THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TOOL FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS

Družbeni mediji spreminjajo način, kako ljudje med seboj komuniciramo. V diplomski nalogi obravnavamo družbene medije in vpliv, ki ga imajo na množično komuniciranje in delovanje stroke odnosov z javnostmi. Zanima nas, ali strokovnjaki za odnose z javnostmi menijo, da družbeni mediji spreminjajo način delovanja odnosov z javnostmi in v kolikšni meri jih v svojem delovanju že uporabljajo. Skozi teoretično analizo spoznamo, kaj družbeni mediji sploh so in kakšen vpliv imajo na že obstoječe komunikacijske modele, na tradicionalne medije in na delovanje v stroki odnosov z javnostmi. V diplomski nalogi izvedemo studi empirično raziskavo s pomočjo vprašalnika za slovenske strokovnjake za odnose z javnostmi in s študijo primera. Ugotovimo, da se slovenski strokovnjaki za odnose z javnostmi strinjajo, da družbeni mediji spreminjajo način, kako njihove organizacije komunicirajo. Prav tako ugotovimo, da jih v svojih kampanjah tudi že uporabljajo in menijo, da bi jih morali uporabljati še bolj pogosto.Social media is changing the way people communicate with each other. In this diploma thesis we examine what effect social media has on mass communication and on public relations. We want to find out if public relations experts think that social media is changing the way public relations is practiced and to what extent they are using it in their campaigns. Through theory we recognize what social media is and what effect it has on communication models, on traditional media and on public relations. We also carry out an empirical research project with the help of a questionnaire for public relations experts and a case study. We find out that Slovene public relation experts agree that social media is changing the way of their organization is communicating. Also they are already using them in public relations campaigns and think that they should be used more often