In California, where the mainstream media has cut back its coverage of state government and public policy debates, one P.R. agency is getting around these cuts by increasing its online public affairs presence.

Edelman, the largest public relations firm in California, found through proprietary research that online media outlets, such as blogs and Facebook, “are becoming more trusted as messengers — making them even more influential in the public policy debates that have a big impact on business in our state,” according to Gail Becker, president of Edelman’s Western region, in latest edition of the Sacramento Business Journal.

As public policy debates increasing shift to being online, Edelman is actively engaging in the conversation.

Steve Telliano, general manager for Edelman’s Sacramento office, likened online communication to a cocktail party.

If you stand on the kitchen table and start making a speech, “you’re not going to have credibility and no one’s going to pay attention,” he said, adding, “You have to join the conversation in a relevant way and transparently.”

As the way we communicate continues to change, and traditional communication channels become less dominant, ad agencies need to make sure their clients are joining important conversations with their audiences and that they are taking the lead in helping clients make important online connections.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to small- and medium-sized advertising agencies and businesses.