What's more, social media and digital PR capabilities have been a significant contributor to PR agency growth these past few years, despite the economic downturn—and portend to continue to be a part of that growth moving forward (a growth rate estimated at 12.5% for WOM and PR over the next four years, according to the latest "Communications Industry Forecast" from Veronis Suhler Stevenson).

So why is social media the domain of PR? And how can you replicate best practices to claim your share of the marcom budget when it comes to crafting and executing social media campaigns for clients? The answers that follow should help in pitches to prospects and existing clients alike:

Four Reasons PR Excels at Social Media

Jason Mandell Partner and Co-Founder Launch Squad

Jillian McDowell Social Media Group Co-Chair Carmichael Lynch Spong

Charlie Kondek Director of New Media Relations MS&L Digital

Chris Perry EVP, Digital Strategy and Operations Weber Shandwick

1. PR owns storytelling and content. That's the heart of what PR does, stresses Jason Mandell, partner and co-founder of Launch Squad. PR professionals understand how to present a story in a compelling, credible, inspiring way—and how to get that story to the public through the media, he explains. "The content is where we have been playing for all these years. And social media is about content—and it's about engagement." It's PR's "sweet spot," he says.

Jillian McDowell, co-chair of Carmichael Lynch Spong's social media group agrees. "Creating relevant, meaningful content, communicating to influencers and building relationships is ingrained in the foundation of public relations, so it's natural that this expertise has extended to the online realm."

2. PR pushes participation. "The mantra of working in social media is ‘Don't disrupt, participate.' Of all the marcom disciplines, PR is the only one that's most about participation rather than disruption," says Charlie Kondek, director of new media relations at MS&L Digital. "Marketing can build it. Advertising can dress it up in creativity. But it's PR that needs to be leading the strategy."

3. PR reacts in real time. "Social media happens in real-time, in the moment. To participate requires flexibility and agility. Backed by smart strategic planning, the PR function has always involved real-time improvisation based on opportunities or issues of the day. Being in the moment is in PR's DNA," says Chris Perry, EVP, digital strategy and operations, Weber Shandwick.

4. PR is adept at addressing multiple audiences. "PR teams are adept at effectively communicating with an array of external and internal constituents," says Perry. That's a "must" for those who want to fully leverage the power of socialized communications.

In addition, "We earn the right to generate ideas, shape stories, and foster relationships based on mutual interests. The fusion of these three actions is essential to effectively leverage social media. This trinity is again unique to the PR business," he says.

Nine Social Media Best Practices for PR Firms

So that's the "why." Now, let's look at how the best firms are taking control of this potentially lucrative practice area.

1. Determine audience and objectives first—not social media channels. "Everything we do begins with research and insights so we usually start there, with our practice of active listening. We survey the social media landscape as we strategize on how best to get involved," says Kondek.

And if you listen hard enough, you may find out that social media may not be the best answer. Social media is not a panacea for every communications program, cautions Perry. "We consult with clients to take an ‘inline' approach—one that takes into consideration audiences' interests, media habits and behaviors—and then design online and offline engagement strategies that address these considerations, which often, but not always, include social media."

At Launch Squad, since the clientele is very tech-savvy, it behooves Mandell and his staff to stay current on the latest in digital PR and be able to discuss that intelligently. For another firm, it may involve understanding "mom-preneurs," for example. Just like any other aspect of PR, it has to be about the client and the client's audience.

"Determine how to best help them through this new media transition," counsels Perry. "Build up a body of casework that proves the value you can provide through new social technologies. And third, scale it from there. Anything less is simply hot air."

2. Focus on building a body of results-driven work—not building your "social media brand." Speaking of hot air—many PR firms err by focusing on style more than substance, Perry warns. "Firms make mistakes by putting their best digital talent on the speaking circuit versus on important client assignments. They put an emphasis on big thinking that's disconnected from the realities of a client's situation, or their own means to execute what they've suggested."

Kondek offers a similar warning. "It seems some PR professionals expend a lot of time and energy building their own brand or their agency's when they could be executing client work. "Isn't it better to go to market with a body of great work than an impressive array of self-aggrandizing social media?"

3. Innovate and experiment internally—practice what you preach. That said, you can't provide wise counsel about social media if you don't understand it yourself. And that means using it. (See How Social Media Can Streamline Agency Operations, Enhance Client Service — and Perhaps Even Save Money .)

