As I sit down to pen my thougths, I cannot but help reflect on how PR as an industry has changed in India over the past decade. Traditionally even though in India, more than 80 per-cent of PR depends on media relations, things are changing. Clients are waking up to the prospect of new opportunities and tools that can help them connect with their target audience. To give a few numbers according to the latest comScore report, Facebook has grown by over 150 percent in the last year and LinkedIn has notched up over 2 million Indian users. Impressive statistics and something that all PR professionals are being concerned about.
Brands are definitely warming up to this new opportunity. Digital Infuence today is an essential element of PR and its requirement is set to grow given that India’s internet is growing at rougly 10-20 percent a year according to Forrester.
Today it’s not just about coverage in traditional media channels, but also what we can do on Facebook for a brand which builds word of mouth advocacy and infleuntial marketing. Or how we can leverage the existing 2 million user base of LinkedIn to create targeted communities which help our brands to communicate. It’s time for new ideas; for fresh perspectives.
Even though majority of Indian brands still believe that the time for social media marketing has not yet arrived, it is definitely time for Indian PR professionals to prepare themselves.
At Ogilvy we have created the 360 Degree Digital Influence, a strategic tool with which we are building advocacy around our global clients. But it does not end there. There is a constant need for being updated about technological advancements. With more and more social media tools being created every day, it is our prerogative to be on the forefront of knowing how we can harness these best to help our clients.
Influence has a new name. Influence 2.0
The Changing Face of Influence
