Why digital public relations professionals need solid writing skills

Digital public relations professionals, at all levels, are required to have solid writing skills. These professionals are responsible for putting together communication materials which are intended to influence the attitudes and/or behaviours of key members of the public. Many employers need candidates for digital public relations positions in order to complete a writing test as well as to provide a writing sample to show proficiency in this skill. Therefore, it is vital to understand how to craft effective messages through written communication.

As professional communicators, PR people are required to develop content that is accurate and compelling on behalf of companies and organisations. In fact, the ability to be a good writer is arguably the most important skill needed to be a great PR professional. Yes, being able to pitch media and cultivating online relationships in this social media world are also key components to success in PR. However, without good writing skills, neither of these tasks can be successfully accomplished.

Here are some of the many materials and messages that digital public relations professionals have to write:

• Press/news releases
• Fact sheets
• Feature articles
• Social media messages
• Blog posts
• Speeches
• PowerPoint presentations
• Brochures
• Media pitches
• Statements
• Website messages

Controlled and uncontrolled media in a public relations environment

Public relation practitioners send out their messages through controlled as well as uncontrolled media:

• Controlled media is the kind which can be created as well as controlled by the firm. Examples of these are advertisement, speeches, paid programmes in addition to employee newsletters.
• Uncontrolled media is the kind which cannot be controlled by the firm. Example are television, radio as well as newspapers.

The pros and cons of controlled and uncontrolled media

Controlled and uncontrolled media both have their advantages as well as disadvantages.

The advantages of controlled media consist of:

• The cability to program the channel subjectively by choosing the exact words as well as images that are sent and also by controlling when as well as how often the message is repeated.
• Disadvantages of controlled media include a lack of credibility in addition to cost. When listening to an advertisement or, alternatively, a promotional speech, people know that you’re controlling the message which means that they may not be convinced easily owing to a lack of credibility.

Uncontrolled media have less challenges with credibility as well as costs:

• Uncontrolled media send their message to a large scope of individuals. The receivers know that the message is not dictated by the subject.
• Making use of uncontrolled media is far less expensive but the firm may still need to provide news releases or meet with reporters on a frequent basis.
• News media can offer a third party or independent endorsement of a news story.
• The disadvantage of uncontrolled media is that they are not controllable. Digital public relations practitioners may be able to influence the media but cannot directly control the words or the images used.

Controlled and uncontrolled media each have their advantages and disadvantages. A combination of the two is generally utilised in digital public relations campaigns. Controlled media provides precise messages that would lead to reaching company’s objectives. Uncontrolled media offers stronger credibility and is less expensive.

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Want to become a digital public relations practitioner? If you do, then you need to have done our Digital Public Relations Course.