The Impact of Social Media on Public Relation Practitioners in Saudi Companies - Free Paper

Study population and sampling design

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Two companies were selected from Saudi Arabia, which are Saudi Airlines and Saudi Telecom Company. The study utilized a sample of thirty-six members of public relations practitioners all of them were male. The sample is sufficient to give populations parameters from the sample statistics collected.

The study utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods. Qualitative data from the open-ended questions that give the personal feeling and perceptions on why they felt that using social media has impacted the reputation of your company was used to validate the quantitative data collected. Quantitative data was captured on the number of participants answering the various questions in the questionnaire. Secondary data from journals and review papers was used to understand how various companies use social media in their public relations activities was used in the literature review. The social media sites used by the selected companies were evaluated to investigate their relevance to the companies. The aim of using secondary research is to ensure that the points of view of previous researchers are recognized, and helped in the guide on what to target in the collection of fast hand data.

Research Instruments

A survey questionnaire was used in the research paper. The questionnaire was prepared to pay attention to the research questions. The questionnaires were approved by the supervisor and then emailed to the respondents to be filled and emailed back for analysis.

Limitations of the procedure

It was not possible to ask additional questions in areas where questions were half answered. Interviews would have helped achieve this, but the costs would be higher.

Results and findings

Figure 1

How social media has changed the way the company or customers communicate.

A shown in figure 1, 38.9% of the respondents agreed that social media had changed the way social the company and clients communicate. It was followed closely by those who strongly agree at 30.06% No one strongly disagreed meaning that social media platforms have impacted the and improved the way company management and customers in a business organization communicate.

Figure 2

Social media has boosted the practice of public relations

As shown in figure 2, a majority of the participants (69.44%) agreed that social has boosted the practice of public relations in the selected companies. Most companies embrace social media in the way they relate with the clients thus enhancing the good relationship between the business management and the customers.19.44 percent disagreed to this allegation while 11.11percent neither agreed nor disagreed.

Figure 3

A pie chart on whether Twitter has enhanced the practice of public relationship

A shown on figure 3, the Twitter platform has helped to enhance the practice of public relationship in the business sector. 63.89% of the participants agreed to this argument.11.11 percent did not agree nor did they disagree. 25% disagreed that Twitter has enhanced the practice of public relationship. It is attributed to the fact that Twitter is not very popular among most managers and clients due to its complexity in the opening and running an active account. The application is not available in most of the devices that customer use. Few customers have time to follow the tweets. It does not enable a direct communication between the customer and the application administrator.

Figure 4

A trend line on social media impact to corporate and organizational strategy

As shown on figure 4, Social media has impacted corporate and organizational strategy of the companies in Saudi 71.68% of the respondent agreed in favor while 28.32% disagreed to this claim. Through compliments and complaints raised in the social media platforms has impacted the way managers utilize and make their business strategies.

Figure 5

A bar chart on whether public relations practitioners should learn how to use social media

As shown on figure 5, 66.7% supported that public relations practitioners should learn how to use social media. It is followed by 30.56% who strongly believe that public relations practitioners should be taught how to use social media. A 2.74% neither disagreed nor agreed. Almost everyone agreed that learning on how to use social media should be adopted by all the public relations practitioners.

Figure 6

A bar chart on whether social media plays a vital role to form a good reputation for a company

As shown on figure 6, a majority of the participants agree that social media plays a vital role in building a good reputation for the company. Companies can make advertisements on the social media thus increasing their reputation. Managers can interact with their clients on the social media hence learning from the comments posted by the clients. Business transactions can be made on the social media as well.

Figure 7

A pie chart on the commonly used social media sites

A shown on figure 7, Facebook is a site that is commonly used by the public relation practitioners sharing a 50-50 percent with other social media sites. Blog is the least used at 2.7%

Figure 8

A chart showing that using social media achieves the goal of a company

As shown on figure 8, a whole 58.33 percent agree that social media has helped achieve the goals of the company. It has helped companies do business thus increased sales.

Discussion

The Twitter platform has helped to enhance the practice of public relationship in the business sector. Most of the respondents in the study agreed to this argument. It is attributed to the fact that Twitter is very popular among most managers and clients due to its complexity in the opening and running an active account. The application is available in most of the devices that customer use. Customers have time to follow the tweets. It does not enable a direct communication between the client and the application administrator. Most of the respondents agreed that social media had changed the way social the company and clients communicate. It means that social media platforms have impacted and improved the way company management and customers in a business organization communicate. A majority of the participants agree that social media plays a vital role in building a good reputation for the company. Companies can make advertisements on the social media thus increasing their reputation. Managers can interact with their clients on the social media hence learning from the comments posted by the clients. Business transactions have been made on the social media as well enabling a medium of exchange.

Conclusion

Social media plays a huge role in the public relation practitioners sector. It has helped people from different avenues of the corporate sector to meet in the virtual world. Relations have been improved between the customers and the management through these social media site. Social media has made the public relation sector reach a note higher in the way they mingle and relate with different customers and other stakeholders in the department.

Table 1

Research questionnaire on The Impact of Social Media on Public Relation Practitioners in Saudi Companies

Q1. How do you agree or disagree that using social media has changed the way your company or customers communicate?

Strongly disagree 0

Disagree 2

Somewhat disagree 3

Neither disagrees nor agree 2

Somewhat agree 4

Agree 14

Strongly agree 11

Q2. How much do you agree or disagree that social media has boosted the practice of public relations?

Strongly disagree 1

Disagree 3

Somewhat disagree 3

Neither disagrees nor agree 4

Somewhat agree 2

Agree 16

Strongly agree 7

Q3. How much do you agree or disagree that Twitter has enhanced the practice of public relationship?

Strongly disagree 1

Disagree 5

Somewhat disagree 3

Neither disagrees nor agree 4

Somewhat agree 6

Agree 12

Strongly agree 5

Q4. How much do you agree or disagree that social media has impacted corporate and organizational strategy?

Strongly disagree 2

Disagree 4

Agree 19

Strongly agree 7

Neither disagrees nor agree 4

Q5. How much do you agree or disagree that public relations practitioners should learn how to use social media?

Strongly disagree 0

Disagree 0

Agree 24

Strongly agree 9

Neither disagrees nor agree 3

Q6. How much do you agree or disagree that social media plays a vital role to form a good reputation for a company?

Strongly disagree 2

Disagree 5

Neither disagrees nor agree 9

Agree 15

Strongly disagree 5

Q7. If you answered ''agree''or ''strongly agree to question (6) please tell us why you feel that using social media has impacted the reputation of your company.

Q8. Does the public relations department use?

Twitter 4

Facebook 17

Instagram 3

LinkedIn 6

YouTube 3

Blog 1

All of the above 2

Others 0

Q9. How much do you agree or disagree that using social media achieves the goal of your company?

Strongly disagree 0

Disagree 1

Neither disagrees nor agree 6

Agree 21

Strongly disagree 8