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How are todays online communication tools affecting Public Relations? Over the last century we have seen shifts of communication instruments that allow the public to hear and gather information at an even quicker rate. From the printing press to telegraph, radio to TV and now the Internet. Though the Internet or the World Wide Web has been around for over a decade, the tools and capabilities are being expanded and assimilated in communities throughout the world. That is the key word, communities. The Internet was formulated to have interactive dialog with other institutions for data sharing and retrieval. The Internet, literally, has revolutionized the communication industry. In 1996 the fax machine was considered state-ofthe-art technology in sending out press releases and other marketing strategies. Today within the communication field it is unthinkable to be without Internet access, where ease of distribution and connections are vital to successful business models. Web-based technologies are rapidly replacing face-to-face interactions. The advances in communication technology have made possible the ability to organize and bring resources and people together quickly. Online communications is about forming communities; whether to solve a single problem, community outreach or meeting the needs of ME. The Public Relations industry has an opportunity to evolve. Case in pointNovember 2008, a panel discussion entitled Is Social Media Killing PR, was held in San Francisco. Three prominent voices in the PR industry, Jeremiah Owyang, Kara Swisher and Susan Etlinger debated the changing landscape of PR in response to bloggers who planted the seed for the socalled death of PR.

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During this discussion, the panelists and audience members had much to say regarding the evolution that needs to occur, much like the auto industrys need to retool their organization. Clients expressed their concern for PR agencies to be competent in social media tools that would help them with marketing and value strategies. The integration of social media tools can only enhance a PR agencies service arsenal in helping to promote and expand the clients market base. It would be wise and prudent to learn the practices and skill sets used for social media. According to Owyang, the PR industry needs to reassess and blend core PR practices with online marketing tools. Though the young savvy digital strategists may understand how to use the media tools, strategic insight is still needed in navigating clients goals and objectives. The 4 largest Social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and blogs. According to Linda Locke at MasterCard, the social media buzz is a PR opportunity. In addition to the most popular social media tools additional interactive tools have been developed to promote trust which has a direct impact on the bottom line of an individual or corporation. This papers aim is to show how online communication tools have been effective with different publics within the U.S. Not only do social media help bring interaction and value to a client, but also forms of data research such as surveys and data-mining help give clarity and direction to businesses growth and productivity. Communications today has become a media ecosystem, largely due to the Internet. We are living in a century of idea diffusion, said Seth Grodin, best-selling author and marketing expert.

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Obama Campaign The recent election of President Barack Obama highlights the increasing role of the use of the Internet in successful political campaigns. Considered to be one of the greatest technological presidential campaigns Obama and his staff entered unchartered waters with their aggressive online communication. "The web is built on technology that is primarily for communication, and not publishing, said Jemina Kiss, a journalist for "The Guardian, a United Kingdom paper. That dynamic is the source of its power and, crucially, its intimacy. What social media represents and what fed Obama's victory - is a direct engagement and communication between friends, contacts and families." In order to establish such connections the Obama campaign flooded social networking sites such as YouTube, MySpace, Twitter and Facebook, whose creator, Chris Hughes, was an active supporter of Obama. These social media sites created a connection between Obama and his supporters which has hereto been unparalleled. Those who visited these sites felt connected to him. The consistent exposure to his every move along the campaign trail kept them not only interested, but additionally made constituents feel like valuable assets to the campaigns success. This aspect of the online campaign was especially effective among young voters whose turnout statistics increased significantly from past years. In fact, it is estimated that of young Americans ages 18 to 29, between 22 to 24 million cast votes. Of these 22 million youth, 66 percent voted for Obama. Through his campaigns use of Internet sites, which they frequently visited, his message was communicated, their trust was earned, and consequently their votes were cast in his favor. In public relations it is necessary to target a key public and understand their habits,

