Every Student Practices Public Relations

By:emily douglas

Photo Courtesy of Kaboompics on Pexels

When students think about public relations, most think of press releases, networking or big scandals. PR cannot be minimized to damage control and writing press releases. If you have posted on TikTok, Instagram or Facebook, you have already practiced PR skills without even realizing it. 

Strategic storytelling

Every picture you post has a story attached to it. Students curate their social media to represent the version of themselves that they want their audiences to see. For example, you go to a concert and want to post about it on your Instagram. At the concert, you took about 150 pictures, but decided to only post the best five. You are strategically choosing what you want to share and leave out online, creating an image for yourself or storytelling. 

Posting on social media is strategic and PR professionals do the same thing with press releases and planning out content. Professionals highlight the good for their clients, like a new partnership; they do not highlight a recent scandal or negative news about their clients. You may think of this storytelling as dishonest, but in reality, it is cultivating a brand image. 

Audience awareness 

Students may not realize it, but they tailor messaging based on the audience. How you talk and message your friends is different than how you would message and speak to your professors. In a text to your friends, you would use slang or emojis, while in an email to your professors, you adjust the style and tone of your writing to be more professional. There is an instinct to be more mindful when speaking to those superior to you. 

PR professionals do the same when communicating with different clients. The wording on a social media post will look entirely different than the wording on a press release for local media, even if the message is the same. Just like students, PR professionals think about how they communicate and adjust their language for different audiences.  

Takeaways

Public relations is not only practiced by professionals. Every social media post, text, or group project pitch is an opportunity to practice PR skills like storytelling and audience awareness. Understanding how your everyday actions can mirror those of PR professionals can help you communicate more intentionally.