The Impact Of Influencer Marketing And Social Media On The Public Relations

The world and its ways have transformed considerably over the last decade. Rampant technological advancements and infusion has been at the forefront of most of these transformations across sectors. In this scenario, the marketing and public relations sectors haven’t remained uninfluenced by the internet and its facilities either.

Public Relations is an integral function carried on by a firm. It essentially seeks to create a strong brand presence in the minds of the public and facilitate trust between the brand and the masses. With the advent of the internet, tools such as social media have become an innate presence in the field of public relations. An overview of how social media impacts PR is provided below Social Media and the role it plays in facilitating PR:

In the present times, the world can be found on social media, and thus the easiest and best way to reach the masses is through these platforms. By making possible real-time interactions and an endless reach, social media serves as the ultimate PR tool. It also provides efficient and cost-effective marketing opportunities that are always a desirable aspect for brands. 

Social media websites have enhanced the ease of finding and pitching to journalists and media houses for PR firms. In the era before social media, all these processes had to be carried out on a physical level, and thus, the reach and efficiency were minimal. However, now, with the help of these useful tools, one can pitch to an endless number of people simultaneously virtually. This helps in boosting the probability of fetching media opportunities and hence makes the PR work smooth and quick.

Further, social media helps segregate the target audience into different groups based on age, interests, etc. This enables PR firms to appeal directly to the target audience on a platform where they are concentrated and spend a considerable amount of time. Lastly, content, as posted on social media platforms, is available on a round-the-clock, round-the-year basis which allows customers access to the brand information as per their convenience, thereby allowing year-round passive promotion. 

Influencer Marketing: The new age marketing tool
Apart from the wholesome benefits listed above, social media has also gifted the PR industry with the boon of influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a relatively new form of marketing wherein brands invest in selected influencers to promote their offerings. The influencer makes posts and other interactive content that highlights the brand's products and services in a positive light. This promotion is directed at the usually vast network of the influencer. The biggest USP of this technique is that since the recommendation of a product is coming from an influencer that people trust, that trust translates into their trust towards the brand. This helps brands to make themselves a familiar and reliable presence for the customers. PR firms can use this extremely helpful tool of influencer marketing to assist their client in making a lasting impression on their target audience. 

Summing Up
The world of PR and marketing is fast evolving in this day and age of the internet and digitization. Social media has surfaced to become a pivotal presence in the public relations arena as it serves as the perfect platform for brands to advertise in a useful and efficient manner. It also comes packed with several perks and offerings of its own, one of which is influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a relatively new but progressively growing marketing tool. The scope of this article seeks to provide an insight into the working of both social media and influencer marketing and how they assist the work of PR firms.