RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 The strategy applied to Public Relations in the digital environment: the Spanish case La estrategia aplicada a las relaciones públicas en el medio digital: El caso español Joan Cuenca-Fontbona Universidad Ramon Llull. España. joancf@blanquerna.url.edu Marc Compte-Pujol Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. España. mcomptepuj@uoc.edu Ileana Zeler (autor de correspondencia) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. España. ileana.zeler@uab.cat [CV] This research has been carried out from January 2021 to July 2021 using funds from the Social Work-la Caixa. How to cite this article / Normalized reference Cuenca-Fontbona, J., Compte-Pujol, M. y Zeler, I. (2022). The strategy applied to Public Rela- tions in the digital environment: the Spanish case. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182. https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537 RESUMEN Introducción: El propósito de este artículo es el de conocer si los departamentos de comunicación de las empresas españolas de mayor facturación planifican estratégicamente la actividad de relaciones públicas (RP) en el medio digital, cuál es la tipología y la función comunicativa de los planes que se diseñan y cuáles son las herramientas más utilizadas del ecosistema digital. Metodología: Para este cometido se cursó un cuestionario que fue enviado a los directivos funcionales de comunicación de esta tipología de empresas y que son socios de la Asociación de Directores de Comunicación-Dircom. Resultados: A partir del modelo de toma decisiones estratégicas de John Marston (1963) y contem- plando las RP como una función directiva independiente y estratégica (Grunig y Hunt, 2003) hemos comprobado que la mayoría de los planes de RP de las empresas españolas en el medio digital son diseñados estratégicamente. Discusión: Estos datos contrastan con varios estudios realizados en los últimos años a nivel profesional, que indicaban que la gestión de las RP en el entorno digital era plan- teada tácticamente y con objetivos cortoplacistas. Conclusiones: Se confirma una tendencia hacia la profesionalización de la gestión estratégica de las RP en el ciberespacio, pero también se evidencia que existen aspectos propios del pensamiento estratégico aplicado que deben mejorar, como el uso de otros tipos de programas, más allá de los que procuran notoriedad y más allá de la función informativa. También el uso de nuevas herramientas digitales. PALABRAS CLAVE: Ciberespacio; Comunicación Corporativa; Dircom; Comunicación Digital; In- ternet; Planificación Estratégica; Relaciones Públicas. ABSTRACT Introduction: The purpose of this article is to find out if the communication departments of the Spa- nish companies with the highest turnover strategically plan the public relations (PR) activity in the digital environment; what the typology and the communicative orientation of the plans that they design Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 163 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 are; and which the most used tools in the digital ecosystem are. Methodology: To do this, we sent a questionnaire to the functional communication managers of these types of companies and that are members of the Spanish Association of Directors of Communication-Dircom. Results: Based on the strategic decision-making model of John Marston (1963) and considering PR as an independent and strategic managerial function (Grunig and Hunt, 2003) we have verified that most of the PR plans of Spanish companies in the digital environment have been strategically designed. Discussion: These data contrast with several studies carried out in recent years at a professional level, which indicated that the management of PR in the digital environment was raised tactically and with short-term objec- tives. Conclusions: We confirm a trend towards professionalization of the strategic management of PR in cyberspace, but we also point out that there are aspects of applied strategic thinking that should be improved, such as the use of other types of programs, beyond those that they seek notoriety and beyond the informative function, and the use of new digital tools. KEYWORDS: Cyberspace; Corporate Communication; Dircom; Digital Communication; Internet; Strategic Planning; Public Relations. CONTENIDO 1. Introducción. 2. Marco referencial. 3. Objetivos. 4. Metodología. 5. Resultados. 6. Discusión y con- clusiones. 7. Limitaciones y futuras líneas de investigación. 8. Referencias. CONTENT 1. Introduction. 2. Theoretical background 3. Objectives. 4. Methodology. 5. Results. 6. Discussion and conclusions. 7. Limitations and future research lines 8. References. Translation by Paula González (Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Venezuela) 1. Introduction The irruption of public relations in the digital space began in the 70s of the 20th century. Even so, it has been the digital revolution produced in the last four decades that has led to the analysis of this incursion into this professional field (Coombs, 1998; Johnson; 1997; Kent and Taylor, 1998) and has modified the professional practice of communication departments around the world (Cook, 2019; Cuenca-Font- bona et al., 2020; González-Canomanuel, 2019; Whatmough, 2018). Furthermore, at this time, the public relations budget has exceeded for the first time, with a proportion of 56%, offline investment (Scopen, 2021). The digital maturity of company communication departments (Cuenca-Fontbona et al., 2020), the pos- sibilities of interaction and dialogue between users fostered by the consolidation of Web 2.0 (Capriotti et al. 2019; Schivinski and Dabrowski, 2015), and the fact that digital platforms make it possible to improve any process in terms of precision, credibility, honesty, and trust (Wright et al., 2013), makes it easier for these departments to cultivate effective relationships in the digital agora, between the organi- zations they represent and their audiences, and, as a result, they can have a positive impact on the cor- porate image and reputation (Cuenca-Fontbona et al., 2020; Yaxley, 2012). Faced with this new digital scenario, the strategic planning process of public relations activity is essential to build and maintain trust (Oliveira, 2018; Zerfass et al., 2021), and influence and relate to the public (Matilla, 2018; Neill and Moody, 2015; Oliveira and Capriotti, 2019). Strategic planning also implies resorting to the use of models, methods, techniques, and tools. The re- ference model in the field of public relations, which has been the inspiration for numerous subsequent models (Matilla, 2018), is the strategic decision-making process of John Marston (1981). A model structured in four stages, which must always be consistent with each other, named with the acronym RACE: the research stage (Research), the strategy stage (Action), the execution stage (Communica- tion), and the evaluation stage (Evaluation). But, despite the importance that the academic literature gives to the application of the strategy to public relations, the truth is that, in practice, the manage- ment of public relations in the digital medium and, more specifically, that