Blog #2- E-PR: the impact of the internet on PR
If you are a PR practitioner or keeping active online, you will know the importance the internet places in our daily lives. Now, it is important to understand what the internet is, how it works and how it is used for PR in order to thrive in the digital world.
Resources for PR practitioners
Before we get started, I want to mention that there are incredible resources out there including books such as E-PR: The Essential Guide to Public Relations on the Internet, which are a great resource for PR practitioners to learn more about embedding the internet into their practices. It is important to note though that the above mentioned book is almost 20 years old and in internet years that is basically 100. In order to master the internet, you will have to continue learning everyday. My favorite way to constantly evolve my knowledge regarding the internet is to attend workshops or follow people online who have a diverse set of knowledge regarding the internet. For example, about a month ago, I attended a free SEO workshop which taught me about Search Engine Optimizers and Google Analytics in order to code the back end of the website I was working on at the time. Of course, that might sound intimidating (or at least it did to me) but after getting over the initial shock and feeling as if the Internet was too complicated for me to figure out, it was such a fun workshop and SEO’s are a new skill I acquired. Additionally, on LinkedIn I follow sites such as Pretty Little Marketer, Because of Marketing and the PR Girl Manifesto (as well as That One PR Girl). Often times they posted new takes or resources regarding social media or using internet in the communications profession.
To sum it up: Resources to learn about the internet are out there and plentiful. Make sure they are current as well as of value to you and don’t be afraid to use them.
History
But what is the Internet? In short, I still have a lot of questions about it myself, but it is so much more than Google, social media and putting www. in front of everything. The development of the internet started post-WWII in order to create a communication system that could withstand a nuclear strike. Based on our lecture, the internet has been developed over more than 60 years. Personally, I thought the internet only emerged in the 90’s so it was quite surprising to see early prototypes already being created in the 60’s and 70’s. It is still true though that AOL and Windows did make their big debut in the 90’s.
Source:
Haig, M. (2001). E-Pr: The Essential Guide to Public Relations on the internet. Kogan Page.
Hello the One PR Girl! First offI want to say I really like how you are interested in public relations and utilize it in your discussions. The connection is spot on. I also appreciate the suggestions on how we ourselves can master the internet. Thank you for sharing these resources!
ReplyDeleteShaca Sweet
I thought your blog was very interesting. It's so interesting to me how long the internet has been around. When I think about the internet, I also think of it evolving around the 90's when it actually came to be much earlier. It's crazy to see how far it has come even since then. I also thought it was cool how you added advice for mastering the internet!
ReplyDeleteThe internet is vast and PR has found and continues to find new ways to use it to their advantage. The internet is making it easier to remove more physical items from the PR world. Some companies and self-employed people have never even said "Here, take my card." Rather they say to pull out their phones to scan a code which will take them to a website on the internet with all their currently updated contact information, all personalized as well.
ReplyDeleteIt’s crazy to think that internet was created to help a war and now it’s the main source people use everyday. From emailing companies to YouTubing how to cook, it’s the biggest invention ever made. I’m so glad it was to connect to others but society has been at an all time low. Everything’s everywhere. In legal cases this could be a good or bad thing.
ReplyDeleteIsabella Lozada
As another student stated, it's amazing how far the internet has come considering the use of it was first invented for. We are still finding new advancements in the age of the internet, but one thing is certain. The internet is the best way to learn new skills, access a work field or further education. The ability to attend lectures, classes, meeting etc from the convenience of your home has allowed so many people to learn and develop. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the internet was the only way to safely communicate, and without it, it is scary to imagine the fallout of businesses, career and education during such an unprecedented time.
ReplyDelete