5 Public Relations Tips for Boosting Your Brand
In a crowded sea with brands vying for the dollars in consumers’ pockets, it can be incredibly difficult to stand out. The basics that may have worked 10 years ago – opening a Twitter account, maintaining a blog, or sending out press releases – may not be sufficient today.
So, how does a brand, particularly one that is starting out, survive and thrive in the market?
Public relations experts have attempted to navigate through the intense marketplace of brands that are offering everything from $1 per month razors to $99 per year online memberships to access anything you want. They have learned what works and what doesn’t.
It’s 2018. It’s harder than ever to compete for consumers’ attention. PR agencies have some advice that you should heed immediately.
Here are five PR agency tips your brand can use in 2018:
1. Content is King – Use It!
You have heard this expression a dozen times – well, at least 100 times. Content is king. This is because it really is, whether it’s an infographic or YouTube videos. Consumers are constantly consuming content: television, social media, web searches, mobile surfing, and the list goes on.
As a brand, you need to harness the power of content. And we’re not just talking about a 500-word blog post or a tweet that nobody is reading.
Here are some content ideas to consider:
- A 30-minute webinar.
- Articles, how-tos, blog posts, and other written content.
- YouTube video showing viewers how to use your product.
- Email marketing: newsletters, promotions, and social sharing.
By crafting and concentrating on content, you can garner more eyeballs to your brand.
2. The Power of Social Media
Yes, there are one billion Facebook users, 500 million Twitter users, and 150 million daily active Snapchat users. Some of the biggest companies have leveraged social media for this very reason.
It may seem like a daunting task, but you should examine it more as a way to find more customers. There are numerous ways to take advantage of Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Here are a few ways to harness social media:
- Customer complaints? Respond to their concerns and learn more.
- Share interesting customer stories on Facebook.
- Take advantage of relevant hashtags.
- Snap regular photos to spread around social media.
- Thank your clients for posting positive comments.
3. Maintain Relationships with the Media
There is no doubt that the media has gotten a terrible reputation in recent years. Everything from fake news to sensationalized headlines, the media seems like a toxic environment.
That said, whether they’re mainstream or independent, journalists, bloggers, and editors are your gateway to publicity. And this is why you need to maintain relationships with the media.
Developing a new product, providing commentary to a news story, or experiencing an incredible amount of growth, the media-consuming public should be aware of this.
4. Use the Latest Marketing Trends
Automation, mobile marketing, search engine optimization, social media, search engine algorithms. As a brand, you need to keep up-to-date on the latest marketing trends that you can leverage for your strategies.
By getting on the ground floor, you could potentially rise to the top and get seen by many.
5. Show Some Brand Personality – But Stay Authentic
Unfortunately, shoppers feel that they are buying products from a machine, especially with the way we are shopping nowadays (mostly online). This can be a turnoff for some customers.
What’s the solution? Show some brand personality.
This can be achieved by showing off your staff, sharing unique stories, maintaining a sense of humour, and other unique personality traits of your brand.
But it is still imperative to remain authentic, otherwise this will, too, irk the shopper.
The public relations industry has greatly evolved from the days of “Sweet Smell of Success.” There aren’t cheap tricks, cheap gags, and cheap stories being employed by PR agencies and newspapers. Sure, there is sponsored content and branded articles, but readers are aware of this – and even if it wasn’t advertised, consumers are a lot smarter and cynical in these modern times.
To get noticed and to increase sales, you need to allocate a portion of your marketing budget to the PR aspect, whether it is blogging or tweeting. You may have a great product, but the world needs to be told about it first.
