The development of online public relations has expanded and empowered traditional public relations, but it has also led to some important differences that could trap the amateur practitioner.
Perhaps, the most important involves the push versus pull model for the creation of publicity. The push model, typical for traditional public relations, involves proactively distributing your message -- pushing it out to the general public, target audiences or other selected groups. This involves a blatantly promotional angle, even if it is framed within vendor neutral material to achieve coverage by the press.
In online PR, however, you must rely on the pull model, and if you pursue the push model in cyberspace you will alienate or be blocked by many potential customers. The pull model involves attracting interested parties to your web site or other online location (Facebook Pages, Twitter, etc) through search engine optimization and search engine marketing. Promotional material is viewed as spam on the web and inevitably rejected.
Ideally, companies should pursue both push and pull models in their respective spheres. And they should select public relations companies with experience in both areas.
Of course, there are many other differences between traditional and online public relations as well, and this blog will address some of them in future articles. (To read more articles about traditional and online public relations, visit public relations instruction.)