related to social media, has traditionally been raised in a rather tactical way and with short-term objectives and under the charge of technicians without strategic decision-making power (Belzunce and Aguirre, 2018; Capriotti et al. 2019; Grunig et al., 2021; Navarro et al., 2017; Zerfass et al., 2017). Macnamara and Zerfass (2012) Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 164 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 also conclude that in many organizations in different countries, digital communication, especially that circulating in social media, is neither integrated with the rest of organizational communication nor is it evaluated by any type of key indicator. Even so, there is currently a growing trend to incorporate the strategic function into the practice of public relations in cyberspace (Cuenca-Fontbona et al., 2020; Neill and Moody, 2015). Starting from the conception of public relations as an independent and strategic managerial function (Cutlip et al., 2006; Grunig and Hunt, 2003; Marston, 1981; Van Ruler and Verčič, 2004) and, based on Marston’s RACE model, the objective of this research is to find out if the communication departments of the organizations with the highest turnover in Spain strategically plan the public relations activity in the digital agora, what is the typology and communicative function of the plans, and what are the most used tools in planning, thus, providing value to academics and professionals in an emerging field of study. 2. Theoretical background 2.1. The strategy applied to public relations The strategy has been defined in various ways throughout history. For Chandler (cited by Sáez et al., 2015), it is the long-term determination of goals and objectives, actions, and allocation of resources. Ohmae (cited by Sáez et al., 2015) explains that it is the continuity of a perception of improvement based on commitment, competitiveness, creativity, and alignment to the organization, the client, and the competition. For their part, Ansoff and McDonnell (cited by Sáez et al., 2015) say that what it is about is producing a resource allocation pattern that offers the best results, to respond to the objectives of the organization in an always turbulent environment. And, for Porter (cited by Sáez et al., 2015), the strategy is a unique value proposition compared to the competition. Although the strategy is still a central idea of business management, there are currently a large number of disciplines that study, treat, and apply it from diverse scientific and professional perspectives such as communication and, specifi- cally, public relations (Sáez et al., 2015). The conception of public relations as an autonomous and managerial functional area within the orga- nization, which dates back to the 1980s, understands this function to be directly dependent on senior management (Dircom, 2018; Van Ruler and Verčič, 2004; Xifra, 2017), from which the corporate strategy emanates (Sáez et al., 2015). From this perspective, public relations are a discipline directly linked to strategy and, thus, to strategic planning (Lock et al., 2020; Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Spell, 2021). In the digital field, the purpose of public relations activity remains the same: trust management. Thus, the application of the strategy to this praxis will require a methodical planning process and, likewise, the consistent development of preliminary research (research), the design of an action plan (action), its implementation (communication), and a final evaluation (evaluation), like the one promulgated by Marston. Yaxley (2012, p. 431) also adds that the strategic process of public relations in the digital medium supposes “an opportunity for public relations to evolve in order to apply its existing strengths in earning coverage, building online relationships, and managing corporate reputation”. At this time, it is observed that the management of digital communication is a shared responsibility between different areas of the organization. However, it is the communication department that must coordinate the integration of offline and online activity in an organizational communication program (Aced, 2018). Furthermore, the first condition of any strategic approach is that offline and online communication be conceived as a whole, that they complement each other, and that they form part of the same integrated approach that, in turn, must be aligned and consistent with the corporate strategy. (Aced, 2018; Compte-Pujol et al., 2018). 2.2 The research (research) A strategic approach requires starting from preliminary research since, otherwise, the professional can only be guided by mere intuition for decision making, instead of doing it empirically (Capriotti, 2021; Castillo-Esparcia and Villabona- Beltrán, 2018; Cuenca, 2018; Cuenca-Fontbona et al., 2020; Cutlip et Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 165 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 al., 2006; Grunig and Hunt, 2003; Madroñero and Capriotti, 2018; Marston, 1981; Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Spell, 2021; Xifra, 2017). This first stage implies, on the one hand, compiling preliminary information on the internal and ex- ternal situation of the organization and, on the other hand, analyzing audiences’ perceptions through public relations audits (Cuenca, 2018; Matilla, 2018). For Matilla (2018), this stage can be divided, in turn, into two more specific sub-stages: preliminary information and research itself. In the preliminary information phase, the founding creed, general au- diences map, organizational structure, philosophy and management style, corporate personality and identity, corporate culture, corporate image, corporate reputation, corporate notoriety, visual identity, competitive environment, SWOT analysis, and P.E.S.T.E.L analysis, must be defined. Next, the re- search stage must be developed, which can be basic (with techniques such as personal or participant observation, formal or informal conversations, etc.) or applied (including, among others, environmen- tal research, audits of perceptions and attitudes, the communication audit, and the social or relations audit). To conclude this first stage, an analysis of all the information and data obtained must be carried out to, finally, establish a diagnosis of the situation, which allows empirically identifying the commu- nication problem to be solved through a strategic plan. The interpretation of this initial information and its projection in the face of an uncertain future allows future scenarios to be identified and any possible deviation to be measured (Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Oliveira, 2018; Spell, 2021; Xifra, 2017). Based on this diagnosis, it will be possible to design an action plan in the digital sphere aligned with possible scenarios. 