Our new, mostly The digital age has revolutionized what it means to be a brand. Competition has never been greater, forcing all businesses to keep up with modern trends and business practices lest they fall behind.
When the Internet was formed many years ago, it began to forever change where and how we do business. Today, business is conducted in all shapes and forms, but mostly happens online.
So how can businesses keep up with the times and ensure they don’t fall behind? A great tool to use is PR. Any successful company likely has a dedicated public relations team that helps it get known where it matters most. So how can you use PR to help your business succeed online?
I’ve put together a list of five top PR uses today’s top brands and companies are focusing on to help their businesses succeed.
1. Improve your company’s SEO
In any Google search, a single keyword can generate millions of results in seconds. If you want your brand or brand name to stand out, you can use PR to strengthen your online brand. Otherwise, no one will find you.
The most important thing is to get your website embedded in stronger, higher ranking websites. A common way to do this is through backlinks or by inserting live links within the article where it makes sense. Consider how you can secure your blog location or editorial coverage, which can be a great way to improve your company’s ranking in Google’s search engines.
Turning your attention to SEO can boost your company’s website and brand’s online presence over time. The goal is to have your brand rank #1 in Google when someone looks up your business name. This makes your brand easily discoverable. An undiscovered brand is not a successful brand.
2. Get your company in the media
One of the most important reasons to use PR is to get your company in the media. While print media is on the verge of becoming obsolete, online publications are still read by millions of eyes every day.
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The first step is to look for publications that focus on a topic, area, or interest related to your business. For example, if I own a sports team and want to promote my team, I would focus on sports-related channels.
The next step is to secure media placement. You can contact a target website you came up with yourself, or seek help from a PR and marketing firm that specializes in targeted media. Always do your due diligence to make sure it makes sense for your brand.
3. Improve brand recognition and credibility
Perhaps the most important reason to consider utilizing PR is to properly brand your company and create positive perceptions of your brand. This is where you need to brainstorm, as this is one of the most important steps in building a solid reputation online. Think carefully about what you want to communicate to the masses, and what message or story your brand wants to convey.
When you have the opportunity to create a story for your company, be sure to use it to bring life to your company. You want your brand to be viewed positively in the media so that people trust your products and services. You can make everything look as organic as possible. But if that’s not possible, make sure you’re taking full advantage of your media placements.
It is important to focus on copywriting so that you can express your point accurately and in a meaningful way. Think about who will see your content and how you can best get your point across to those people. In my experience, writing is important to the success of your PR campaign. Don’t be afraid to outsource your writing and find a copywriter who can convey your message better than you can.
4. Market your product or service in new ways
Millions of readers visit news outlets and blogs every day. This means that gaining access to major media outlets can give your brand the opportunity to market its products or services.
This is the time to be creative. Think of the different ways you can use the medium to market your brand. Maybe it’s partnering with a famous influencer who has a fan base in your target niche. Or it might publish an article that gives you a deeper understanding of your products and services and their uses.
5. Announcement
A common way large companies use PR is by making announcements and providing updates about the company. Typically, companies do this by publishing a press release online. An article can be more useful than an email list announcement, newsletter or email notification.
While you can do this in a number of ways, keeping your customers and shareholders informed of any major changes, announcements or releases is critical to the success of your business. Everything is much better when everyone is on the same page.
PR can be a powerful tool for any brand — if you know where to start.