Planet Relations

Quick…What's a wiki? A wiki is "a type of website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change some available content, sometimes without the need for registration." The most visible wiki is, of course, Wikipedia. 

What's the relevance to public relations? The goal of public relations is to foster relationships with others, especially those that can affect (positively or negatively) your business, organization, etc. The desired action may be sharing information or changing behavior. Wikis allow relationship building by engaging stakeholders and fostering collaboration.

Think about whether a wiki makes sense for your business, organization, or initiative. I'll cite two examples of wikis in action: the Pharos Project and the NewPR/Wiki. 

In short, the Pharos Project aims to provide information about building materials and their environmental and social impacts. The PharosWiki is a "virtual commons … inviting the building material user community to discuss green materials." According to the website, it's designed to build a community comprised primarily of those using building materials to discuss, share, learn and build a common framework for evaluating and improving the health, environment, and social impact of the materals we use. Healthy Building Network, one of the primary organizers, says that it is committed to engaging many users in helping to develop Pharos in an ongoing, iterative way. Sounds like the essence of managing relations with one's publics. 

The NewPRWiki, on the other hand, is intended as a virtual watercooler where practicing PR professionals can collaborate. It's billed as:

• a repository of relevant information about how the PR practice is changing
• a collaboration tool for PR professionals and people interested in the practice of public relations
• an open space where anyone can ask questions, post ideas, or start a project.

Two notable projects include the social media release and the anti-astroturfing campaign. The NewPRWiki is advancing the practice of public relations in the age of technology.