2.3. The strategy (action) The second stage of the strategic planning process, the action, responds to the design of a plan typology categorized by Xifra (2017) in commercial or marketing support, institutional, of notoriety, purpose and corporate image and reputation, and crisis, educational or awareness, of social action, and, also, internal communication projects (Cuenca and Verazzi, 2020). It also responds to the communicative function of the program: information, influence, persuasion, education, dialogue, commitment, en- tertainment, or loyalty (Grunig and Hunt, 2003; Matilla, 2018; Neill and Moody, 2015; Oliveira and Capriotti, 2019; Smith, 2020; Xifra, 2017) that must be based on preliminary empirical research and that must contribute to the achievement of previously set objectives (Capriotti, 2021; Madroñero and Capriotti, 2018; Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Smith, 2020; Spell, 2021; Xifra, 2017). The concept of planning, the basic axis of any strategy, consists of determining and analyzing the strategic audiences of a map of previously configured audiences (Oliveira, 2018), in setting goals and objecti- ves, establishing strong ideas and messages, and in selecting digital tools. Its purpose is to relate the attitudes, opinions, ideas, and reactions of the audiences derived from the research stage, with the policies and programs of the organization (Matilla, 2018). Creativity, innovation, and its adaptation to the digital environment also strengthen any approach that wants to present itself as strategic (Moreno et al., 2017). The existing literature about the strategic stage in the field of public relations in the digital medium refers only to the media ecosystem. Several authors agree that digital channels are being used in an integrated way to communicate and influence internal audiences (Ewing et al., 2019; Maarit Lipiäinen et al., 2014) and external audiences (Capriotti and González-Herrero, 2017; García García et al., 2017; Navarro et al., 2017). On the other hand, Hanna et al. (2011), insist on the need to develop an integra- ted communication ecosystem that allows the combination of channels to achieve a greater capacity to influence audiences. In this same sense, for Luo et al. (2015) what is essential is to strategically integrate and align the management of digital platforms with corporate objectives and with the rest of the communication program. They also highlight that digital tools, especially, those related to social networks, help public relations professionals to scan the environment, listen to different audiences, and generate dialogue, essential issues for any strategic thinking in communication. According to the results of the European Communication Monitor -ECM- (Zerfass et al., 2020), blogs and social networks, as well as websites, e-mail, and intranets, are the most used digital communi- cation tools in any communication strategy. Specifically, in the field of internal communication, the importance of digitizing the forms of communication and strengthening the digital infrastructure of the organization itself is growing to favor the flow of internal communication and between teams (Zerfass Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 166 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 et al., 2021). And four channels are identified as an upward trend: corporate social networks, mobile apps, online videos, and intranets (Cuenca and Verazzi, 2020). In general, the situation caused by CO- VID-19 has highlighted the need to invest in strong and solvent virtual solutions (Gallagher, 2021). Concerning external communication, several authors highlight the potential of blogs and web pages to strategically manage relations with audiences, stimulate interaction and corporate transparency, and even communicate the activity of the corporate social responsibility-CSR- policy (Navarro et al., 2017). The ECM 2020 study points out that social networks are at the top of the list of tools most used by communication professionals in their strategic approaches (Zerfass et al., 2020), and Roshan et al. (2016) emphasize the advantages of social networks to prevent conflict scenarios or deal with crises. 2.4. The execution (communication) Execution of the public relations plan is the third stage of Marston’s strategic process. It involves direc- ting, in a manner consistent with the previous stages, the implementation of public relations techniques and digital tools that have been decided in the planning stage (Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Spell, 2021; Xifra, 2017). At this stage, the fundamental elements that must be contrasted to validate compliance with the principles of the Marstonian strategic process are: the administration of the budget that is allocated to digital communication, time management, quality control, or the formative evalua- tion, and, in this sense, the importance of monitoring the digital plan is carried out as the actions are executed to correct any imbalance regarding the initially proposed goals and objectives, and, finally, the direction of teamwork (Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Spell, 2021; Xifra, 2017). 2.5. The evaluation (evaluation) Finally, the evaluation stage consists of assessing whether the deployed strategy has had success, im- pact, interest, and/or acceptance among audiences (Lindenmann, 1990; Marca, 2018; Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Spell, 2021; Watson and Noble, 2014; Xifra, 2017). In other words, “it serves to know which aspects of the plan have worked, but, above all, which have failed, analyzing the possi- ble causes of that failure to draw conclusions and make the appropriate corrections” (Rodríguez, 2017, p. 377). The final, or summative, evaluation is a key stage in most public relations strategic planning models. However, although academics and professionals recognize the vital importance of evaluation (Cuen- ca-Fontbona, 2020; Marca, 2018; Xifra, 2017) to consolidate the strategic nature of public relations, the former treat the subject of evaluation tangentially and, the latter evaluate their plans superficially, without taking into account the objectives or the decision of what the measurement indicators or Key Performance Indicators- KPI- should be (Balance Scorecard Institute, 2021; Buhmann and Likely, 2018; Buhmann et al., 2019; Macnamara and Zerfass, 2012; Macnamara and Gregory, 2018; Marca, 2018; Watson and Noble, 2014; Zerfass et al., 2017). The IPR Measurement Commission study alre- ady predicted that, although digitization is the technological trend that most affects the public relations profession, few believe it to “have a research-led strategic insight function” (Adi, 2019), therefore, measurement and evaluation will continue to be a challenge for public relations in the coming years to consolidate its strategic proposal (AMEC, 2020, 2021). 3. Objectives The main objective of this research is to verify if the professionals of the communication departments of the companies with the highest turnover in Spain strategically design public relations plans in the digital medium. As secondary objectives, it is desired to find out what is the typology and the preeminent communica- tive function of the plans and what are the most used digital tools in strategic planning. This study has been based on three research questions: 1. RQ1. Are public relations plans in the digital environment designed following the four-stage stra- tegic planning process (research, planning, execution, and evaluation)? Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 167 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 2. RQ2. What purpose and communicative function do public relations plans usually have in the digital medium? 3. RQ3. What digital tools are the most used in public relations plans in the digital medium? 4. Methodology Firstly, the specialized literature on strategic planning in the field of public relations was reviewed, as well as on the digitalization of this discipline, to find out what the state of public relations programs was in the digital agora. Second, a self-administered questionnaire was designed to find out what the professional practice of the communication department was in each of the four phases of strategic planning (Marston, 1981), the typology of the plans, their communicative function, and the digital ecosystem used. The instrument was validated by ten academic and professional experts in the area of PR and organizational communication outside the research team. After carrying out a preliminary test, the questionnaire was sent to a sample of experts according to an eminently professional profile since they are people who direct and/or carry out tasks directly related to the model object of the research, that is, they have the power to strategically design public relations plans in the digital agora and, the- refore, can contribute their experience and reflective capacity about the profession. 4.1. Sample The questionnaire, written in Spanish, was sent by email, within the framework of remote administra- tion methods, in two consecutive weekly waves carried out between November 9th and 22nd, 2020, to the electronic addresses of N=1,067 functional communication directors of the Spanish companies with the highest turnover with more than 5 years of experience. All the participants are members of the Association of Communication Directors-Dircom1 which, due to their high level of representativeness, constitute a quality sample. The contact information of this sample was obtained from the last Dircom 20172 public directory and the electronic addresses were obtained, one by one, from various sources and by hand. 18 experts between professionals and academics participated in the pre-test. The profile of the experts was determined following three criteria: a) that they accumulated more than 5 years of experience; b) that they were reputable specialists in the sector (heads of agencies, associations, and/ or professional colleges in the field of public relations and communication, company communication directors, members of academic institutions that are in national and international research teams), and c) with extensive knowledge of the discipline and professional reality. A total of 186 respondents started the questionnaire and 134 completed it. After eliminating the respon- ses of the participants who could not be clearly identified as part of the target population, the analysis was carried out based on the responses of n=124 professionals who answered every one of the ques- tions posed, representing 11.62% of the population size (error +/-8 and trust level 0.95). The sociodemographic profile of n=124 was mostly female (54%), with ages mainly between 35 and 50 years. The geographical area of origin was concentrated mainly between Madrid and Barcelona, although we also obtained some responses in cities such as Valencia, Seville, and Bilbao. The Dircom directory classifies companies into 10 sectoral categories, which made it possible for the sample of communication managers to be heterogeneous. The responses received belonged to orga- nizations in the category of Services and Leisure (27.4%), Food, Drinks, and Tobacco (15.3%), Com- merce and Distribution (14.5%), Audits, Consultants, and Law Firms (4.8%), Telecommunications, 1 The Dircom association is a professional association that brings together managers and communication professionals from Spanish companies, institutions, and consultancies. It was born in 1992 from the initiative of a group of outstanding communication professionals motivated by the growing importance and scope of their responsibilities in the company and society. Dircom’s vision is to value the function of communication and the director of communication in organizations, in such a way that said competence and its managers are considered as a strategic area and manager. Its mission is carried out through four strategic axes: recognition, professional development, networking, and responsible management/CSR. http:// www.dircom.org/sobre-dircom/que-es-dircom 2 Dircom Directory 2017. Communication Yearbook 2017. Almería: Almería Press Association – FAPE. http://almeria.fape.es/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/DIRCOM_Directorio_2017.pdf Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 168 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 IT, and Internet (10.5%), Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sector (10.5%), Construction, Iron and Steel, Energy, and Electricity (4%), Automotive, Transportation, Highways, and Parking (7.3%), Financial Entities, Banks, Savings Banks, and Managers (4%), and Insurance (1.6%). 4.2. Questionnaire and statistical analysis The methodology used is quantitative and the questionnaire included in its research 20 questions rela- ted to the praxis of the communication department in each of the different stages of strategic planning of public relations, the typology of the plans, their communicative function, and the digital ecosystem used. Table 1. Strategic process of public relations plans in the digital medium Research Question (RQ) Questionnaire question Typology RQ1. Are public relations plans in Are the strategic plans for public relations in the digi- Likert Scale the digital environment designed tal medium strategically coordinated with the rest of following the four-stage strategic the communication operations? planning process (research, planning, Do we start from some kind of preliminary research Likert Scale execution, and evaluation)? before designing a strategic plan for public relations in the digital medium? Do we reflect and define, in the first place, the objecti- Likert Scale ves, topics, and messages to convey, strategic audien- ces, and digital channels of dissemination, to design a strategic plan for public relations in the digital medium? Do we give much importance to creativity in the crea- Likert Scale tion of digital content? Do we have the content adapted to the digital environ- Likert Scale ment (visual, interactive, participatory, collaborative, personalized design, adequate content update frequen- cy)? Are the main processes of the communication depart- Likert Scale ment automated through different digital platforms? Are the strategic plans for public relations in the Likert Scale digital medium evaluated using QUANTITATIVE indicators? Are the strategic plans for public relations in the Likert Scale digital medium evaluated using QUALITATIVE indicators? RQ2. What purpose and communica- Do we design strategic public relations plans in the Likert Scale tive function do public relations plans digital medium for brand awareness and/or corporate usually have in the digital medium? awareness? In a situation of vulnerability, risk, or crisis, is the Likert Scale use of strategic public relations plans in the digital medium essential for our organization? Do we design strategic plans for public relations in Likert Scale the digital medium for the corporate or reputational image? Do we design strategic public relations plans in the di- Likert Scale gital medium to support marketing (product/service)? Do we design strategic public relations plans in the Likert Scale digital medium related to the corporate purpose? Do we design strategic public relations plans in the Likert Scale digital medium of internal communication? Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 169 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 Do we design strategic public relations plans in the Likert Scale digital medium to support social actions (RSC)? Do we design strategic plans for public relations in Likert Scale the digital medium of awareness/education? Do we design strategic public relations plans in the Likert Scale digital medium in the field of institutional relations? What is the communicative function of public rela- Multiple-choice tions plans in the digital medium? answer RQ3. What digital tools are the most How often do we use internal digital communication Likert Scale used in public relations plans in the tools: email, Intranet, (internal) newsletter, webinars, digital medium? corporate apps, online corporate events, blogs, messa- ging, internal social networks? How often do we use external digital communication Likert Scale tools: website, email, social networks, newsletter, online corporate events, webinars, blogs, digital press room, apps, podcasts, wikis? Source: Own elaboration. For the single-answer numerical typology questions (strategic planning stages), a seven-level metric (Likert scale) was established (from totally disagree with an ordinal score of 1, to totally agree with an ordinal score of 7). For the analysis, the summative possibility offered by the scale was used. Thus, to present the results, the groups of elements from each of the two opposite parts of the scale have been reasonably added, considering scores 1, 2, and 3 (different degrees of disagreement) in disagree- ment with the question raised, and, at 5, 6, and 7 (different degrees of agreement) in agreement with the question raised. The score of 4 (neither disagree nor agree) has been considered neutral. For the multiple-choice answer categorical typology questions (typology, communicative function, and digital ecosystem of the plans), the options were established using checkboxes. For the analysis of the absolute frequencies (Fa) and the relative frequencies (Fr) of the results and the existing correlation between the stages of the strategic process, the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) was used. Results were statistically tested using Pearson’s correlation (r) and paired samples t-test. 5. Results 5.1. Strategic planning of public relations in the digital medium The results of the study show important similarities in the opinions expressed by professionals from communication departments regarding the strategic praxis of public relations plans in the digital me- dium. A previous issue, a prelude to any strategic approach and on which there is unanimity among the heads of the analyzed sample, is that the public relations plans in the digital medium that are drawn up are related to the rest of the communication operations that are promoted in the communication depart- ment (91.1%). Although the study does not ask about the type of research that is designed, the results do explain that most professionals say they outline strategic public relations plans in the digital medium based on some type of preliminary research (87.9%). Few do not believe that preliminary research is relevant in their approaches to digital communication, or who do not carry out any type of preliminary research (4%) (Table 2). Most professionals specify that they plan by reflecting on and defining the communication objectives, specifying the topics and messages to be disseminated, determining the strategic audiences and the di- gital channels of dissemination, and all this, always based on the information provided by preliminary research. The initiation of a strategic plan through preliminary research coincides, to a large extent, Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 170 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 with this strategic vision that a large part of the senior executives responsible for communication in the companies in the sample (95.2%) claim to have. The sample of those who seem to give little or no importance to having to fix the issues of this second stage of the planning process (2.4%) is scarce. In another order of ideas, the experts, to invigorate the strategy, also give great importance to creativity in content creation (83.0%) and having it correctly adapted to the digital environment and declined according to strategic audiences (84%). When asked about the logistics of implementing the public relations program in the digital medium, more than three-quarters of the sample explained that they have automated their main execution pro- cesses through different digital platforms, be it design, account managers, responses, data storage, shi- pments, and even the monitoring of plans (71.8%) to execute any strategic approach with guarantees (Table 2). However, there is still a significant volume of managers who state that they still do not have optimal automation of the execution processes of public relations plans (10.4%). Finally, regarding the evaluation of strategic public relations plans in the digital medium, this same stage has been questioned, separately, about the quantitative and qualitative methodology. In the same Table 2, it can be seen that the majority of professionals state that the evaluation is carried out through quantitative key performance indicators such as notoriety ratios, the growth of the community or fo- llowers, or the engagement rate and using corporate reputation metrics, monitors, online bookmarks, or even clipping services (83.9%). There are some of the departments that either are not sufficiently advanced (8.9%) or do not use measurement tools or indicators (7.2%). And, in general, they also state that they do some kind of qualitative evaluation to make better decisions (90.3%). There are few programs with null or almost null qualitative monitoring (5.6%), or that do not apply any at all (4%). Table 2. Strategic process of public relations plans in the digital medium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr The strategic plans 1 0,8% 1 0,8% 2 1,6% 7 5,6% 21 16,9% 26 21,0% 66 53,2% for public relations in the digital medium are strategically coordinated with the rest of the communi- cation operations We start with some 2 1,6% 1 0,8% 2 1,6% 10 8,1% 16 12,9% 28 22,6% 65 52,4% type of preliminary research before designing a strategic plan for public rela- tions in the digital medium. We reflect on and 1 0,8% 1 0,8% 1 0,8% 3 2,4% 15 12,1% 25 20,2% 78 62,9% define, first of all, the objectives, topics, and messages to convey, strategic au- diences, and digital channels of disse- mination, to design a strategic plan for public relations in the digital medium. Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 171 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 We attach great im- 0 0,0% 2 1,6% 4 3,2% 15 12,1% 21 16,9% 31 25,0% 51 41,1% portance to creativity in the creation of digital content. We have content 0 0,0% 1 0,8% 5 4,0% 14 11,3% 24 19,4% 40 32,3% 40 32,3% adapted to the digital environment (visual, interactive, partici- patory, collaborative, personalized design, appropriate content update frequency). The main processes 4 3,2% 3 2,4% 6 4,8% 22 17,7% 33 26,6% 31 25,0% 25 20,2% of the communica- tion department are automated through different digital plat- forms. The strategic plans 2 1,6% 4 3,2% 3 2,4% 11 8,9% 19 15,3% 29 23,4% 56 45,2% for public relations in the digital medium are evaluated through QUANTITATIVE indicators (c) The strategic plans 2 1,6% 2 1,6% 3 2,4% 5 4,0% 31 25,0% 29 23,4% 52 41,9% for public relations in the digital medium are evaluated through QUALITATIVE indicators (k) Source: Own elaboration. 5.2. Typology of public relations plans in the digital medium Public relations plans in the digital medium are mainly designed to increase the notoriety and aware- ness of the corporate brand (83.9%), while protecting the corporate image and reputation (83.0%), a type of program that is associated with the argument of 86.3% of the sample, according to which, pu- blic relations in the digital field are fundamental in a situation of vulnerability, risk, or crisis (Table 3). Besides these first three typologies, there are, on the one hand, a series of approaches to support the marketing function (80.6%), and, on the other hand, that of publicizing the corporate purpose (78.2%). Another relevant fact to observe in Table 3 is the identification of a significant volume of programs aimed at internal audiences (71.8%). Finally, the possibilities offered by the virtual space also occur in the communication of CSR policies (63.7%), followed by the design of awareness or education pro- grams (53%), and in the field of institutional relations or public affairs (49%). Table 3. Typology of public relations plans in the digital medium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr Fa Fr We design strategic 5 4,0% 6 4,8% 2 1,6% 7 5,6% 14 11,3% 33 26,6% 57 46,0% public relations plans in the digital medium for brand awareness and/or corporate awareness. Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 172 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 In a situation of 7 5,6% 1 0,8% 5 4,0% 4 3,2% 17 13,7% 19 15,3% 71 57,3% vulnerability, risk, or crisis, the use of strategic public relations plans in the digital medium is essential for our organization. We design strategic 4 3,2% 4 3,2% 5 4,0% 8 6,5% 17 13,7% 36 29,0% 50 40,3% public relations plans in the digital medium of corporate image or reputation. We design strategic 5 4,0% 1 0,8% 6 4,8% 12 9,7% 19 15,3% 28 22,6% 53 42,7% public relations plans in the digital medium to support marketing (product/ service). We design strategic 5 4,0% 4 3,2% 4 3,2% 14 11,3% 18 14,5% 25 20,2% 54 43,5% public relations plans in the digital medium related to the corporate pur- pose. We design strategic 8 6,5% 4 3,2% 7 5,6% 16 12,9% 35 28,2% 30 24,2% 24 19,4% public relations plans in the digital medium of internal communication. We design strategic 7 5,6% 13 10,5% 12 9,7% 13 10,5% 19 15,3% 19 15,3% 41 33,1% public relations plans in the digital medium to support social actions (CSR) We design strategic 10 8,1% 13 10,5% 16 12,9% 19 15,3% 17 13,7% 13 10,5% 36 29,0% plans for public re- lations in the digital medium of aware- ness/education. We design strategic 20 16,1% 17 13,7% 10 8,1% 16 12,9% 26 21,0% 21 16,9% 14 11,3% public relations plans in the digi- tal medium in the field of institutional relations. Source: Own elaboration. 5.3. Communicative function of public relations plans in the digital medium Regarding the communicative function of public relations plans in the digital medium, a certain diver- gence can be observed in the opinions of the surveyed professionals. For some, any action is designed solely to inform (80.6%), for others the goal is to build loyalty (58.1%), influence (50.8%), or persuade strategic audiences (46%). Educating (31.5%), dialoguing (21.0%), engaging (16.1%) or entertaining (16.1%) would be other basic functions (Table 4). Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 173 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 Table 4. The communicative function of public relations plans in the digital medium Absolute frequency Relative frequency Inform 100 80,6% Build loyalty 72 58,1% To influence 63 50,8% Persuade 57 46,0% Educate 39 31,5% Dialogue 26 21,0% Engage 20 16,1% Entertain 20 16,1% Other 17 13,7% n=124 professionals respond (multiple choice answer) about each of the communicative functions. Source: Own elaboration. 5.4. Ecosystem of digital public relations plans Lastly, regarding the digital ecosystem of public relations plans, it is observed how e-mail (95.2%) is the most used internally and the Web page externally (100%), (Table 5). In digital approaches to internal communication, besides email, other common tools are the Intranet (82.2%), the Newsletter format (74.2%), Webinars (69.4%), corporate apps (68 .5%), online corporate events (64.5%), and Blogs (52.4%). Those that also play a relevant role are online messaging such as WhatsApp or Telegram (41.1%) and internal social networks such as Sharepoint, Yammer, Workplace, or Chatter (38.8%). Regarding external communication, the strategy involves the use, besides the corporate website, of email (87.9%) and social networks, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and those that allow the articulation of audiovisual, graphic, and interactive formats, such as YouTube and Instagram (86.3%). Like the results obtained internally, the Newsletter (73.4%), online corporate events (64.5%), Webinars (58.1%), and Blogs (54%) are also common tools. Furthermore, more than half of the com- munication departments have a digital newsroom enabled (53.2%). Apps (30.6%), Podcasts (24.2%), and Wikis (21%) are of incipient use. Table 5. The ecosystem of public relations plans in the digital medium Internal digital ecosystem Absolute Relative External digital Absolute Relative frequency frequency ecosystem frequency frequency Email 118 95,2% Web page 124 100% Intranet 102 82,2% Email 109 87,9% Newsletter (internal) 92 74,2% Social networks 107 86,3% Webinars 86 69,4% Newsletter 91 73,4% Corporate apps 85 68,5% Online corporate 80 64,5% events Online corporate events 80 64,5% Webinars 72 58,1% Blogs 59 52,4% Blogs 67 54,0% Online messaging 50 41,1% Digital newsroom 66 53,2% Internal social networks 48 38,8% Apps 38 30,6% Podcasts 30 24,2% Wikis 26 21,0% Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 174 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 n=124 professionals respond (multiple choice answer) about each of the digital channels. Source: Own elaboration. The Marstonian strategic planning stages must be consistent with each other. The way to check this coherence is by establishing correlations between the different stages. In this