Remember when social media was just for college students (Facebook) and teenagers or aspiring musicians (MySpace)? Social media’s evolution redefined the digital age and is changing the PR field. Journalists, publicists and others are realizing that social media is an efficient way to create a fan base, solicit story ideas and have real-time conversations with people around the world.
Skeptics claim that social media could stifle marketing and PR firms. In reality, it helps us thrive. By driving traffic, increasing audience engagement and generating interest, social media allows people on all sides of the media equation to get involved. In the same way that faxes and email opened communication channels, social media is an amazing way to connect with people who are eager to hear your story.
Many journalists now use social media to find experts for story angles, get real-time scoops on breaking news, or distinguish themselves and their interests from other news anchors. Publicists in turn use social media to build relationships with journalists and to learn where their interests lie. From there, publicists can share story ideas that appeal to their personalities or find additional resources for their stories. These rich stories are perfect opportunities to reach your target customer and teach them about your product or service.
To further maximize the value of your social media:
• Identify keywords and phrases that will improve your company’s discoverability. Customers are going to veer toward easy-to-find products. Those should be yours.
• Advertise on Facebook and Google. Any budget can buy you an advertisement and increase your visibility on these channels.
• Use the same keywords throughout each medium. This will make your product and/or company easier to search for and find.
While social media can never completely stand alone, it’s a great complement to anyone’s marketing mix. Does your company need help taking advantage of social media? Give us a call: 952-697-5200.
