The PR value of UGC – fancy being Charlie Sheen’s social media intern?

Screen grab from Charlie Sheen's Twitter account

UGC encourages specialism – you can become an expert on a community based on interest, location or cause by generating content about it. While engaging with a community may result in you providing a news service via a blog or social media, your interest in UGC could lead to a job in PR in this promotion-centric world which also requires knowledge and specialism, specifically, knowledge of the brand. Twitter is often used for PR purposes, and right now actor Charlie Sheen is looking for a social media intern to promote his infamous reputation. Check out Charlie Sheen’s Twitter if you haven’t already!

UGC can help to promote brands. Consider Take Me Out on ITV, a dating show where women keep on their lights if they fancy the fellow that comes down the ‘love lift,’ and he picks one of the lasses that has taken a shine to him to date.  A person is employed to tweet throughout the shows from Take Me Out’s official Twitter account, and lots of people interact with them or tweet about the show, giving it publicity. It often trends on a UK level on Twitter as a result.

An example of the banter between Take Me Out's social networking team and users that helps generated publicity for the show (screen grab)

While you consider the PR aspect of UGC, check out the job description for Charlie Sheen’s social media intern:

Position: Full-Time,

Paid Timeframe: Summer 2011 (8 weeks)

Description: Do you have #TigerBlood? Are you all about #Winning? Can you #PlanBetter than anyone else? If so, we want you on #TeamSheen as our social media #TigerBloodIntern!

This unique internship opportunity will allow a hard-working, self-motivated, creative, resourceful and social media savvy individual to work closely with Charlie Sheen in leveraging his social network. The internship will focus on executing a social media strategy that will build on the success Charlie Sheen has attained in setting the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to reach one million followers on Twitter. The #TigerBloodIntern is expected to be proactive, monitor the day-to-day activities on the major social media platforms, prepare for exciting online projects and increase Charlie’s base of followers.

You will learn how to promote and develop the social media network of Hollywood’s most trending celebrity.

Did you/Are you gonna apply? Own up.

By Anisa Kadri @anisakadri on Twitter