Over the past decade, the field of public relations has undergone a lot of changes. Many different aspects of technology PR and communication advancements led to this, but perhaps none more than the growth and popularity of social media. Social media changed how people communicate, as well as when they communicate, where they communicate, and even who they communicate with.

So here are five ways social media changed the field of public relations forever.

Developing a unique voice for a brand’s content helps set it apart from others in the media. It also helps inspire a sense of familiarity when customers hear or read its content, making it easy to identify and identify with. This unique voice also begins to take on the qualities of a familiar friend, which is the ultimate goal for brands looking to establish awareness.

But how do brands achieve this? Check out our recommendations below.

Social media has experienced explosive growth over the past few years. As of July 2015, there are 2.3 billion active social media users. With 1 million new mobile users joining social networks every day, it’s hard to ignore the boom and impact of people-based media.

Due to the widespread adoption of mobile smart devices and the increase in the number of businesses that offer Wi-Fi hotspots at their brick and mortar stores and other public locations, consumers are now more digitally connected than ever before.

In a world where everyone is constantly connected to each other, the demand for instant communication has never been greater. As video content becomes king, more and more Millennials and Gen Zers are ditching their old school social networks for new school video platforms. To compete with short-form video and ephemeral publishing platforms like Instagram, Vine and Snapchat, first-generation social networks such as Facebook and Twitter had to find new ways to innovate and jump on the live-video trend to keep their younger demographics from disappearing.

As the competition heats up between Facebook and Twitter in the realm of online video marketing, it’s important for social media experts to learn when and how to use live streaming technologies like Facebook Live and Periscope to authentically connect with consumers.

Video ads have certainly proven their power on Instagram according to a report released by Brand Networks from a study done on more than 2 billion Instagram advertising impressions.

The fashion industry especially has fared well with its use of video ads. According to BN Video, ads account for 71% of the fashion industry’s ad spend, driving 90% of its impressions during the first three months of 2016.

Social listening is the process of using digital tools to monitor what people are saying about brands online.

Marketers who perform social listening are able to gather key insights about their target audiences, competitors, and any potential issues coming their way.

From Facebook to Twitter to Snapchat, brands now have more ways than ever before to connect with their target audiences. With hundreds of apps being launched everyday, determining the inherent business value of emergent social media platforms is not only difficult, but can also be time consuming for marketers.

However, before marketers begin to jump to the next new social media platform, they should do their research and have a clear understanding of their target audiences’ wants, needs, and preferred modes of communication to determine if the platform they want to adopt is the right fit for their business objectives. Given consumers’ growing demand for personal interaction with brands and influencers; and increased interest in real-time promotions and offers, marketers must look for new social apps that encourage consumers’ always connected lifestyles.