Social Media and Media Relations Can and Needs to be Integrated

As mentioned two weeks ago, I was invited to speak before MARCOM, one of Canada’s leading marketing communications forums for the Public and Non-Profit sector. In my chat, I made the point that organizations need to stop thinking of social as a “bolt-on” strategy. One of marketing’s biggest failures has been what has been called the “bolt it on” approach. This approach refers to a lack of integrated marketing and the tendency to bolt on new marketing disciplines such as e-mail, social media, etc. However, most organizations fail to do the one important thing: ask how these efforts integrate with the work they are already doing.

When it comes to media relations, there is no exception. I make the argument that every time an association or non-profit organization issues a traditional press release, a social media press release needs to be issued at the same time. What does a social media press release look like? While many examples are available, I’m personally a fan of the following model originally proposed by Shift Communications:

What are your thoughts on the matter?

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Mark A. Buzan, APR

Principal & Chief Magnifying Officer

Action Strategies

#3, 270 rue Champlain

Gatineau, Quebec J8X 3S1

819.770.2899 phone

http://www.actionstrategies.ca (Action Strategies website)

LinkedIn Profile: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/markbuzan

LinkedIn Group for Public Relations: http://tinyurl.com/nonprofitideas

LinkedIn Group for Government Relations: http://tinyurl.com/nonprofitlobbying

Please take a look at my just released book: Online PR and Social Media for Associations and Not-for-Profits -http://www.onlineprsocialmedia.com/associations