Digital transformation in public relations: An analysis of metropolitan municipalities' websites from a digital public relations perspective

Digital transformation impacts every aspect of life. Individuals fulfill a significant portion of their needs through digital platforms. In this context, alongside certain advantages, digital transformation imposes responsibilities on institutions. One of the first places to observe in the digital transformation process is central and local governments. In this regard, it becomes crucial for municipalities to keep up with digital transformation, establish connections with their constituents, and examine their online presence. Municipalities should engage in effective two-way communication, promote public participation, meet the needs of their citizens, and foster transparency while benefiting from the advantages of digital transformation. In this vein, the aim of the study is to demonstrate that every institution benefiting from digital platforms also has certain responsibilities. The study aims to gain a deeper understanding of how local government public relations adapt to digital transformation by conducting a comprehensive analysis of metropolitan municipality websites. The interpretative content analysis technique was employed in the research. Initially, data were evaluated using web accessibility evaluation tools such as AChecker and WAVE. The websites of all metropolitan municipalities were subjected to evaluations, and the results were tabulated. Compliance with WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 guidelines was tested. Contrast errors and warnings data were tested using the WAVE tool, and the results were presented in tables and graphs. Finally, all metropolitan municipalities were measured using the "digital public relations skills classification form". As a result, it is indicated that municipalities are still in the early stages of digital transformation and have not fully utilized the potential of digital platforms to interact with public stakeholders. While metropolitan municipalities have embraced advanced digital technologies, it is believed that they have not fully adapted to digital transformation, relying on old and static web designs, thus limiting their ability to interact effectively with their constituents.