5 ways marketing and public relations have changed

In the 1990s everything changed. It is when the internet exploded from shadows of research and academia into homes across the world.  Now it touches every aspect of our lives; from how we communicate, our buying habits, our entertainment, and how we learn.  Traditional marketing through print and yellow pages has become as outdated as 8-track tapes and bell bottoms. Today I am going to cover 5 ways the internet has changed public relations and marketing.
1	The idea of the target audience is outdated.  ·         Instead of having that ideal customer.. the focus now needs to be about the community your ideal customer is a part of.   People form communities online with people who share their view and likes. ·         Influencers on that community need to be your target audience (what blogs do they read, what podcasts do they are listening to, who do they follow on twitter). A relationship with an influencer can make a big impact. ·         Every page, blog post, every attention grabber needs to focus on that target community. (and MUST be mobile friendly)
2	People are more informed and they find you.  ·         With limitless information, people research everything from which TV to buy to looking up health conditions to see if they should see a doctor.  A banner ad or emails no longer work.  You need to identify the questions your customers (or their influencers)  may be searching for and tailor answers to meet their needs.
3	Social Media is the driver.    (NOT LONGER OPTIONAL) Let's face it. Our society now communicates through text messages, tweets, memes, pictures, and short videos.  If you want to get your message across, you need to be on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat.   ·         Social media shapes how we view the news and even the world around us.  ·         It allows people to create fantasy personas. ·         Social media is about the conversation, connection, and people.  ·         Use these multiple outlets to pull people to your website or blog where you provide content.
4	Engagement comes first, product and services 2nd.   ·         The days of products and services selling themselves is gone. ·         Grab attention with something of token value.  (Free Item, information, funny video ) ·         Give them something to talk about and share with others. ·         Your attention grabber should ultimately align with your goals.  ·         After you have their attention, then share meaningful stories and content about what you have to offer is improving your life and how it can help them.
5	People have changed.  ·        There are a lot of people looking for ways (products and services) that can make their life more meaningful.  ·         For many today, time is a valued community, multi-tasking is common.  ·         They want fast responses to their questions.  If you do not respond timely, they will go somewhere else. Be thankful they asked a question, most don't even do that.    ·         They are willing to text, chat online, or even video conference to have their questions answered.  Have those options available.
In the 1990s everything changed.  The flood of information has made us both well informed and overwhelmed.  Plan for     People are disparately seeking connection to a others, yet hide behind their phone and computer screens.    PR and marking is constantly changing and challenging. It is also an opportunity to stand out.  Find ways to join communities, to build relationships, to provide answers your market seeks.  Engage, and to provide faster ways to communicate.