Google. Bing. Ask.com. Facebook. LinkedIn. YouTube.
You name it.
This activity may seem like an ardent waste of time, however, it is extremely important in terms of understanding one’s organic position with the search engines.
I can assure you, PR needs some help.
The first [non paid] entry on Google was OF COURSE from Wikipedia. Here is the first sentence of their crowd-sourced definition:
Public Relations (PR) is the practice of managing the spread of information between an individual or an organization and the public.
Sounds very medical. Those infectious, communicable disease-like pieces of information. Ick.
Bing also turned up Wikipedia’s definition first, but the second entry really captured my attention. It was from wiseGEEK.com:
Public relations (PR) is a way for companies, organizations or people to enhance their reputations.
That’s just silly.
I now bring you the best of all searches for the term “Public Relations”. Direct from the Vimeo archives, a video literally entitled “Public Relations” posted by Van Halen (eerrr his PR folks) some time last year.
Watch.
Learn.
Laugh.
Be confused.
Feel awkward.
And a little embarrassed.
Go ahead. Feel free to say these words outloud: “that poor dog.”
Isn’t this is kind of how Public Relations feels?
Like some relatively old dude standing in the middle of the freaking woods talking about the glory days but how he’s making a comeback…but not moving too fast because that would be terribly difficult. Oh and he needs time to learn how to speak Australian. Which is really just English with a bit of a twist.
PR is evolving and it’s changing…but it won’t happen in a vacuum. It won’t happen if we’re standing alone in the middle of the woods. Because really, we are all in the same boat. Or to make the obvious Van Halen reference: the same tour bus (much cooler than a boat anyway).
If you’re a PR pro, how are you innovating? What would make your job easier and what are your pains? If you’re a company, what do you expect from “next gen” PR?
Talk to us. Tell-Tweet-Facebook us your thoughts. @AirPR #PRevolution
And then tell me: why the hell was this video called “Public Relations”??