As our online worlds become more and more social, conversational, and collaborative, we are seeing many traditional PR processes evolve as well. One of the most recent changes we’ve witnessed is how our clients submit to speak at industry events. No longer are we simply writing an abstract for the presentation, putting together a bio for a company executive and clicking ‘send’ on an email.

Several events are now actively involving their audience in the selection process, and allowing potential attendees to vote on the sessions they would be most interested in seeing. Some of these shows include Oracle’s OpenWorld, the Web 2.0 Expo, and Enterprise 2.0. Some potential speakers have taken it upon themselves to use their blogs to promote submitted panel ideas- see a good example here.

One of our clients is currently in the running to present at another popular tech industry event, the South by Southwest Interactive Festival next March 13-17, 2009. The SXSW voting process is probably the most technologically advanced and socially-savvy we have seen yet. Their ‘Interactive Panel Picker’ interface allows anyone to go in and browse suggested panel ideas (along with 50-word descriptions), organized by technology area, and rate the panels they would be most interested in hearing about at the event. Loomia’s topic is Privacy and Personalization – Oxymoron or the Perfect Match?, which will expound on the controversy that online ad targeting (i.e., Beacon) and personalization has created in terms of user privacy standards.

If this piques your interest, you can vote for it here- and feel free to pass the word along!

Recently, MySpace announced its plans to redesign its social networking site. Based on a series of online surveys, the company determined it needed to change its adolescent image to reach a more diverse audience.

This announcement is the latest example on how social media has changed the game in the business world. Sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter are realizing its customers are no longer just teenagers searching to see what friends are up to on the weekends but rather men and women sitting behind corporate computers, hoping to build relationships with colleagues in their field.

Public relations practitioners have sinced jumped on the new media bandwagon and embraced the tool as a way to converse with co-workers, clients and even reporters in a laid-back setting. It’s a place where we can locate upcoming events, hear the latest news, and network through current friends. New Media has taken building relationships to new heights and made it clear that the days of issuing a simple email or making quick phone call have evolved.

Vantage Communications has signed a client whose technology revolves around social networking, Loomia. Offering a SeenThis? social convergence application, Loomia enables consumers to view items that are popular within there personal circles as well as products related to their individual interests. Both clients are strong representations of the direction of the industry.

In essence, public relations no longer consists of just issuing a press release but spans to the depths of new media sites and perhaps even knowing what your favorite reporter or colleague is having for lunch. And as we all continue to log-on and send messages, it seems more and more social media sites are going to have to rethink how it caters to its customers and revaluate its target audience to focus on the business world.

Yesterday, I was talking with friends about the launch of the new iPhone 3G. The verdict? Lots of people ready to ditch their old Blackberrys.

While there probably were thousands of similar conversations around the country, what made this one unique was that it was done through Facebook, using the SeenThis?, a social convergence application by our client Loomia. One of my friends shared an article on the iPhone 3G with her Facebook friends and then the next thing I know we have 10 people talking about whether the new phone is a Blackberry killer and what new features were being supported.

It was a good day to be at the intersection of social media and the iPhone.