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tendencies and needs. The Obama campaign capitalized on the concerns of young voters and provided meaningful connections appropriate to their interests and their everyday lives. In addition to the youth vote, the Obama campaign also sought to win the votes of older Americans as well as their financial support. These goals were also achieved through an online campaign. The Obama website featured a link wherein supporters were permitted to make monetary contributions of any dollar amount less than the federal limit of 2,500 dollars. Because any dollar amount was optional, this campaign saw a surge in the number of supporters reaching nearly 1.5 million donors and raising 600 million dollars. A significant portion of this money, 8 million dollars, in fact, was then spent on online advertising and topped the charts for online political campaigns. In exchange for their participation donors were promised up to date information about the campaign even before such details were submitted to the press. This then fostered a mutually beneficial relationship between the campaign and donors as the team received necessary funding, and the donors desire for immediate and privileged access was satisfied. Ultimately, through the use of an online PR political campaign the Obama team was able to reach their constituents in a personal way which yielded unparalleled results. For the American people the campaign became personal as they saw that their interests became equally as important as their vote. Voters felt as though they had connected with the president and political faith was re-established in a younger generation typically noted for their political apathy. Though the online implementations were not complicated, the impact was great and earned him the title as President of the United States of America.& Interactive Websites

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One way in which the Internet has been used as an effective and informative public relations tool is the recent situation with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The TVA is a federally owned corporation in the United States. It provides navigation, electricity, flood control, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley area. It spans most of Tennessee as well as parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. In late December of 2008, a disaster involving an uncontrollable ash slide happened at TVAs Kingston Fossil Plant. The ash slide was caused by the failure of a retention wall for an ash containment area which was used to store the remains of burnt coal used by the plant. The ash pond slide was so bad that some residents living nearby could not go back to their homes immediately. Gas, electricity and water were turned off in the areas nearby. Many homes were destroyed and damaged. TVA immediately used the Internet to its advantage, constructing a section of its website dedicated to the disaster. It is complete with cleanup updates, frequently asked questions, and a photo gallery to keep people up-to-date about the disaster and what damage control is being done. Because this will be an ongoing issue for many more months, the honesty and openness of TVA is deemed as good public relations with their key publicstheir neighbors affected by the slide, community and customers. Being proactive in dealing with the situation has allowed TVA to help solve and cope with the problems within their community. This is an example of how the Internet can be a powerful tool in the area of PR. People concerned about what has happened simply visit the site where their questions and concerns are answered. It is quick, convenient, and very user-friendly.

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Another company that utilizes the Internet in their public relations concerns is Self Magazine. Self is a popular womens magazine with the tagline, You at your best self. The magazine is dedicated to helping women make the most of their lives through beauty, relationships, and happiness tips. However, the prominent focus of the magazine is on health and fitness for women. Recently, Selfs website underwent an intense renovation, becoming much more reader oriented. The website now features blogs and encourages all users to start their own Self blog in order to connect with the magazine and other readers. Self also offers numerous programs on their site, including The Jump-Start Diet and Reach Your Goal! These programs are focused on personally designed workouts, eating regimens, and motivational content that are created just for the user, according to the personal information they put in. The site also features a section called Self Connected. This is an even more personal part of the website that helps users interact with each other and their community through Self magazine. Self Connected features information on local charity walks, sweepstakes, and current events, all of which are strongly advocated and encouraged. Besides the introduction of blogs, personal fitness programs and the Self Connected feature, the site also includes a series of different groups that users can join. Titles such as Newbies Support Group, A Lot to Lose, and Shabby Chic Club are all aimed at catching the interest of readers and helping them connect even more with the magazine and the people who are involved with it. Self is definitely using the internet to its advantage by creating a website that features many tools for readers to get involved, speak their mind, and notice results. Features like

