Time to bridge the gaps: issues with current social media research in public relations

Social media is a relatively new phenomenon in the field of public relations, and yet it is having a considerable impact on how organisations communicate with their publics and the everyday practice of public relations. Since 2007, there has been an explosion in studies investigating the adoption and use of social media by public relations practitioners. However, despite the popularity of social media studies in academic literature, significant gaps remain in our knowledge of how organisations are using social media. This paper critiques the current body of social media research in public relations, highlighting areas where research is lacking, and suggests future directions for the discipline. Specifically this paper highlights three areas where significant gaps in social media research currently exist: scope, theory application and development, and methodology and calls for more research on how social media is enacted in organisations and how it informs the cultural practice of public relations inside the organisation.