Web Site Public Relations: How Corporations Build and Maintain Relationships Online By Mihaela Vorvoreanu

Web Site Public Relations: How Corporations Build and Maintain R ...

Chapter 1:

Introduction and Underlying Assumptions

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Online shopping is another major activity among U.S. Internet users. More than 50% of U.S. users made online purchases in 2003 (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2004). In the first quarter of 2002, $9.849 billion was spent online (Cox, 2002). Compare that with $29 billion that was spent online in the 2007 U.S. holiday season (November 1–December 31) (comScore Media Matrix, 2008). Public relations corporate Web sites play an important role in activities related to shopping and searching for information about products and services. Users visit these sites looking for information about products, or about the organization itself and its policies. Research done by Burson-Marsteller and RoperASW (CyberAtlas, 2001) found that online opinion leaders (called “e-fluentials”), who influence an estimated 14 people each, use company Web sites as their main source of information about products and services. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Burson-Marsteller’s chief knowledge and research officer, commented on the importance of the company Web site for public relations:

E-fluentials can be reputation-builders or busters. It’s crucial for companies to build trust and value with influential visitors to their Web sites so they can neutralize the negatives and nurture the positives. Company Web sites that provide e-fluentials with straight-forward, easy-to-use information are pivotal in building and enhancing the value of brands, products and services in the public eye. Other consumers count on e-fluentials to be their hunters and gatherers of online information. (CyberAtlas, 2001)

The facts that over 99% of Fortune 500 companies had a Web site as early as 2002 (Russell, 2002) and that almost half a billion dollars was spent on corporate sites in 2001 (Jupiter Media Metrix, 2002) indicate that corporations understand the importance of Web sites.

Web sites also play an important role in information about government and politics. Ninety-seven million Americans reported using government Web sites for finding information or contacting both offices and government officials (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2004).