Online & Social Media – what a buzz

I’m not personally an active social networker. However, I’ve always been one for looking over the horizon to see how new technologies might impact on communication.

This curiosity resulted in my becoming one of the first PR agency owners in Australia to recognise how this evolving online phenomenon could impact on PR and communication.

It all started when I began publishing an online newsletter and website – PR Influences – back in 2001 at my former agency – Network PR.

PR Influences evoked a large online following. Before too long, I had more than 4000 corporate communicators and marketers registered to receive my periodical newsletter. And website traffic was strong.

Within a few years as the advent of social media was beginning to unfold in the US, and I began hiring staff with an eye to move and exploit this in Australia.

That led to number of firsts.

We, at Network, were the first to recognise that Google would bypass traditional media. Through my experience with PR Influences I saw the potential power Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) offered. That resulted in my pushing Network to specialise in SEO – making us the first PR agency in Australia to offer it.

In 2006 we published a white paper on SEO; and we were the first to undertake a study into the ‘Online Search Habits of Australians’ which we also published in 2006.

We also had a bit of fun doing the first media interview in Second Life on behalf of a client.

In early 2007 we got actively involved in using social media for clients. In March we used social media techniques to promote the movie ‘Hot ‘Fuzz’ for Paramount Pictures. Between then and August 2009 we promoted 40 movies for Paramount.

During 2008 we undertook an online and social media program for the South Australian vineyard, Kirrihill Wines which gained attention from online watchers and commentators, not just in Australia, but by highly influential US wine blogger Steve Heimoff.

During this period we also undertook an online support campaign for Nestlé Australia when they launched their Nescafe Greenblend coffee brand.

We also undertook a series of other social media assignments for other clients, much of it of an educational nature helping organisations get up-to-speed with this new area

In March 2009 we caused considerable discussion and debate among the public relations and social media community when marketing blog, Mumbrella, claimed “Network PR has become the first in Australia to publish a manifesto of how it plans to deal with bloggers”.

The value of social media as a serious communication tool has yet to be fully realised and in future years it offers huge potential. But it’s been great to have been in on the ground floor of what is undoubtedly a tool that many internal PR people and communicators have yet to fully experience.