4 ways PR pros can catch up with social media trends
A recent study showed public relations experts are woefully behind the times in terms of digital media efforts. Here’s how you can get up to speed.
The report reveals a profession that’s distressingly unprepared for work in the digital world. It’s likely the same problems exist in other countries, including in the U.S.
Many survey respondents admit to weak digital skills, and 79 percent of respondents—including 84 percent of in-house private sector employees—said HTML and coding were among their greatest weaknesses. Digital skills are weakest among senior PR pros; only 12 percent of professionals with over 21 years of industry experience felt confident in their social and digital media management skills.
Because senior executives lack the expertise and experience to properly integrate social media into their strategies, they delegate it to junior employees. By definition, those junior staffers lack PR experience, but public relations expert Stuart Bruce said teaching a PR expert social media and digital skills is easier than teaching PR skills to a social media expert.
Obsessed with media relations
The survey also indicates that PR seems stuck in its traditional media relations role, with 76 percent of respondents saying they still spend some or most of their time on media relations.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
