Public Relations Journal Vol. 2, No. 2, Spring 2008
© 2008 Public Relations Society of America

How Blogs and Social Media are Changing Public Relations and the
Way it is Practiced
Donald K. Wright & Michelle D. Hinson1

This article reports on a three-year-long international survey of public relations practitioners examining the impact blogs and other social media are having on public relations practice. Findings show these new media are dramatically changing public relations. Results indicate blogs and social media have enhanced what happens in public relations and that social media and traditional mainstream media complement each other. The study also finds the emergence of blogs and social media have changed the way their organizations communicate, especially to external audiences.
Findings suggest social media complement traditional news media, and that blogs and social media influence coverage in traditional news media. The study reports blogs and social media have made communications more instantaneous by encouraging organizations to respond more quickly to criticism.
Introduction

David Meerman Scott (2008), an online thought leadership and viral marketing strategist, says, “one of the coolest things about the Web is that when an idea takes off it can propel a brand or a company to seemingly instant fame and fortune” (p. 8).

Scott also points out that although communicating via the Web usually is free – as opposed to purchasing space through traditional advertising – only a small number of public relations practitioners are effectively using blogs and other social media when communicating with their strategic publics. Scott claims the challenge to public relations and marketing people “is to harness the amazing power of . . . whatever you call it – viral, buzz, word-of-mouse, or word-of-blog – having other people tell your
story