Fides Media Living the Faith
By Isdore C. Ndubuisi
The practice of public relations in Nigeria seems to be dwindling by each passing day, especially with the advent of social media influencers.
Business marketing is no longer the same as there are numerous new strategies, ranging from social media influencers to social media marketing, which have become prominent.
These new methods of marketing have given brands a plethora of options to choose from. But notwithstanding, the expansive options have also made it difficult for brands to decide what works best.
At the just concluded 2022 Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Anambra State Council Annual General Meeting (AGM)/Election, the issue of social media influencers was a hot topic on the burner.
Speaking at the event the guest speaker, Dr. Tony Onyima, maintained that technology would continue to change how PR was practiced and that it wielded a lot of powers in branding management and repositioning.
The outgoing Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Chief Dr. Uche Nworah, expressed worry on the reluctance of internal staff members and stakeholders refused to like or share their companies’ online contents.
He said that part of ways to proffer solutions to the setbacks in the profession was for employers of labour to convert employees and stakeholders to story tellers, because the welfare of employees was key and also contributed to why the PR industry was losing to influencers.
‘Media owners need to rethink their story telling because the wild stories catch more attention than any other story. It is agreed that NIPR is not moving with the speed of technological evolution, hence, regulations are due for reformation,’ Nworah said.
Citing what transpired between the print and online media, he said the number and quality of online publications were increasing and that the PR industry must be on a fast lane.
He called for the recognition of PR practitioners in various establishments, noting that they should be carried along by their employers.
‘The industry must be on a fast lane in other to assist in curtailing the shortfalls. The merits of social media influencers, stand-up comedians and the like, are that they could afford to say or present anything, but a PR company upholds regulations of the profession,’ he opined, noting that online marketing content was fast developing and that one of the biggest struggles business owners often faced was settling between the traditional public relations (PR) and social media influencers.