An Evaluation of the Impact of Social Media on Public Relations Practice: A Study of Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study is to examine social media as an effective communication and feedback platform for public relations.
- To investigate the potential roles of social-media in modern practice of public relations.
- To study the differences and similarity in terms of cost, and effectiveness while using social media and traditional media for message dissemination.
- To examine the public’s response attitude towards the social-media message.
- To investigate whether the social media are suitable for public relations practice.
- To show the strength and weakness of social media as a public relations tool.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This section reviews the concept of social media, types of social media, conceptualization of public relations roles, public relations and social media, importance of social media in public relations and theoretical frame work from scholars and researchers in the field of ICT and social media, in communication studies.
Concept of Social media
The term is normally associated with any site in the internet. However, according to scholars, it is a web-based application allowing users to create a profile in a closed system, has other users with whom one relate with and can perceive them as friends (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). From this definition, social media can be equated to mean social networking, since it is considered a communication channel between members. The social network sites phenomenon is being adopted by people at a very fast rate. The social media basically explains the various sites where people/users can post and applications such as Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, which are rated the top three by Alexa (2014) as ranked above and five biggest in Nigeria by circa (2015), followed by You Tube and lately WhatsApp, among others.
As of September 2015, Facebook reported that approximately 1.1 billion users log in daily (Daily Active Users or DAU), which is nearly 17 percent annual rise. Other sites such Twitter are not left far behind as well. A research conducted by the Social Media Today (2016) stated that during the 3rd quarter of 2015, micro-blogging reached approximately 307 million active monthly users. At the start of 2015, Twitter had gone past the 255 million monthly active users for each quarter.
From the foregoing, the public relations practitioners can’t ignore to benefit from the reach effectiveness this social media provides, fueled by the fact that most people have mobile phones and most probably, access the internet. Strikingly, is how web sites is the best organization social media strategy that is about engaging your audience to interact with you, your mission, values, picture or app for attraction and can allow give authentic original stories and permits faster visibility and publicity, that is cost effective. We are all aware of the trend of social media linkages to web sites today.
Types of social media
There are different forms of social media. The collaborative projects are the easiest form of social media. They enable every user to put, eliminate or alter text based information. a broadly laid out project is Wikipedia, in other words, free, internet-based, online encyclopedia inscribed with the collective efforts of volunteers and easily accessed by anyone so long as there is internet connection.
Blogs are other representations of the social network sites which allow users the chance to publish and take part in different conservations through the internet (Weber, 2009). They are essential for businesses as they help build reputation especially in the event of positive blogging and can also be destructive in the case of negative blogging. Content communities grant people the chance exchange media information between one another.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Overview
The purpose of this section is to examine, give details and explain the various strategies deployed to collect data for the study. This section presents the methodology that was employed in the study. It contains the research design, the population targeted, sample size, sampling procedure, instruments for data collection, validity and reliability of the instruments, procedure for data collection and how data was analyzed and presented. Ethical considerations have been highlighted too.
Research Design
This section explores various approaches and methods of research.
Study Design
This study employed descriptive survey to assess use and emerging trends of social media in public relations practice in Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku. This exposed state of things in this era of digitalization. Owiti (2005) argues that the study becomes somewhat descriptive as data collected and analyzed is described. That is, things are presented as they are. Accordingly, descriptive research is often used when a problem is well structured and there is no intention to investigate cause/effect relations (Yin, 1989). Yin continues to argue that it can be referred to survey because of who, what, where, how many, how much type of questions, of which this study answers.
Sources of data
Primary source of data was collected through interview and administration of questionnaires at the Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku. Secondary data was collected through books, journals and established online sources, which formed part of literature review. As Dury (2008) argues, secondary data provides a comparative tool for the research. Primary data exposed what the real case was, on the ground. This helped to compare existing data with raw data for purposes of examining differences.
Population, sampling and data collection
This part lists the target population, sampling techniques and data collection methods.
