You may have heard that PR shouldn’t include social media communications, but we’re here to tell you to throw that assumption in the bin!
Any publicity mastermind will agree that social media is fuel for your brand sentiment fire (good or bad), and adds a much-needed layer of complexity to your messaging.
Grab your popcorn and buckle up! Our marketing agency in Leeds is about to break down why your PR campaigns need to involve social media!
Let’s talk visibility
You know what they say, “out of sight, out of mind”. That’s why social media is vital to building a strong, engaged community. One that reaches a wider audience than just press.
You’re talking to your followers in real-time, something that can be difficult with publication and editorial deadlines that are often inflexible. Real-time communication is a direct line to your audience. social media offers you the opportunity to go viral daily by jumping on trends and having your say in hot topics and debates.
A familiar face
Not only can you share your key messages on your own schedule, but you’re also getting in front of people multiple times a day, rather than in one swoop.
And, as you may have heard, repetition in advertising and marketing is important for:
- brand recognition,
- positive association,
- building familiarity and trust,
- increasing sales,
- and better understanding of your messaging.
Reinforcing your key comms holds a lot of sway when it comes to people’s purchase decisions, especially when choosing between you and a competitor. Which product or service do you think someone would pick? One that they’ve only heard of once before? Or the brand that they continually see, and feel a sense of familiarity with?
It’s like choosing a project-partner in school. You’d rather opt for the class-nerd who you’ve seen demonstrate their skill and expertise over and over again, versus the new kid who’s name you keep forgetting.
Know your people
Who are you trying to talk to? If your audience is predominantly Gen-Z or millennials, then the stats don’t lie.
88% of social media users are between the ages of 18 and 29 – and how often do you think they’re reading traditional press articles, journals and newspapers?
We can tell you: not a lot.
84% of Gen Zs get their news from social media, alongside 47% of millennials. That figure drops to 11% combined for news websites and print publications.
Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that you should bypass the traditional press! Our marketing agency in Leeds champions multi-media campaigns that authentically switch up the format and type of messaging based on the platform. There is value in utilising both. Especially if your audience is a broad demographic or you want to increase the chances of people seeing your message (which you do!)
When in a crisis
Disasters can strike at any time, but the world keeps on moving. Social media helps you to stay on top of your narrative, offering live updates and a chance to keep your audience informed.
Again, this goes back to real-time comms, and the ability to share your story whenever you need to, at any time of the day, so that you can stay on top of your brand reputation and community management.
You can stop the spread of misinformation and chat to customers directly, answering their questions and reassuring them of your position.
All about those stats
We understand that clients want to see the proof in the pudding. Social media provides a wide range of data and metrics so you can measure the success of your campaigns. Think of it like a built-in report card for your efforts.
Engagement, reach, brand sentiment, and share-of-voice are only some of the stats you can take from social media, and the data is live so you can sit back and watch those numbers go up and up on the daily.
Combining these with your PR metrics will strengthen your results presentations and solidify ROI margins.
Influencers are King
If you’re not making use of influencer-marketing in your communications strategy, you’re choosing to not tap into a whole new, highly engaged audience that you may miss through traditional PR channels.
This is a great chance for you to incentivise potential customers, strengthen your brand loyalty, and showcase your brand’s personality too.
New to the influencer game? We’ve got you. Check out our top do’s and don’ts when working with influencers.
But why bother with traditional PR at all?
It might sound wild to you, but there are some people who don’t use social media! We know, shocking behaviour, some may even call them weird, but it’s true. Traditional media channels help you to reach those that aren’t online much or active on digital platforms.
Also, for a lot of people, traditional channels are seen as more credible and trust-worthy, where news has to go through multiple approval points rather than someone pressing “publish” with the tap of a finger.
There is an element of third-party validation that helps to build on that trust with the audience, like an exclusive invite from a top socialite does for the nobodies in Gossip Girl. If they’re invited to that party they must be cool – it’s the same for your brand.
Plus, coverage has a long shelf life, as it’s preserved in print and online archives, and isn’t as easily erased as an Instagram post or TikTok video.
So, there you have it, PR and social media are like your eyebrows should be: sisters, but not twins. Both add a unique layer to your communications strategy and boost your chances of reaching the right audience, at the right time, with the right message.
If you’re looking for a marketing agency to support you in building brand awareness, sentiment and engagement, then you’ve come to the right place. We thrive on making creative content that takes our client’s PR efforts to the next level, changing the world together (one tweet at a time!)
Reach out to our Head of Marketing & PR, Jess, an email at [email protected], or call us on 01132557285 to find out more.