SWOT analyses of social media for public relations practice.
Internal audit Match weaknessesto the column how to overcome weaknesses
Strengths
Weaknesses
How to overcome weaknesses
PR practitioners are communications strategists with expertise as communicators.
PR practitioners have training for developing specific audiences and delivering focused information.
PR agencies are constantly balancing different tasks, goals and priorities.
PR agencies have the ability to reach a huge volume of users in real time at minimum extra cost.
PR agencies have instant availability to global information.
PR agencies have an existing staff of technologically competent professional communicators.
PR practitioners have the ability to evaluate social media content quickly, i.e. identify the significant from the insignificant.
1. Inability to adapt to new realities
2. Weak planning for impact of unpredictable users.
3.Failure to optimize levels of service to clients
4. Employees lack skills to properly advise clients.
5. Inability to monitor all sources of information.
6. High staff turnover due to new skills requirements.
a) Regular employee reviews and identification of training needs.
b) Maintain proactive communication with major users to identify future business needs.
c) Importance of staff having focused targets or responsibilities, not a scatter gun approach.
d) Classify clients in terms of importance and deliver a level of service appropriate to classification.
e) Hold internal brainstorming meetings with key staff to focus on changes.
6) Identify all staff that have external contacts and ensure that appropriate training is delivered to them.
External audit Matchthreats to the column how to minimize threats
Opportunities
Threats
How to minimize threats
PR practitioners can gain increased influence and responsibility in guiding the overall corporate communication approach.
PR practitioners will become increasingly adept at planning for and responding rapidly to crises.
Pr practitioners will build deeper relationships with the community and stakeholders.
PR practitioners will get to know and work with other media people on a more social level.
More specialization as PR agencies identify and develop specific vertical (e.g.healthcare) or demographic markets.
Enable the forming of relationships amongst globally dispersed communities of common interest.
1. Inadequate monitoring and responding to mass of user-created content, including misinformation, etc.
2. Failure to create, monitor and nurture the relationships that might help clients because of time and cost constraints.
3. ROI (return or investment) of social media for clients difficult to measure and therefore to justify.
4. Volume of social media information causing client burnout.
5. Risk of reduced role for PR due to social media.
a) Help clients to focus and prioritize resources.
b) Have an alternative career path option.
c) Use teamwork to identify and prioritize channels and focus on top of priorities.
d) Ensure that client expectations are realistic and that clients buy it to the programme and budgeted costs.
e) Stress quality over quantity and assist employees is prioritizing.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.David Cotton, David Falvey, Simon Kent. “New Edition Market Leader.” Pre-Intermediate Business course book. Pearson Longman, Pearson Education Limited, New edition - 2007, 62-65p.
2.Serious Editor: Terry Philips, Marie McLisky “English for Public Relations” in Higher Education Studies. Garnet Publishing Ltd – 2011, 62-63p, 94-95p, 106p.
3.Gore Sylee. “English for Marketing and Advertising.” Oxford University Press – 2007, 80 p.
4.Farral Cate, Lindsley Marianne. Professional English in Use. Marketing. Cambridge University Press – 2008, 144 p.