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personal blogs, contacts for feedback, and opportunities to join groups and programs positively add to Selfs reputation for being innovative and reader-oriented with its key publictheir subscribers who are Internet savvy. Multiple Website Communications An increasing number of companies, special interest groups, and organizations are using social media as a means of communicating with their publics. The challenge this creates for an organization with multiple key publics is how one online location will cater to the vast needs of multiple key publics. An organization that many people may not view as one on the leading edge of online communications has found a solution to this problem. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) uses online communication as well or better than most organizations studied. It created two websites geared toward the two key publics it has identified as those it needs to build a relationship with. When looking at an organization such as the LDS church it is clear that they would like to reach every person. However, the church can in divide its key publics into two groups: those who are its members of its faith, and those who are not. In an effort to cultivate relationships with these two groups the church has created two very different yet very effective avenues of online communication. The first is a website found at www.mormon.org that is filled with basic information and answers to questions for one that is not a member of this faith. It addresses such topics as The Book of Mormon; why Mormons are Christian; basic beliefs; worship locations; and other frequently asked questions. The entire website is designed to resolve basic inquiries people may

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have. It effectively and clearly introduces the church and its structure. It is a valuable tool for anyone wanting to know more about the teachings, beliefs, or doctrines of the LDS faith. While the website www.mormon.org is very effective at reaching those who know little about the church or those who have questions, it offers little news or important information to the LDS church's other key public. Current active members of the church have very different needs from an online communication source provided by the church. To maintain relationships with their members, the church has created an entirely different website. This one, found at www.lds.org is equally successful at communicating with its targeted public. Members can browse vast databases of books and talks which go into great detail on specific church topics. A member could obtain help in preparing a talk or could find the nearest meeting house when in an unfamiliar area. The website answers questions that a member would have, as well as providing tips on how a member could teach an interested friend or co-worker about the church. It is an all inclusive spot to get the latest on the church's stance on an issue, or current event. This website does an excellent job of communicating with members who are the key public the church wishes to maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with. The two websites have the same goal. They are both free and easy to access and provide information to key publics. Despite the similarities in purpose the two websites target their key and potential key publics very differently. The effort that has gone into the websites is proof that the church has found great success in providing effective and targeted online communication sources for its key publics. Online Surveys

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Online communications is used to satisfy the needs of many organizations and has the ability to get messages across to different key publics all at once. Online communications distributes messages but can also be used to evaluate how satisfied key publics are and can be used to determine the amount of growth and success your organization is having. A type of online communications currently emerging is the use of online evaluations and surveys. Surveys and evaluations are allowing companies to become more creative, reach diverse audiences, and get faster feedback from their customers. It is something recent that companies are implementing in hopes of increasing the amount of customers and sales. Online survey services are growing as companies are seeking to implement surveys as a way to help their company grow. QuestionPro is one of the leading companies that provide customer satisfaction online surveys. They allow other companies to buy a membership from them so that each business can conduct their own personal online survey. QuestionPro provides templates for their members to help companies limit the time they spend creating a successful survey. QuestionPro provides each member of their service with instant notifications of any customers who took their survey and provides the company with analysis tools to help analyze how satisfied each customer is. QuestionPro is only one of the many survey service companies that exist to help companies implement surveys into their marketing techniques. Companies are implementing online surveys or evaluations because they come in different forms and can be used in a variety of ways. Depending on what data a company is trying to gain, they can choose a survey that involves product rating or one that asks customers open-ended questions. Companies have flexibility with their surveys and use them to stay in touch with customers. After completing a sale, the company sends a follow up email and asks the customer to participate in a survey on how well they liked doing business with the company.

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This shows that the company values them as a customer and gives back useful information that will help in the future. Restaurants like Caf Rio and retail stores like Kohls and Target ask customers to participate in these types of surveys. Oft times the company will offer an incentive if they take the survey such as a discount or free item at their next visit. Brigham Young University students might wonder how this applies to their lives and affects them. A common website that many college students visit each semester completely relies on students providing their opinions by taking the time to fill out evaluations. The commonly used website www.RateMyProfessor.com provides students with information about professors teaching at BYU and other schools abroad. These ratings take time but are very helpful as students create a new schedule. It allows students to read about other students opinions on the professor, and provides information such as the easiness, clarity, helpfulness, and overall quality of the professor. Based off the information gathered, students are able to choose a professor that they feel will fit their needs best. The faculty at BYU is starting to use online communications as well and see the benefits it has to offer. Online student ratings are part of the learning experience BYU provides its students with. By using online student ratings, students are able to provide feedback to BYU about their experience in a specific class, how well the professor performed throughout the semester, and rate the course as a whole. Student ratings are extremely important. President Samuelson encourages each student to complete the ratings so that they can be used to improve courses and teaching methods. The student reviews are considered carefully in helping the university know which professors should be retained or promoted. BYU has been able to make online student ratings a crucial procedure that is used to improve the university each semester and year.

