Jag blev nyligen intervjuad av tidningen Gala som är en av Tysklands största veckotidningar inom mode, kändisar och kungligheter. Intervjun handlade om kungligheter och sociala medier i allmänhet och det brittiska prisparet Kate och William i synnerhet, i och med att de är aktuella med tillökning i familjen.
Användandet av sociala medier har ökat bland kungahusen och är även en förutsättning för att kunna vara relevanta för medborgarna, vilket jag pratar om i artikeln. Du kan hjälpligt se artikeln i bilden nedan, men om du som jag glömt bort din skoltyska kan du läsa Gala-intervjun på engelska här.
1. The British Royal Family has started using Twitter, FB and other social media sites more and more. Why do you think they are doing this?
It’s a sign of the times. The audience is there and it’s a way of both communicate direct to the audience but also a way of keeping the media in the loop of the latest news from the Royal Family. How would you assess a prince or princess who’s NOT on social media?
2. Does Buckingham Palace and other Royal Familys use social media in order to manipulate the media and public opinion?
They wish they could. But it doesn’t work that way. Social media is transparent and a very dangerous tool to use if you want to manipulate and at the same time establish a long term credible communication channel. The big advantage is to have a channel of first hand news that the audience always can visit as a counterpart to biased media.
3. How important is it for them, to use social media?
It’s super important if they want to be modern, interesting and if they have any ambition to be transparent and willing to have a dialogue. As a comparison; the Swedish royal family has had a deep dip when it came to how the public opinion liked the royals. But after the marriage between Daniel and the Crown Princess Victoria, Chris and princess Madeleine and their use of social media as the first source of information – the opinion of the family has risen. They changed the picture of the Swedish royal family from stiff, unmodern and reserved to modern, flourishing and open.
4. What do you think is the biggest difference between the pr work of the palace(s) now compared to ten years ago?
The media climate is much tougher today. Some of the royal shimmer is gone and there are more critical articles and questioning today. It’s much harder for the royal families to get their own stories out today as the media tempo is faster and media tend to do their own angles right away without time for research. Therefor it’s very important to have social media for communicating the latest news – and to have a dialogue with the audience.
5. Did Buckingham Palace learn anything from the pr desaster after Dianas death?
They probably learned that it takes years to repair a bad communications strategy. Hopefully they learned that you can’t not communicating, even if you don’t want. It is not an option.
6. How important are Royal babys for the pr of the Royal family? When Prince George was born the monarchy used Twitter to break the happy news…
Babies are for the Royals what ground breaking deals or inventions is for companies. It’s a gold mine when it comes for clicking, page views, likes and share – both for the royal families web sites and social media and for the media. By using social media when breaking a story like this – you control the source, you get the credibility and the best of all – your fans can share YOUR story as the first degree of source.
7. How do you think the Royals want to be seen by the people when using social media? I.e. are they trying to be modern by using this?
They for sure want to be seen as modern. But I also think that they want to have direct contact with their audience. By using social media, they don’t have to rely on what traditional media writes about them and how they angle the news.
8. If you would meet Kate and William what advice would you give them when using socfial media?
My top 3 advice would be:
– How do you want to be perceived? State your key messages and find the gap between how you are- and how you want to be perceived. The gap is what you shall work on in social media.
– This is a long term job that you have to work with every day,
– Be transparent. Reflect your life – not just the fluffy glamour. Be authentic.
9. The Top 3 golden rules when using social media.
– Don’t lie – it will hit you back – hard!
– Get used to it – It’s a long term commitment.
– Be authentic. Show all your sides – not just the glamour.
10. Doesn’t social media take away a lot of the mystique and therefor Glamour of the Royals?
Not at all. With social media, the Royals can continue build the mystique around them without taking the detour via media.
