Blogging Should Be a Part of Some PR Campaigns
but not all…

Shel Israel at Naked Conversations wrote a post yesterday with his advice to Web 2.0 early stage companies:

“You are better off going with blogging and NOT using a PR agency until you are further along in your development,” Shel blogged.

He goes on to say that while PR firms are useful, they may not be in the early stages of a tech launch (Web 2.0). I made a comment in the post and Shel asked me to take the conversation to my blog.

I respect Shel’s opinion on tech companies using the blog, rather than some other tactic, to launch their service. However, I would posit the idea the blog in this case is simply the appropriate public relations tactic, rather than some other tactic like an expensive media campaign or press release.

I have blogged about this concept before in my post “The New Public Relations” and in “Blogging in the Mix.”

A public relations campaign is simply a systematic process which new media (such as blogs and wikis) accelerate and shape but don’t change.

A good public relations campaign need not be mysterious or expensive. I guess the fact that I have worked for non-profits and associations for much of my career makes it easy for me to see that a blog, or any other media, can be leveraged to reach the target population.

In the end it is about reaching your target audience, and reaching out to that audience, wherever they may be. For too long, the mainstream media has been seen as the target, when the real target is those whom read, listen or watch that media.

A public relations campaign is made up of the following basic elements:

• Research: conduct market research (primary or secondary), look at benchmarking data, and conduct a situation analysis

• Planning: Plan your campaign by identifying your target publics and determine the best way (or tactics) to reach this target public (this is where a blog, press release, pitching reporters or even a media-free grassroots campaign may come in). Then determine your goals and set some measurable objectives (see the objectives I have for this site).
• Conducting the Campaign: Carry out the plan, adjusting the tactics as needed

• Measuring the Results: Measure the results of the campaign based on your measurable objectives

I think that the important question is, “Will those who practice PR keep up with the shifting channels of communication?” This PR practioner, and blogger, is sure trying.