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Organizations are discovering the growth online communication tools have to offer as they implement online surveys and evaluations to better communicate with key publics and gain responses that help them for the future. As responses are received, organizations are able to spot trends and weaknesses, learn from responses, and create strategies and tactics to improve their organization. Data Mining and Internet Tracking "If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it," said Lord Kelvin, a famous physicist. Today's advanced world of online communication has given us the opportunity to measure more than ever before. For corporations this means business. Public's tastes, activities, and even personalities are now trackable and measurable on a large scale. This intensive collection of online information about groups or individuals is called data mining. Princeton University refers to data mining as "a way to discover new meaning in data." This means that in general, it is not as much concerned with the tracking and analyzing of individuals, but rather of groups and the relationships between them. For PR professionals, this means understanding key publics in a way that has dramatically increased the effectiveness of public relations efforts. The social media website Facebook is an example of a treasure trove of information about key publics that is highly valuable to corporations. Millions of Facebook users all over the world voluntarily post and regularly update information about their location, living situation, sexual orientation, relationship status, occupation, education, preferences in music, books, movies, where they've traveled, and often even their current mood. Corporations can turn this

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information into quantifiable data to be used to identify specific key publics and what they're doing and saying. Another emerging tool that is quickly becoming the standard in data mining and tracking is Google Analytics. Google could be considered the top company for data gathering and analysis, and Google Analytics is the free tool they impart to other companies and individuals to be able to do the same. According to the Google Analytics landing page, anyone can "get the information [they] need to write better ads, strengthen [their] marketing initiatives, and create higher-converting websites." This information includes users near exact geographic location; when they accessed each page at what time; how long they spent there; how they got to the site; what browser they were using; what computer hardware they were using; what other sites they had recently visited, and more. This is in-depth research data for PR and marketing professionals. In 2008, a campaign was launched by Geico Insurance Company called the "Cash for Gas Game." This was targeted towards car insurance holders as a response to exorbitant gas prices. Each time a policy holder made a payment, they were given a key code that would permit them to play another round of the game and possibly win cash. Using tools like Google Analytics, they were able to determine exactly which cities the campaign was most effective in, how long it took them to play it, how many times they returned to the site, and ultimately whether it improved attitudes towards paying insurance when gas prices were so high. Having so much quantifiable data at a company's disposal is essential, and the possibilities are virtually limitless. One of the greatest benefits of data-mining is that it is unobtrusive. Unlike customer satisfaction surveys, focus groups, and other methods of garnering information on key publics,

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data mining is invisible and makes use of information that people have already voluntarily made available. This is ideal in PR, because the information tends to be more accurate. For example, Wal-Mart gathers data about their 100 million customers shopping at 3,600 stores in the U.S. every week. They gather data about what people buy at the register and currently hold about 460 terabytes of this information. Renowned computer scientists Jiawei Han and Micheline Kamber say the data-mining software allowed by Wal-Mart allows their suppliers to access product data and analysis. Suppliers are then able to identify customer buying patterns and trends as well as control inventory or product placement. Additionally merchandising opportunities are identified as well as the quantity of products placed on the shelves. This "invisible data mining" is infinitely more accurate and effective than if a man at the front of the store were to ask you how much you spend on cleaning supplies every week. While this example of data mining is from a marketing perspective, one must not forget that this same data is used by PR agencies. Companies receive near-instant results of how product launches are going, how publics are responding to corporations and indications of trends in consumer attitudes. It also identifies key publics based on spending, product purchases, time and location of purchase, and much more. Conclusion Communication tools and social media are revolutionizing the public relations industry. Rather than be archaic, it is vital to the industries sustainability to heed the call to not only learn but implement this technology.