The target population
The target populations were public relations officers and staff in the Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku, individuals deemed to have knowledge or experience on social media use. A section of Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku staff in Nigeria were to be investigated too. Total population for Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku staff in Nigeria is 1800, from which 180 Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku staff were to be selected to participate in the research process.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Overview
This chapter discusses research findings that emanated from quantitative and qualitative data collected during the study. The universe population of the study was 180 Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku staff, and 10 public relations officers, but the respondents chose not to return some of the questionnaires thus diving different analysis outcome. In addition, these 10 public relations officers were to also be interviewed. The study aimed at finding out the use of social media in public relations practice in Nigerian companies. It was carried out at Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Overview
Social media use is important in public relations practice. Government ought to understand how social media support this practice if they are to use social media effectively. Landsbergen (2010) posits further that Social media supports the increased reliance on human networks, the need for rapid interactive communication; the need to blur what is private and public, and the need for engaging multimedia. Whether government can use social media depends upon how well government see, understand, and attend to these needs. The purpose of this study was to examine social media use in public relations practice in Nigerian : a case of Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku. Specifically, it sought to identify social media forms used, achievement of PR practice objectives in terms of type of information passed through the social media and determine the factors for preference of social media tools employed in PR practice in Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku.
This chapter presents a summary of the findings of the study, giving conclusions and recommendations that reflect the answers to the specific questions for possible action and suggestions for further research.
Summary of the Findings
The study aimed at examining social media as an effective communication and feedback platform for public relations. The study concentrated on Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku.
The following major findings emerged. The study confirmed that there has been active use of social media in Nigerian companies for duration not less than 3 years. It was determined that there are three forms or applications/mediums of social media that are officially used to relay information. These applications were Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. The degree or extent of their use varied significantly with respect to the origin of the communication, that is, from government to the public or from the public to the government; or from government officers to other government officers. It was determined that the PR officers preferred using Facebook and Twitter when communicating to the external Public whereas WhatsApp was used to circulate memos, circulars and briefings internally. Overall, the most commonly used form being Facebook. This was attributed to its relative ease of use compared to the other two. Moreover, it was noted that the department could reach more people in Nigeria via
Facebook than through any other social media means. Twitter was the second most used form whereas WhatsApp came at a distant third; being the least used form-mainly internally. Therefore, social media had become a daily act of the PR practice, with findings indicating response to enquiries as major daily activity.
The analysis revealed that the actual estimate of the number of people who could be reached via social media was nonetheless unclear. The public relations officers gave vastly differing estimates, as either hundreds of people, thousands, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands. But this reach may imply expansive audience considering that 100 people who are also connect to many other could be reached daily.
Similarly, the officers were divided on whether social media is used for internal communication at the department or not. Of the respondents interviewed, 50 % agreed that social media is used for internal communication while the other 50% differed in response. Many thought disagreed on its internal use opined that it was only utilized to relay what had already been communicated. For example, a memo that had been released would be captured in photo format then circulated via WhatsApp to colleagues.
The study revealed certain attributes of various social media forms in use which had endeared them to the Public at the Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku. These included accessibility, positivity, networking and convenience in sharing ideas and sharing tasks. The ease with which one social media form enabled users to enjoy this attributes was a guide to preference of that social media form over the others. In line with this, the research assessed whether social media enhanced achievement of PR practice objectives at Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku. It was determined that the communication content varied, ranging from informational content, social content and publicity material. Informational discourse, which dominated the results. External and internal communication was also achieved. Feedback to enquiries also imply effective communication.
Moreover, the study revealed that social media had impacted positively on service delivery at the Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku. It was determined that social media had created a convenient avenue for Public to make enquiries and received guidance simultaneously from the officers. Secondly, social media had widened accessibility to information, whereby the public no longer had to physically visit the office to get information or service. Furthermore, social media had eased communication between public relations officers and other line state departments hence the PR officers were positions to relay the same to the enquiring public hence offering timely responses to issues at hand. Moreover, it was determined that social media engagement with the public generated immediate responses hence improved trust and confidence in public service.
