How to Become a Digital PR Specialist

Digital public relations (PR) is a fast-growing field in which firms manage the digital reputation of their clients. A digital PR specialist works in a variety of ways, from creating email newsletters and podcasts to representing clients on industry message boards and blogs. In order to become a digital PR specialist, you'll need general public-relations skills plus some specific knowledge of the online medium. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bachelor's degree in communication or a related subject

Become a Digital PR Specialist

1. Study for a bachelor's degree in a communications field and be sure to take classes that work with new media. Many journalism departments are offering classes that focus on the convergence of print and online media. Classes that teach website development and online content creation would also prepare you to work in the digital PR world.

2. Intern with a company that has a few virtual clients. It's fairly common for most large PR firms to work with online media. Your internship may be geared more towards office-assistant work, but don't miss out on chances to learn about how digital reputations are managed.

3. Ask the company you intern for whether it can give you basic training on online brand-tracking programs. These applications, which include BuzzLogic, Cymphony and MotiveQuest, help analyze online conversations and track consumer motivations. Basic familiarity with one or more of these programs will probably give you an advantage over other recent graduates during your job search.

4. Set up your own blog or website. Neither of these two sites needs to be extensive or flashy, but they will help you create an online presence and practice your skills. Keep your blog or website professional and refer potential employers to it for samples of your work.

5. Look for entry-level PR positions where you'll have some contact with new media. You'll probably have to work for a few years as a PR associate before you can begin to specialize your skills and become a digital PR specialist. Be sure to ask about advancement opportunities when you are at job interviews.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure that you get a reference from your host at the end of your internship.
• If you already have your college degree and haven't taken any Internet-skills courses, you should call local community colleges to see whether they offer any inexpensive classes.
• Even if you're a seasoned PR worker, you should learn a little bit about digital PR work in order to help your company stay competitive and expand its business.