Is Social Media Making Us Lazy Professionals?

It's an interesting notion to consider when social media is used as the catalyst and primary tactic in many PR campaigns today. Author Rosanna Fiske, Chair and Chief Officer of the Public Relations Society of America, disagrees with this statement in her Marketing Commentary response posted on April 27. Fiske claims the older generation of marketers and public relations practitioners often tries to "decry" new technology and favor traditional campaign tactics. In her post, she condemns this archaic method of thinking, because it shows the disdain that some older generation professionals have for the changing face of strategic communication.

However passionate Fiske remains on this topic, she does mention that the older professionals who feel this way have some validity in their claim that social media is making younger marketers "lazy." Fiske says that only when social media is misused with "blast" messages and alerts is it no longer strategic, nor effective and she can justify the "lazy marketer" argument.

Fiske draws the conclusion that when used strategically to market to specific audiences, social media is a valuable asset to any campaign. Fiske reinforces the idea that social media is just one tactic, and while it may be valuable it cannot serve as the sole tactic behind a campaign. Fiske says, "We need to set an example that social media is not the strategy, but one tactic among many that must work concurrently in successful client campaigns. That goes for mentoring young professionals and clients alike."

In my opinion, social media has its purpose, as long as it's used with purpose. I believe social media is not making the younger generation of marketers "lazy" but I think complacent would be a more appropriate word. Because social media plays such a crucial role in our personal and professional lives, it is easy to try to use social media as the primary solution in every campaign. Traditional media certainly still has its place but I agree with Fiske that you cannot denounce the importance of social media in the modern PR era.

To read the discussion about social media and to see the full article, click here.

I encourage you to share your opinions about this topic, because I believe it is one of the main schisms between the older and younger generation of PR professionals.

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Michele Reilley.