The explosion of social and digital media has fundamentally changed communications and rendered the old agency models obsolete. Instead of communications programs being heavy on media relations, we now focus on earned, owned and paid media (converged media) as equal and complementary components of our communications planning.
About this time last year, I sent my friends and associates a little missive entitled, “Why I Became Principal and CEO of A Social Media Agency.” I said at the time, “I am absolutely convinced that Public Relations is now inexorably linked to social media and content creation.” Well, in the year that has passed, we have progressed well beyond just being linked; converged media represents the communications model of today’s digital, “always-on” business landscape.
Over the past year, it has become clear to me that effective communications is no longer about different disciplines operating in silos, but rather, it requires the convergence of social media, PR, digital communications, content development, direct response and even advertising all operating within a single communications program managed by a single organization. Done smartly and executed aggressively, the ROI is beyond anything I have ever experienced.
The best way to reach and motivate both consumer and business target audiences has always been through third-party endorsement. While journalists continue to be an important resource, people are more responsive to – and trusting of – comments and endorsements from their friends and business associates. Hence the phenomenal impact of Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms.
We are in a new age of communications. While many traditional advertising and PR agencies say they have a converged media capability, it is simply not their core competency. It is not part of their culture. For us, it is who we are and how we now serve our clients. It is in our DNA.
Using technology to better communicate with target audiences is something I’ve always focused on. It served my agency well with the rise of the Internet in the early 90’s, and will continue to be our trademark in the era of converged media. I’m super excited that our firm is doing some of the most dynamic, leading-edge communications in the industry.