Jillian Froehlich Social Media Group Co-Chair Carmichael Lynch Spong

Everyone needs to be involved, says Mandell. But if everybody gets on board, you'll make a lot of mistakes—and that's okay. "Our approach has been very much about innovation, experimentation and risk taking," he says. As a result, Mandell says, Launch Squad has been able to adapt and adjust. (There is one mistake you should be afraid of making, he notes: lack of transparency.)

Be daring, he asserts: "We really encourage everyone to innovate, to have ideas, to try new things, to take risks, to become subject-matter experts." If it's unexplored territory, Mandell tells his people to go figure it out—and then share what they learned with colleagues.

4. Offer or attend social media professional development—then share the knowledge across the practice. That shared knowledge is crucial, says Mandell. Understanding social media should be as fundamental as knowing how to write a press release or how to pitch a reporter—and any social media expertise must be shared widely—no "siloed."

Siloing is a "a big mistake," Mandell says. "Everyone needs to know how to do social media. This is PR now. It has to be integrated through a public relations practice." So, unlike many other firms, Launch Squad doesn't have a separate digital practice. The social/digital media function is fully integrated into the practice.

Kondek, on the other hand, thinks it can benefit the organization to have such specialists. (The issue has come up before: See Six Essential Steps of Building a Digital Brand: How Firms Are Using "Digital Savvy" to Drive Business in PR's Fastest Growing Practice Area .) He too, advocates bringing the staff up to speed: "Create key roles in your organization and task those people not only with strategy and execution of social media but with educating each and every member of the agency in its uses and benefits."

Neither age nor rank is an excuse for not embracing it. "Too often, I think, we see a senior person in an agency that doesn't get social media, instead turning to a young, entry-level person to explain it," Kondek says. "Our agency is committed to keeping everyone comfortable in social media PR."

5. Instruct and inform—educate clients on social media. As technology changes and evolves, PR agencies need to keep up with the changing tide and educate their clients as well as their internal teams, says Froehlich. "Having a wealth of internal knowledge contributes to a higher level of client service and stronger collaboration across all disciplines."

McDowell offers similar advice. "A key to remaining top-of-mind with clients and prospects looking for new ways to communicate with stakeholders is to proactively offer trends, best practices, and recommendations for succeeding in social media. This also helps to reinforce an understanding that social media programs are not campaigns, but are sustained efforts that must be cultivated and supported on an ongoing basis."

6. Collaborate with clients' other agency partners—don't go it alone. PR may deserve the starring role on the social media stage, but it's not a solo performance, says McDowell. "The biggest mistake a PR firm can make in this area is to silo themselves, versus being collaborative with other agencies or disciplines." PR-driven social media strategies are most effective when coupled with interactive, SEO, experiential and creative strategies, she says. "The key is to get these different disciplines to think, act, and achieve as one."

7. Cultivate relationships—not just numbers. "Building a massive but ultimately uninhabited database of bloggers is not as useful as sustaining relationships with a narrower slice of them," says Kondek. Too often, companies still pass along press releases, off-target pitches, etc. to bloggers or other content creators who are simply not interested, Kondek says.

Nurture the relationship with that blogger; if possible, share it with other members of your agency that will benefit the blogger, your agency, and your clients—short and long term, he says. But keep in mind that social media PR is "much, much more than blogger relations and other influencer outreach," he adds. It's building and contributing to social media channels in a way that's meaningful to your client and your audience.

8. Be prudent when it comes to projecting revenue—and measuring ROI. Whether social/digital media is a "lucrative" practice area is hard to calculate at this point. "Digital communications is an area of hyper-growth for most firms and Weber Shandwick is no exception," says Perry.

But is it lucrative? "I wouldn't say it's lucrative yet," says Mandell. But it is generating revenue, and providing stability through the economic downturn. "Social media …is making up for some of the decreased opportunity in traditional PR."

One of the toughest issues is just how to measure ROI, says Kondek. There are many ways to slice ROI—and they are still being invented. But that's no excuse for waste. "I see a lot of examples of agencies and their clients creating superficially exciting and probably costly PR that doesn't necessarily accomplish a client's business objectives."

9. Remember that while clicks may be queen—content is king. Mastering social media is less pure media relations and more about content development, says Mandell. The technology allows the PR professional to tell client stories directly in ways never before possible. But it always comes back to the story, he notes. "The core of what we do is find out how to get a company's story out through the media."

Kondek agrees: "It comes back to content, content, content."

See recent Council member social media case studies here.