"We are not anti-social"

One reporter from a leading TV News Channel in India was going through Palin's interview in my blog. Immediately, he called me up and asked "If Web is the social media, then are we anti-social?". I could not replied to that question.

And, yeah....print and television is playing an important role in bringing the society together, raising the issues of the society....

Even though PR 2.0 is getting big in today's world of communication, but we cant wipe out the importance of the traditional media.

Friends .... please post your comments whether the traditional media should also be considered as Social Media

Corporates In India Have Taken Social Media Approaches

Indiaprblog.com is the only PR blog from India which has been recognised worldwide, as metioned by Mathew Watson's blog (http://www.m-p-w.co.uk/2008/07/worlds-top-pr-blogs.html). On his recent success, Palin Ningthoujam, the founder of Indiaprblog.com and Advocable.com, has commented on the importance of PR 2.0 in the corporate world and its future as well.

Q. How do you foresee the impact of PR 2.0 in the corporate world?

While some corporates in India have taken social media approaches proactively, others are just about starting to acknowledging it and keeping a keen watch. I guess more and more corporates will eventually ask their PR agencies/corporate communications to develop a social media approach in line with their existing communications objectives. They are slowly realising social media is for real. Consumers are a lot more vocal about the products and services they use and the social media has given them the right platform to express their views. So if yesterday, we were conducting communications campaigns using the mass media, today we also need to reach out to the consumers directly and be a part of the discussion.

Q. Is something called PR 3.0 knocking the door?

The term PR 2.0 has been derived from the web 2.0 terminology. If PR 1.0 was of the traditional media like TV, newspaper, etc., then PR 2.0 is of the social media. People have talked about the evolution of the web to the web 3.0 level, and so when such a time comes, PR then might be as well rechristened PR 3.0. That said, we need to understand PR is about communications and engagements and we are just going along to suit the requirements of the evolving media.

Q. Where do you see Mobile PR after 2 years?

We have already done a couple of SMS campaigns for some clients, and it worked well. The most important plus point of the mobile phone is its reach. You will find people in remote villages without computers, internet access, and TV, but they might still be carrying mobile phones. So a mobile phone campaign is the best medium to reach out to these folks. This is just one example. Many corporates have launched applications for mobile phones, webmasters are creating mobile versions of their websites and so on. Looking at all these, let's say we will be conducting mobile PR for say 80% of our clients in one way or the other.

Q. How important is Online Reputation Management in dealing with PR 2.0?

Very important. Today Google is the new encyclopedia. Your reputation is at the click of a button. Whether it be your products, services, people, or organisation, it is important to keep a clean and strong image online.

Q. Why there is only one Indian PR blog recognised worldwide?

Young PR professionals in India need to look beyond their immediate work requirements and look at participating in other fora and enriching their knowledge. In other words, our days need not start and end with just making reports, calling up clients and media, drafting releases, or organising interviews for example. We need to ask ourselves if we are doing anything to enrich ourselves in our chosen profession in ways that are not part of our immediate job mandates. If we don't do that, we are no different from sheep that go quietly grazing around for grass today, tomorrow, and forever.

Sooner or later, our clients are going to demand our knowledge on emerging technologies, and media, and we should be read for that.

Q. What is the secret behind your blog?

I think one of the key reasons India PR Blog is read by many people in the industry is because it tries to discuss practical issues and the readers can correlate with what is being written about. We don't try to talk big about what PR can do or should do, but rather go into detail about things that every account executive or manager go through everyday like talking to a journalist, going for a media round, tools he/she can use to better himself/herself, etc.

Q. Where would you like to see your blog in 2011?

At least have 90% of the PR professionals in India read it regularly, if not all.

PR Secrets for Startups

At a time when anyone can broadcast their opinions about your startup to the world, public relations requires a new level of engagement on the part of companies and entrepreneurs. But what are the new rules of PR?

Its a nice piece by Brian Solis

Solis is the Principal of FutureWorks, a PR and New Media agency in Silicon Valley and also blogs at PR 2.0. Along with Geoff Livingston, Solis recently co-authored Now is Gone, a book that helps businesses learn how to leverage new and social media.

Find the complete article:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/25/pr-secrets-for-startups/