Finally, the study revealed that there was prominence of organizational barriers that limited the social media use and adoption. Majority of interviewees were quick to mention the security reasons for avoidance of free use. Facebook page for internal Public was dormant only occasioned with notices and policies updates. This pointed to a fact that social media was in active utilization at the department on daily basis.
Conclusions
The study concluded that govt public relations practice is in active utilization and adoption of social media. All officers were technologically savvy or conscious of it. The modes in use are Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, the latest, implying adoption rate was high.
The study nonetheless determined that preference on modes of social media used varied significantly depending on the nature of origin of the communication, type of Public, ease of use, reach, access and networking, among other factors.
However, for all its good, the study concludes that the public relations department is unsure of the estimated population it is able to reach through communication via social media. This means that there are no assessments done for effective use of social media.
Social media is used for information, publicity, to pursue dialogue and also to convey social messages such as the department conveying seasonal greetings during festivities like Christmas. Therefore, the social media is used to promote brand and preserve image other than promote mutual understanding. The study concludes that social media has been instrumental in enhancing public communication and service delivery through enabling simultaneous interactions but still holds of the control of what to be done through it.
The study also assessed whether social media use enhanced achievement of PR practice objectives in terms of information passed in this department. The type of information passed through social media was mainly informational. Meaning, the main aim is to push messages to the Public. Public were merely passive recipients. With question- answer inquiries that never considered the opinions of the Public. Less power was given to them, hence, two-way communication still inadequate.
It was discovered that, social media was more beneficial to external Public than internal. This could mean internal communication was sparse or done through alternative media, and it is obvious that there is lack of right approach to implement social media as a main communication tool for the internal Public. . Unlike what Adoyo (2014) argued that social media provides an opportunity for everyone to communicate effectively and efficiently in away unprecedented by any other media.
There was a general agreement that social media informs the public on services, promotes goodwill through conversation and dialogue allows access to public information, thereby facilitating transparency, accountability and timely response. The study also revealed that Facebook was the most preferred mode by external Public for making inquiries, and for responding to the public. This was due to ease, reach and cost effectiveness. PROs also preferred the same for communicating with the Public. Internal communication preference tool was WhatsApp. There was control of messages from internal Public. Access and networking were the main attributes accounting for preference of social media in this department. These are the main factors that enhance its use.
It is clear that, social media was used oftenly, hence a daily tool in PR practice. Mostly, the activities done on daily basis included timely response to inquiries and this was as a result of complaints or complements appearing daily from the public update of statuses. That face to face interaction had reduced, following Public seeking information via social media.
Summarily, public relations officers’ roles in this era are crucial and overload.
Risk averse culture and restrictions of free use of social media imply that PROs are not involved in managerial decision making, and there is no guiding policies. This is so mainly because, govt is reluctant to give up control of their messages, keeping professionalism in pages.
Recommendations
The study recommends that the Delta State Polytechnic Ogwashi Uku should consider developing a harmonized social media strategy. This would enable its officers, particularly on the public relations department to appreciate the revolutionary nature and positive attributes that social media can bring to the organization. This will be necessitated by a social media public officials’ implementation guide that will ensure right policies, strategies and assessment tools (Cardenas 2013). This would solve the issues of risk averseness, restrictions, evaluation and unequal use for internal verse external communication.
It was noted that most of the officers at the department were at least 40 years old hence may not be technologically savvy. The study recommends that efforts should be put in place to ensure that they are well adapted to the social media use generation without falling prey to information confidentiality breaches that are a concern today. Training in social media use will enhance this course.
Finally, the study recommends that the department should embrace the modes of social media deemed appropriate to the internal Public with a bit of friendliness. This would ensure that the department does not lose the trust and confidence it has already developed with the internal public as that would dampen efficient service delivery and non-achievement of public relations practice goals.
Suggestions for Further Research
The study was not conclusive but opened for more need for future research to conduct studies on a number of related issues to social media use in Nigerian companies.
Further research should be carried out on areas of social media reach estimation, response rate to enquiries done through social media and finally the view of social media use in Nigerian companies public relations from external perspective. Does the external public view government better with the upswing of social media?
Further study should be done on large scale PR research on social media use in govt, other than a case study.
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