There was a time – not long ago – when brands controlled their own storylines. Messages were scripted carefully, delivered slowly, and managed through predictable channels. Today, those rules belong in a museum. Public expectations have shifted so dramatically that any brand still communicating with a twentieth-century playbook is essentially stepping onto a digital stage with handwritten cue cards while the audience is streaming in real time.
This shift didn’t happen quietly. It arrived through millions of small interactions – comments, retweets, stitched videos, algorithm-driven moments, and the growing insistence that brands communicate like people rather than polished institutions. Educators and communication leaders such as Gayle Pohl have long emphasized that public expectations evolve far faster than brand structures, and nowhere is that gap more visible than on social platforms, where immediacy, transparency, and accountability shape reputation minute by minute.
Social media redistributed power in addition to broadening the discourse. and realizing that redistribution is now an essential component of contemporary public relations.
The Public Doesn’t “Receive” Messages Anymore – They Participate in Them
There was a time when brands spoke to people directly, but now the times have changed. They speak publicly, loudly, and with a set expectation that the response they receive will be timely. Social media erased the passive audience.
Today:
- Every post is a potential conversation.
- Every conversation is a potential narrative.
- Every narrative can ripple across platforms in minutes.
Today’s audiences want to influence communication, not just watch it happen. They expect to be recognized when they praise, critique, or comment on a brand. When people ask a question, they expect a prompt, human response rather than a corporate tone with a pre-written reply.
This shift requires brands to treat communication as a living exchange. It demands emotional intelligence, contextual awareness, and an understanding that silence is no longer neutral – it is interpreted as avoidance.
Expectations of Transparency Have Never Been Higher
Prior to social media, brands had complete control over messaging, context, and timing. The public today believes that they have a right to responsibility and clarity, and with good reason. Any effort to conceal knowledge frequently turns into the narrative.
There is now an expectation that brands:
- Explain decisions with clarity
- Address mistakes directly
- Communicate values consistently
- Show real people doing real work
Social media has eliminated the safe distance that once cushioned institutional messaging. If a brand missteps, the public expects acknowledgment – not defensiveness. If a brand claims a commitment to a value, the public expects visible alignment – not slogans.
This demand for transparency is not a trend; it is the new cost of entry for credibility.
Authenticity is the Public’s Baseline Standard
With the growing use of social media, the audience’s expectations from brands have begun to differ. They expect brands to feel real and almost behave like people: to speak plainly, to admit error, and to present themselves with sincerity. Interestingly, audiences can detect inauthenticity instantly. They know when an apology is rehearsed, when a mission statement is hollow, or when diversity statements appear only during certain months.
Authenticity today is measured through consistency:
- Do actions match the brand’s stated values?
- Does communication remain steady even when the news cycle turns uncomfortable?
- Does the brand’s personality remain the same across platforms, formats, and audiences?
No formal statement can mend the damage that one inconsistency can do to trust. Authenticity is viewed by social media users as a contract, with difficult terms to renegotiate once violated.
Customers No Longer Just Want Service – They Want Relationship
The modern audience interacts with brands in the same space they interact with friends, creators, and communities. This proximity has reshaped the emotional expectation of brand behavior.
People want:
- Personal responses
- Conversational tone
- Recognition of their concerns
- Engagement that feels human rather than transactional
A brand loses momentum fast if it treats its audience like a crowd. When a brand treats its customers like individuals, they become devoted in a level that no campaign or discount can match.
Where PR Professionals Go From Here
Preparing communicators for this new terrain requires far more than technical skills. It requires a deep understanding of:
- Human behavior
- Real-time sentiment
- Cultural nuance
- Precision under pressure
- Ethical judgment
Professionals in public relations need to be able to handle complexity without sacrificing clarity. They need to understand how to strike a balance between strategic responsibility and transparency. Above all, students need to realize that modern communication is a relationship rather than a performance.
Social media has changed the public’s expectations permanently. The brands that will thrive are those that treat communication as dialogue, not broadcast; responsibility, not optics; and accountability, not choreography.