way, it is observed that, between the preliminary research and the strategic stage (r= 0.575, p ≤ 0.01), the execution stage (r= 0.105, p ≤ 0.01), and the evaluation stage, both quantitative (r= 0.395, p ≤ 0.01) and qualitative (r= 0.469, p ≤ 0.01), there is a direct association, that is, there are no differences between the diagnosis, the strategy, the execution, and the evaluation. The same happens when strategic planning is correlated with execution (r= 0.141, p ≤ 0.01), quantitative evaluation (r= 0.388, p ≤ 0.01), and qualitative evalua- tion (r= 0.567, p ≤ 0.01). Likewise, there is coherence between the execution stage and the quantitative (r= 0.160, p ≤ 0.01) and qualitative (r= 0.382, p ≤ 0.01) evaluation (Table 6). Table 6. Consistency between the stages of strategic planning % Stage % Stage Gap Significance Research vs strategy 87,9% 95,2% - 7,3% (r= 0,575, p ≤ 0.01) Research vs execution 87,9% 78,8% 9,1% (r= 0,105, p= ≤ 0.01) Research vs evaluation (c) 87,9% 83,9% 4,0% (r= 0,395, p ≤ 0.01) Research vs evaluation (k) 87,9% 90,3% - 2,4% (r= 0,469, p ≤ 0.01) Strategy vs execution 95,2% 78,8% 16,4% (r= 0,141, p= ≤ 0.01) Strategy vs evaluation (c) 95,2% 83,9% 11,3% (r= 0,388, p ≤ 0.01) Strategy vs evaluation (k) 95,2% 90,3% 4,9% (r= 0,567, p ≤ 0.01) Execution vs evaluation (c) 78,8% 83,9% - 5,1% (r= 0,160, p= ≤ 0.01) Execution vs evaluation (k) 78,8% 90,3% - 11,5% (r= 0,382, p ≤ 0.01) The scale shows reliability of 0.74 (Cronbach’s Alpha). Source: Own elaboration. 6. Discussion and conclusions The results obtained allow answering the three research questions (RQ) linked to the previously esta- blished objectives. Regarding RQ1, taking as a reference John Marston’s strategic decision-making model devised in 1963 (Marston, 1981) and considering public relations as an independent and strategic managerial function (Grunig and Hunt, 2003), it can be verified that most of the public relations plans of Spanish companies in the digital environment are strategically designed. This would evidence the growing trend, of which Neill and Moody (2015) and Cuenca-Fontbona et al. (2020) already talked about, to incorporate the strategic function into the practice of public relations in cyberspace, further reinforced by the meritorious digital maturity that Spanish companies boast of (Cuenca-Fontbona, et al., 2020). Likewise, these data contrast with what has been the norm in praxis in recent years, as shown by the studies by Belzunce and Aguirre (2018), Grunig et al. (2021), Macnamara and Zerfass (2012); Navarro et al. (2017), or Zerfass et al. (2017), who claimed that, in general, public relations management in the digital environment has been approached in a rather tactical manner and with short-term objectives. Likewise, it is detected that the vast majority of public relations plans in the digital medium, of any typology and communicative function studied, are coordinated with the other units of a communica- tion plan, as recommended by the specialized literature (Aced, 2018; Compte-Pujol et al., 2018; Luo et al., 2015). This presupposes that communication professionals work methodically, from the beginning. These results differ from previous studies such as Macnamara and Zerfass (2012), which concluded that, in many organizations around the world, digital communication was not integrated with the rest of organizational communication. It can be deduced that a clear evolution of the discipline is manifested in this new medium. Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 175 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 The literature is unanimous in demanding preliminary research and its consequent diagnosis as a stage previous to the development of the strategic approach (Capriotti, 2021; Castillo-Esparcia and Villabo- na-Beltrán, 2018; Cuenca, 2018; Cutlip et al., 2006; Grunig and Hunt, 2003; Madroñero and Capriotti, 2018; Marston, 1981; Matilla, 2018; Otero and Pulido, 2018; Spell, 2021; Xifra, 2017). Following the requirements described above, it is observed that Spanish organizations, before making any strategic decision in this communication field, start from preliminary research. Although there is a fundamental preliminary question that cannot be known in detail with the present study, the type of preliminary research that is designed, it would confirm even more that it operates according to a planning process model. Besides the preliminary research, the reflection that is ensured to be exercised on the objectives, mes- sages, and strategic audiences, although it cannot be known if it is based on a previous audience map as Oliveira (2018) points out, to propose the most convenient action and the great concern that what is outlined be innovative and creative, as the previous studies by Moreno et al. (2017) point out, would also be aligned with this idea of the strategic approach that seems to be permeating communication departments. The answers that have been obtained about the fourth Marstonian stage, evaluation, indicate that the research carried out by professionals handles both methodologies, quantitative and qualitative, to as- sess the performance of public relations in the digital medium and facilitate decision-making. Likewise, it is observed that the four planning stages appear directly related to each other. This corre- lation also leads us to think that public relations plans in the digital medium are consistent and, thus, can be considered strategic approaches. On what type of public relations plans in the digital medium are more common (RQ2), it is concluded that those that have to do with notoriety, the impact to make themselves known, and preserve a positi- ve image, and not so much in pursuing the interest and/or acceptance among the public, predominate. Professionals understand that presence on the internet is important to have a persistent presence and sustain a better perception. Support for the marketing function is also relevant but it is not the main typology. Although the main purpose of public relations is to influence strategic audiences (Grunig and Hunt, 2003; Matilla, 2018; Smith, 2020; Xifra, 2017), there are other types of communicative functions such as informing, focused on the content and communication channels, and building loyalty, focused on retaining the public. These stick out ahead of influencing. On this issue, it is surprising that building loyalty is a pre-eminent approach, especially when the typology of programs is said to focus on achie- ving awareness and ensuring the corporate image. On the other hand, the lower relevance of the typo- logy of commercial or marketing programs coincides with the fact that the persuasive function is not the most important communicative orientation of public relations plans in the digital medium. About the digital media ecosystem, internal email and external websites are the most used digital tools when public relations actions are planned in the digital environment (RQ3). In fact, in the external sce- nario, the possibilities offered by the website as a tool to strategically manage relations with the public were already pointed out in previous studies, such as that by Navarro et al. (2017). Social networks are positioned as key tools