| surveys involving 300 marketers have shown that the | | | | public relations methods, but skilfully combine the two |
| vast majority of in-house marketing teams used online | | | | to ensure maximum expose is made to consumers. |
| PR campaigns. The survey teams looked at the return | | | | The PR companies include a variety of different online |
| on investment of online PR more than any other type | | | | public relations tactics and strategies which are all |
| of online marketing. | | | | tangible and measurable such as communication |
| With astute businesses wanting to see real time | | | | through the use of blogs, Facebook and Twitter as a |
| measurable results the survey showed that although it | | | | way of engaging and sustaining public interest. |
| is possible to track online activities such as the amount | | | | Other strategies involve using new media such as pod |
| of web traffic many marketers remain cautious and | | | | casts, publishing information online on a Wiki and |
| dubious with regards to the value of online PR. | | | | tailored media campaigning targeting online titles and |
| Measurability is seen by marketers as a key factor in | | | | journalism as a separate entity to main print paper. |
| using online public relations in order to see a return for | | | | Is Digital PR important? |
| their investment. The importance of digital PR should | | | | Companies who want to stay ahead of the game and |
| be embraced by companies as a tangible way to | | | | have a real edge over their competitors will need to |
| track performance particularly during the current | | | | utilise all of the traditional public relations methods and |
| economic crisis, when each and every potential | | | | embrace new marketing and digital PR strategies to |
| consumer it reaches can mean the difference | | | | keep their brand name in the forefront of |
| between increased sales and profitability or to | | | | consumer’s minds. Competition had never been |
| becoming another statistic in failing businesses. | | | | fiercer as companies small and large try to ride out the |
| With online tools available to help track activities and | | | | economic crisis and stay in business any way they |
| measure success of online public relations it is advised | | | | can. |
| to take a compressive campaign approach. | | | | Companies with astute business minds are realising |
| Digital PR or ePR is seen as an effective way of | | | | that although they may have to be making some |
| building and managing brand and service reputation | | | | pretty severe cut backs, public relations is this last area |
| online. In order for digital PR to be successful | | | | which they should be axing altogether. Those who |
| companies are engaging the expertise of PR | | | | believe that online public relations is not an effective |
| companies who have embraced digital public relations | | | | way to promote their business may well face a fall in |
| as a positive way forward for many companies. More | | | | consumer interest over the next few months and |
| importantly the reputable and well established PR | | | | beyond. |
| companies have not abandoned the more traditional | | | | |