The importance of Crowdsourcing and being Social Media Savvy

It is no secret that the future of Journalism and PR lies in social media. Platforms like Tiktok, Instagram, and Twitter are all heavily used by companies and journalists as ways to gain information and often work with their followers to crowdsource. The use of crowdsourcing has been used for a long time, but since social media is created, it has become a quick go-to for journalists and PR professionals alike.
For those of you that do not know what crowdsourcing is, the Columbia School of Journalism is has defined crowdsourcing as, “Journalism crowdsourcing is the act of specifically inviting of people to participate in a reporting in a reporting task- such as newsgathering, data collection, or analysis- through a targeted, open call for input; personal experiences; documents; or other contributors.” The idea is that information can be gathered quickly through many sources and use information that has been put on social media.
Many media-savvy groups use social media to reach out to the general public. Unfortunately, some groups have found the downside to social media’s power where a misstep without a good PR response can prove catastrophic for some brands. Some articles, such as Earned Media Risings How to turn your Social Media Crisis into PR Success, address the importance of early action. Response to a PR crisis is crucial for a brand to weather a social media crisis. However, if the answer to too fast and inaccurate, this can backfire and lead to more social media backlash.
If social media is used well, it can give a brand a closer connection to its consumers. An article on the Huffington Post titled Real-Time Social media creative marketing and PR addresses the niche for PR firms to work in real-time with companies to give them “rapid response social media.” Certain restaurants, sports teams, and celebrities have seen success in quick and witty responses to current events or trending topics. Over the past few years, more and more groups have seen the benefits of using social media to connect with their consumers and fans.