DWPub Sporadic

CIPR opens the social media debate... finally

The CIPR has issued a consultation document in preparation for the creation of some 'social media guidelines'.

I've just had a quick scan over the document and although it is great to see the CIPR in action on this issue they seem to be focussing rather too much on ethical issues.

Ethical issues are of course very important, but at this stage what's even more important is to communicate the wider strategic and tactical issues to PR professionals before too many get left behind (see the social media and online PR benefits of our Press Release Wire).

Social media missing from CIPR conference

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) national conference today was a worthwile gig, but online PR issues were dangerously lacking from the agenda.

True, CIPR president Tony Bradley did mention the words 'social media' in his opening speech, but then only talked briefly about blogging. It was almost as if the many other elements of online PR - some of which I believe are more critical than blogging - never existed.

Tony revealed there will be a consultation process before creating some CIPR guidelines for blogging, but it is not clear whether this process will look at the wider issues.

I firmly believe online PR is an issue that demands much more attention from the industry and the CIPR should take a lead. Online PR, something that has been around for a while but has changed dramatically thanks to the emergence of social media, is not just about blogging. It's about search engine optimisation of press releases and corporate copy, it's about using online news distribution, it's about monitoring the social media of which blogs are just a part, it's about learning to work search engine optimisation (SEO) or search marketing (SEM) agencies, it's about communicating direct to the consumer as well as through traditional media, and as things develop there will be other elements in this online PR mix.

There was talk at the conference today about the difficulties of explaining the value for money of PR to clients and getting paid appropriately. Online PR provides an opportunity to give results that are not only measurable but could also be tracked to the point of purchase. What a great way to convince clients of the value of PR.

On the road

If you've been wondering where I've got to since my last post, I've been on an extended break - my first since DWPub started nearly ten years ago.

Now I'm back from my five-week 'sabbatical' I'm going to be on the road as much as possible - going to events where I may meet PR professionals and journalists. During my time off I realised this is something I should be doing more of.

So, for starters I will be at the CIPR annual conference tomorrow. If you see me at this or any other event, come and say hello.