A recent scientific study has revealed the dramatic impact of social media networking on public relations (PR) performance in the Kingdom’s private sector.

Mohammed Al-Shebl, a researcher who completed a doctoral thesis on the topic, said officials working at government institutions could benefit from the experience of major private sector institutions who handle PR campaigns through social networks.

The findings of his research, which earned him a doctoral degree from the Faculty of Information and Communication at the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), have indicated an overwhelming use of outlets such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter among PR practitioners as opposed to traditional channels.

Al-Shebl revealed the existence of administrative units specializing in new media that act as PR tools. His study also stressed the importance of these outlets in fulfilling PR functions such as occupation communication, job media, administrative functions, advisory functions and marketing.

PR officials from both public and private institutions in the Kingdom took part in the study.

Al-Shebl study has recommended that graduate students continue such studies on the impact of new media on public relations.

He also called for the public and private sectors to establish specialized units that address the urgent needs of these institutions in various aspects of media, communication and marketing.

He has urged institutions that are reliant upon new media to pinpoint the extent to which these outlets are needed and in which domains in order to maximize benefits.

Al-Shebl urged major institutions to experts in the field and to enhance training both within the Kingdom and abroad. The study recommended the need to strengthen the position of new media in organizational structures and develop policies and procedures, with manuals detailing functions and responsibilities, in order to ensure regularity.

The advisory committee included Abdullah Refai, dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication and the supervisor of the thesis.

Members of the panels included Mohammed Al-Hezan and Othman Al-Arabi, a faculty member at the Department of Information at King Saud University.