Introduction to Public Relations

Name: Introduction to Public Relations
Author: Laura Gutiérrez

Discover the benefits of effective public relations for any organization.

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 5 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

(chiming music) (cymbal resonates) These lessons discuss the field of public relations, its main objectives, and the importance of communicating effective messages. You'll learn how to identify your public audience, establish and maintain the credibility of your organization, and craft effective messages. According to the Public Relations Society of America, public relations, or PR, is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics. The process involves using communication skills to ensure the economic success and survival of your organization. The PR process relies on several types of communication and it generally consists of research, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Organizations might use PR for self-promotion, to influence their audiences, or to gain positive reputations. While the specific goals can vary based on each organization's needs, the following are some common primary objectives for PR efforts: establishing and protecting a positive reputation for your organization, developing communication strategies to improve the prestige and image of your organization, and building and maintaining relationships between your organization and different publics. No matter the objectives, PR is an important area for any organization, including private companies, not-for-profits, and governments. While PR can be used for many purposes, the following are some common uses: creating effective messages for the public, collaborating with the press and gaining media coverage, planning communication strategies for social media platforms, creating positive public for your organization, solving organizational conflicts and issues, and dealing with crises that can jeopardize the stability of your organization. While discussing the topic of PR, there are other important things to keep in mind. Remember that PR isn't the same as marketing. While marketing generally seeks to sell products or services, PR works to build and maintain long-term relationships with audiences. It's also important not to conflate PR with advertising. Although both use the media, advertising pays for advertisements to appear on television, radio program, or webpages. PR relies on editorial spaces given by the press, and generally, these spaces aren't paid for. Instead, they're gained by building relationships through networking and personal connections. As a PR department works to achieve its objectives, it may also collaborate closely with the head of the organization. This line of communication can provide important information about the organization's PR efforts directly to the decision-making structure.

Beginner Provider : Laura Gutiérrez 5 Lessons · 15m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Urdu, Chinese

Course Description

Public relations personnel are responsible for developing communication strategies to share relevant information about their organizations. They craft messages according to the specific needs and interests of the audience to influence them in beneficial ways. As messages start rolling out, a PR team helps establish and maintain the credibility and trustworthiness of the organization by adhering to ethical principles that guide their actions. Learning the basics of public relations can increase the depth and effectiveness of an organization’s public interactions. This leads to a more positive public opinion and higher chances of the public taking actions that benefit the organization.

In this course, Introduction to Public Relations, you’ll review the basics of public relations, its definition, goals, and uses. You’ll explore the differences among various types of public audiences and how to understand their needs to craft relevant messages that move the audience to action. You’ll come to understand the different ways a public relations team establishes credibility and adheres to ethics guidelines, and why doing both is important.

What You'll Learn

Understand the definition, goals, and uses of public relations and why it matters
Differentiate among various types of public audiences and identify their needs
Craft relevant messages that move an audience to action
Identify methods of establishing credibility for an organization
Assess the effectiveness of different public relations messages
Analyze the role of ethical principles in public relations

Key Takeaways

Public relations personnel develop communication strategies to share relevant information about their organizations and craft messages according to the specific needs and interests of the audience.
A PR team helps establish and maintain an organization's credibility and trustworthiness by adhering to ethical principles that guide their actions.
Learning the basics of public relations can increase the depth and effectiveness of an organization's public interactions, leading to more positive public opinion.
Understanding the differences among public audiences allows a PR team to craft relevant messages that move the audience to action.
Establishing credibility and adhering to ethics guidelines are both important to effective public relations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

Introduction to Public Relations reviews the basics of public relations, including its definition, goals, and uses; the differences among various types of public audiences and how to understand their needs to craft relevant messages; and the ways a public relations team establishes credibility and adheres to ethics guidelines.

What will I learn about audiences in this course?

You will explore the differences among various types of public audiences and how to understand their needs to craft relevant messages that move the audience to action.

Does this course address ethics in public relations?

Yes. The course covers how a public relations team adheres to ethical principles, includes a lesson on Ethical Issues, and helps you analyze the role of ethical principles in public relations and why adhering to them is important.

What lessons are included?

The course includes the lessons: What is Public Relations?; Knowing the Public and Crafting a Message; Ethical Issues; Establishing Credibility; and Test Your Knowledge.

Is this course suitable for beginners?

Yes. The course reviews the basics of public relations, making it appropriate for those looking to learn the fundamentals of public relations.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®)

Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.5

Certification Program Categories:

Leadership & NavigationBusiness AcumenConsultationGlobal MindsetEthical PracticeRelationship ManagementAnalytical AptitudeCommunicationDiversity, Equity & Inclusion

KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).