PR has changed in a massive way. No longer is it just about media relations and churning out press releases. Digital PR is all to do with combining traditional PR with content marketing, social media and search. It is transforming static news into conversations. Media is being bypassed to speak directly to your target audience.
News can widen its reach further, faster, and more directly to a specific target audience. It’s doing this at a rate of knot – faster than it’s ever done before. This allows us to maximise news like never before. Without being satisfied by a single placement, your company’s latest news can be shared exponentially. Not only that but it is now possible to use social media, blogs, reviews and content not to just share news but to create dialogue and connect.
In the 20th century, brands depended on great public relations strategies in order to create awareness, define their competitive advantage as well as outshine competitors. Today, as we all know, the digital world is essential to the way we do business as well as live our lives. Gone are the times when legacy media ruled the roost. Newspapers, radio, and television have all taken a hit.
What are the techniques that digital public relations includes?
Examples of digital public relations techniques include:
- Online speeches: Interviews with senior executives are recorded and publicised.
- Corporate videos as well as information regarding the business. This type of information includes documents such as financial reports.
- Events that are broadcast using techniques such as videoconferencing.
- Sponsorship and charitable donations. These generate content on news websites.
- Facility visits made the public could be virtual. Alternatively, visits by the general public might be recorded using Instagram which could be uploaded to YouTube.
- Publicity events will also generate user-generated content which may be shared using social media. Media releases will also be responsible for generating some coverage if picked up by online and off-line sources.
- Placement of products in games or in movies will also generate public relations material. If you comb websites or YouTube you will find examples of video advertorials that promote products using video. This video is generated by the provider of the products and/or service.
Websites as well as electronic brochures are also obvious, but crucial, digital public relations
Out with the silos and in with cross promotion
Today PR doesn’t allow for the creation of silos. As we mentioned in the introduction content marketing, search engine optimisation, social media and customer service are all blended into the entire solution that digital public relations is responsible for.
Once you have your content in production, take it even further with the next major piece of digital PR – SEO. This specific function should not be the exclusive domain of IT or the web programmer. It’s a digital marketing function that should transcend into all PR activity. Even if SEO isn’t yet deliberate, this practice is having an impact by virtue of what you are publishing online. You can increase your impact by taking a mindful approach to SEO as opposed to an accidental one.
Weave in search keywords to showcase your news to those who are searching for content which is similar. Make use of your keyword research in order to drive trending press releases, thought leadership articles as well as blog posts. Learn how to correctly assimilate keywords into each piece of writing for it to have a maximum impact.
Share on social media
Social media is the third part of the trifecta. Learn how to build lists on Twitter so that you can monitor journalists’ Twitter activities. Everyone realises that social is a serious part of “creating relationships with the public”. For the last five years or so social media has impacted brand visibility with the force of a hurricane. Take advantage of this to share your content.
It’s never been more vital to always continue learning. New skills are critical to your success as a digital public relations professional. If you are an experienced pro or brand new to the industry task yourself with constantly learning and applying new skills/technology to what you are doing. Adapt processes to fit your environment..
Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing
If you are a budding PR entrepreneur who would love to explore the world of digital PR then check out The Digital School of Marketing online courses which cover all aspects of Digital Marketing and different Public relations.