in both scenes, in line with the recent trends advanced by Cuenca and Verazzi (2020) and Zerfass et al. (2020, 2021). The communicative intention is not channeled exclusively through social networks in the digital approaches of internal communication but they do seem to be the absolute protagonists in external communication. With this study, it is confirmed that the recent trend to professionalize the management of public re- lations in cyberspace has already been incorporated into the communication departments of Spanish companies. On the one hand, integrating their practice to other organizational communication activi- ties, and, on the other, incorporating long-term strategic planning processes and breaking with traditio- nal tactical and short-term management. Although companies are increasingly taking advantage of the benefits that the online ecosystem offers them to develop effective relationships with their audiences, this study shows some evidence that there are still aspects to improve in the strategic management of digital public relations, related to experimenting with typologies of approaches, when strategically required, beyond notoriety and the informative function or the use of new digital tools. Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 176 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 7. Limitations and future lines of research Despite the obtained results, this study has certain limitations. In the first place, it is noted that neither the selected universe nor the analysis sample is representative of all Spanish companies or commu- nication directors who exercise their functional responsibility in the Spanish State, a universe that it has not been possible to documentarily identify. Additionally, participation according to the economic category has been unequal and this limits any comparative analysis or conclusion of a sectoral type. However, the number of respondents provides an adequate basis to analyze patterns in their answers corresponding to the practice of public relations in the digital environment and allows the results of the research to be considered as general trends in Spain. Regarding future lines of research, it would be interesting to learn more about issues such as the type of preliminary research that is carried out before undertaking an action, a campaign, or a strategic plan, and its quantitative and qualitative evaluation, to understand the reasons behind the decisions of the communication professional when strategically planning in the digital medium. In turn, this research is planned to be repeated with professionals from organizations in other countries to contrast and correlate the praxis between countries. 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European Communication Monitor, 1–130. https://www.communicationmonitor.eu/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/ECM2020-Results-Char- tVersion.pdf Zerfass, A., Verčič, D. y Charlotte, S. (2017). Communication evaluation and measurement Skills, Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 180 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 practices and utilization in European organizations. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 22, Iss. 1, 2–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-08-2016-0056 AUTHORS: Joan Cuenca-Fontbona Faculty of Communication and International Relations Blanquerna (FCRI) -Universidad Ramon Llull (URL) He is a doctor accredited by the Faculty of Communication and International Relations Blanquerna - URL of Barcelona. He is a professor in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations, and Mar- keting, Director of the Master’s Degree in Public Relations Strategy and Management, and member of the Research Group on Strategy and Creativity in Advertising and PR (URL). He is the author of various books and articles in scientific journals. His lines of research are “strategic communication”, “corporate communication”, and “Public Relations”. Visiting professor at the University of Colorado in Boulder, USA. He has a six-year period in research by the National Commission for the Evaluation of Research Activity (CNEAI). Member of the Board of Directors of the AIRP-Association of Re- searchers in Public Relations and member of the Association of Directors of Communication Dircom Catalonia. joancf@blanquerna.url.edu Índice H: 8 Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5807-9442 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=ca&user=X7ESAysAAAAJ ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan-Cuenca-Fontbona Scopus ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57194005924 Academia.edu: https://url.academia.edu/JoanCuencaFontbona Dialnet: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/autor?codigo=2588364 Marc Compte-Pujol Universitat Oberta de Catalunya Marc Compte-Pujol is a professor in charge of Information and Communication Sciences Studies at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and an associate professor at Blanquerna-Universitat Ramon Llull (URL). He holds a Ph.D. in Advanced Studies in Communication from the URL and has been accredited by ANECA and AQU. He has published several articles in prestigious international scientific journals. His lines of research focus on “strategic communication”, “Public Relations”, “cor- porate communication”, and “place branding”. mcomptepuj@uoc.edu Índice H: 7 Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6694-2485 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=CPhFIt0AAAAJ&hl=ca ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marc-Compte-Pujol Scopus ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57189576902 Web of Science ResearcherID: D-5706-2017 Academia.edu: https://uoc.academia.edu/MarcComptePujol Ileana Zeler Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Ileana Zeler is a Serra Hunter professor in the Department of Advertising, Public Relations, and Audio- visual Communication at the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB), and holds a Ph.D. in com- munication from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV). With several articles published in prestigious international scientific journals, she focuses her lines of research on “strategic communication”, “Pu- blic Relations”, “digital communication”, and “corporate social responsibility”. She is also vice-chair of the Strategic and Organizational Communication section of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Ileana.zeler@uab.cat Índice H: 6 Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 181 RLCS, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 80, 163-182 [Research] https://www.doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1537| ISSN 1138-5820 | Year 2022 Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5550-1000 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=9HeO2AIAAAAJ&hl=es ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ileana-Zeler-3 Scopus ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57212515024 Dialnet: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/metricas/investigadores/4400617 Received: 15/10/2021. Accepted: 27/01/2021. Published: 28/02/2022 182