If the Bulldog Reporter Media Relations 2007 conference is any indication, the PR community is clearly getting on board the social media express. Well, most of the community. The 2-day conference featured a well-attended “New PR Technology” track that covered the expected (blogs, video sharing) and some less “mainstream” social media topics (Twitter, badging). Together with Bill Bonner from OfficeMax, I was on the coveted final 4:30-5:15 slot — relocated to the basement of the Marriott just hours earlier — and we still drew a crowd looking for social media insights.

It was encouraging to a lot of new ideas – and to see PR traditionalists asking very intelligent social media questions. It was quite clear that many more are wading into the cyberspace waters. And those who aren’t quite there yet showed a true interest in understanding how they could make social media part of their personal and professional lives. A few takeaways (apologies to the speakers who offered up these gems):

• David Pogue (NYTimes gadget guy – and a truly funny and intelligent fellow) is a big podcast fan; he gives great presentation
• Everyone agrees that best way for PR folks to learn social media is to try it
• Social media won’t replace PR – it’ll expand on it
• Bloggers aren’t “third-tier media”
• Blog relations isn’t that different that traditional media relations – it’s just fast and broader
• The Butterball Turkey hotline ladies have gone digital

There’s so much more to share – Pogue’s keynote alone deserves its own blog. But for now, I’m more interested in catching a flight back to Boston. But I will leave you with this thought: it’s obvious from this conference that the PR community – everyone from those who focus on non-profits to those in tech PR, from those (like me) who have been around for ages to those who are new to this profession – is making great progress in this area. We still have a way to go, but those who aren’t there yet are trying. And those that are there are continue to explore new social media opportunities.

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