In today’s age of information, where Google and social media give you instant answers, it’s important to establish a strong online presence. Your ability to influence your audience is directly correlated to your brand story, reputation, and reach. A strong public relations strategy can help you make the difference between success and failure. In this article, we’ll share 10 simple secrets to boost your brand to the pages and stages within your sector.
1. Craft a Compelling Brand Story
Be the hero of your journey. Every company solves a problem, and the best way to connect with your audience is by sharing this solution as a story. Be open, honest, and transparent about both the highs and lows to date. Humanize your brand to connect authentically with brand ambassadors and enlist their support.
2. Define Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Share the special sauce. Your USP sets you apart from competitors and is the key differentiator between you and the company across the street. Highlight this competitive advantage within your mission, messaging, and media everywhere. Whether you’re doing a release, pitching, or simply sharing behind-the-scenes content, include what makes you shine.
3. Leverage Social Media
Social media is word of mouth marketing. Boost your visibility and PR efforts using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Regardless if you’re targeting B2B or B2C, the goal of social is to ensure followers know, like and trust you. Consistency is key when looking to build your brand and convert followers “from looking to booking.”
4. Activate Key Influencers
Tap into pre-built audiences with influencers. Influencers can activate their following to extend your reach and deliver credibility. Build relationships with local trendsetters to help share your story, sell products, or simply vouch for your work. Don’t forget to check social to see if you already have ambassadors posting and promoting you!
5. Engage Your Audience
Don’t make every touchpoint a monologue. The key to engaging and building your brand is two-way communication and actually listening. As with anything, the promptness of your response is key, so don’t wait a week. Show your audience that you value their feedback and input. This fosters a sense of community around your brand, as they begin to feel heard.
6. Create Shareable Content
Be thumb stoppable. It’s important to create content that encourages the user to stop the scroll of their never-ending feeds. Content is king, but you must move us to take action, whether it’s compelling images or messages that matter. Find out what makes your audience tick by asking them what they care about, identifying trends online, and simply repurposing content that works in multiple bite-sized shareable posts.
7. Celebrate Your Wins
Create a win-win-win. Find ways for customers to “vote with their dollar” to empower their community and to benefit everyone, including you. Think TOMS Shoes. Celebrate your successes and milestones, as well as stories of satisfied customers, business growth, and community involvement. Positive PR stories can create a strong, favorable image around your brand.
8. Review Your Reputation
Be present with your presence. Take a moment to reflect on your brand, by monitoring its performance. Build a solid reputation by responding to online reviews, comments, and mentions of your brand. Failure is inevitable, as it breeds success, and haters will hate, but it’s how you handle it that matters.
9. Launch Your Releases
Your story matters. Your brand is making a difference in the lives of many. Announce new products, services, and major company changes across the wire or with relevant media and online outlets to elevate your brand. After pickup or placement, create an asset to share on social, write a blog, or post the publication icons on your site for additional social proof.
10. Measure and Adapt
The only constant is change. Your strategy will continue to adapt, regardless of what’s working and what’s not. Consistently monitor your PR efforts across all channels with key tools like SEM Rush, Google Analytics, and more. Analyze metrics, such as website traffic, social media engagement, and conversion rates. Use these insights to fine-tune your PR strategy for an even better tomorrow.
Conclusion
Unleashing the potential of your online brand with these 10 PR secrets can be a game-changer. When you start with your story or begin with Why, as Simon Sinek says, you build a foundation of greatness from the get-go. Then, you slowly start to build narratives and stories around the audiences that matter most to you. As you iterate, share stories of success and find new ways to deliver the same great premier service to additional clients; your reputation will grow beyond your expectations.
If you’re looking to get a complimentary review of your online brand and its current PR strategy, please feel free to reach out to hello@theseidelagency.com. We also have a wonderful tool that we deliver to our clients called “The Do’s and Don’ts of PR’ should you want to see what’s working when you do book that editorial or podcast interview.
Steve Seidel, Founder of the Award-Winning PR Firm, The Seidel Agency.
Brand PR stock image by MichaelJayBerlin/Shutterstock
