR is not to communicate with traditional, mainstream media outlets (editors, reporters, etc), but also directly with the public itself.

In that case, this part of the public can be more tech-savvy and understand how the social media tools (the ability to comment, tag, digg, etc) is part of how they communicate. Some will find the release and repeat the information, others may react negatively when they discover the information (it depends on the topic of the release). PR professionals need to find a way to augment their work in a world that is becoming less and less filtered.

Finally, I will say that we believe a company should never devote its entire external communications effort to any one media. That is true for marcom or for PR. A blog can be a very useful tool to build a better relationship with dedicated customers, it can provide a vehicle for feedback that is better than any focus group, and a blog can enhance the brand recognition — if it is done in the right way.

It is their continual use of PR as a universal term that irks me. As Ike relates, Jeremy Pepper – someone they do listen to – has called this out to them, yet they still fail to acknowledge the breadth and depth of practice in different communities. Also, PR – the universal term – is the easy punching bag for their rhetoric.

Ike, I love the “java huts” and parrot/mockingbird references.

Cynical? Hey, the idea of due diligence for our clients is ignored by those that poop the “just use a blog” and fly away. I agree, their views are provincial.

One thing I think about in all this is the difference between ignorance and stupidity.

Ignorance does breed fear, after all, and the “use a blog everywhere” meme gives them comfort. The enthusiasts, because of the doctrine, fear PR invading what they see as “their” space. So, they label it all as being bad.

Ignorance is caused by a lack of curiosity and laziness. It is easier to decry PR based upon personal unique experiences and then cast aspersions on the whole discipline.

I believe their rants are caused by ignorance, not stupidity. There is a difference. A stupid act is caused by those without the ability to make the connection. These people, however, are smart – not stupid. They are just too lazy to take the time to be specific. They aren’t curious – don’t seek knowledge about the entire discipline – because they are certain they know the right answer.