Saturday, May 1, 2010

Twitter a Social Networking Sites as a tool for Public relations.

Twitter a Social Networking Sites as a tool for  Public relations.

Today public relation professionals have started using social networking and microblogging services like Twitter, Twitter is a service which allows one to send and read the messages know as tweets. Tweets are basically textual messages written in 140 words which automatically get displayed on the users profile page and the one who is following the user.
Twitter was developed in the latter half of 2006 by Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and Jack Dorsey while working at an online audio company called Odeo. It is based in San Francisco, it also excess five different languages like Spanish, German, French, Italian and Japanese. Twitter offers a new way for businesses to improve their image and communicate with customers along with instant feedback and unfiltered communication.[1] Twitter does not allow for one-way communication. Twitter offers the best platform of two-way symmetrical communication model as Grunig and Hunt said, “Advocates free and equal information flow between an organization and its publics, leading to mutual understanding and responsiveness.”

Literature Review:-

Twitter can defined as a micro-blogging service that allows people to type in short messages or status updates that can be read by people following them.[1]  Deborah Micek and Warren Whitlock in their book “Twitter Revolution” included three different definitions on Twitter which they received from their followers. [2]
1. “Twitter is effective to get past the gatekeeper and communicate directly with top industry minds to build relationships”
2. “Twitter blends social connectivity with business allowing users to learn, expand and share knowledge quickly & efficiently”
 3. “Twitter is the best and easiest social marketing tool on the web- fast updates, low maintenance, potentially high impact and fun.
Micro- blogging is a networking service that allows mobile users of cell phones and other Internet connected devices to stay side by side of activities within a group. It is easy because it frequently keeps on publishing updates in on average of 140 charters or less then it.  The best example of micro-blogging is Twitter and Jaiku.[3]

Grunig and Hunt gave a simpler definition of public relations as “management of communication between an organization and its publics “(Grunig and Hunt 1984:6).[4]

With reference to Grunig and Hunt definition of public relations and Davis quoted in Ponell “The key feature of the internet, from a public relations perspective, is that it facilitates direct, unmediated communication. It is also a very cost-effective channel not only for sending messages out but receiving them back as well: the internet is a democratizing tool that tests organizational claims to wanting genuine two-way dialogue.”[5] Twitter is one of the best tools (internet) of public relations which can really help to grow and maintain contacts and business in the market which is the best instance of tow way communication process.

It is important at this time when public relations in India are still is developing compared to other countries. Twitter is uncomplicated to use and understand the updates which users send and others read in just 140 characters which is know as Tweets it is important and different function compared to other social networking sites. Due to these services twitter is widely used for businesses to launch their campaign and increase their brand awareness among their target audiences. As customers can reply because, of one can easily find out what their customers needs are and can bridge the gap between customers and company. It gives you maximum exposure by giving option of “public timeline” which means everyone on twitter can talk, comment. As similar as public timeline there are multiple options like Hashtags, Happy Twittering, Tweets Updates etc. This is a huge opportunity, to build followership, to share your knowledge, communicate information on what you are doing, create a mini-press release, share info on your products and services, new product or service launches, or other resources (e.g., white papers, research, etc.) you may want to point others to.[6]

Twitter is now the top four social media tool compared to others with 81% while blogs (79%), LinkedIn (78%) and Facebook (77%).according to Social Media Marketing Industry Report, surveyed by Mark Stelzner over 900 people, professionals and peers.[7] This survey took place in different countries around the world. With a support to above percentage an article in The Washington Post published on Monday, February 22, 2010; 11:00 AM by Schonfeld Erick[8] says that Twitter is now processing 50 million Tweets a day. Royal Pingdom recently reported that Twitter passed one billion (for graph)[9] Tweets a month last December and measured about 1.2 billion in January 2009. By January 2010 it has almost passed 75 million visitors all over the world.

There are so many things which one can do or get from being on twitter such as user’s can save the information of any organization for instance Jet Airways in saved searches option etc. But the question is who many organization, companies like corporate, private, government are using twitter as a tool to allow people to stay up-to-date with the latest news about their businesses in India. Twitter is one of the best and easy mode of doing advertising and PR. It is not limited only it internet companies but, some companies in India life TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Kingfisher even .@AirtelCallHome is a twitter account giving updates about the latest calling card service from Airtel with the same name.[10]

Twitter is used by full potential in various companies like Tour and Tourism, Hotel chains, Airlines e.g. Jetblue, Southwest Airlines, Jet Airways, Atul LTD, TCS etc. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos make use of  this social networking for promoting their product That has proved to be successful for the company, which was just bought for $800 million by online retail giant Amazon, which has a policy of being very customer centric like Zappos.[11]

It is not compulsory that only politicians, celebrities and high positioned manager’s can only use twitter but, even Parma company’s use Twitter to support their patients. By sharing health related experiences, health tips, publishing disease specify tips. A 2 minute survey was done on the above topic by John Mack, Editor and Publisher of Pharma Marketing News on 4th February.[12]

Twitter is the most convenient and easy way to have a conversation with clients. It is easy way to be connected with them by monitoring user’s brand or company. Participating in conversation like it is actually difficult for a CEO of any big company to regularly update their blogs or answer the messages and friends request on any other social networking sites. But, Twitter is limited to 140 characters per update, so it is all about short thoughts and comments.  If your CEO can send a text message, they can use Twitter from anywhere in the world as a PR tool. It is really easy to follow someone on Twitter by which it is surprising to see how many followers you in your profession it will make you feel someone special. One can also give information about the services and products because; of this Twitter is the most convenient tool of public relations.


This research is part of my literature review. My next update will  be on Facebook a Social Networking Sites as a tool for  Public relations.
[5] http://www.galiasplace.info/dissertation/literature_review.
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