5 Steps to an Effective Social Media Strategy for Your Small Business.pdf
Battle of PR 2016
1. The Battle
of
Public Relation
Rafael Jeffry Anwar Sani
Digital – CorpComm – Marcomm – Activation
Bunda Mulia University – Ancol Campus
December 1, 2016
4. Background
Digital PR is all about combining traditional PR with content
marketing, social media and search: transforming static news into
conversations and bypassing media to speak directly to your target audience
online.
News can be spread further, faster, and more directly to a specific target
audience than ever before in history. It allows us to maximize news like
never before. Instead of being satisfied with a single placement, your
news can be shared exponentially.
Not only that, but we can now use social media, blogs, reviews and
content to not just share news, but CREATE DIALOGUE. Connect.
5. Background
Repurpose + Value = Content Marketing
As a PR pro, one way to incorporate content marketing into your mix is to repurpose
content you already have (press releases & bylines) into fresh content. A single press release
can be re-purposed into a Slideshare presentation, a blog post, a guest blog post, a Pinterest
infographic, a LinkedIn news update, a post on a relevant trade publications Facebook page,
an editorial opinion article for the local newspaper’s website and more.
Share, re-purpose, share again – and repeat the same process a few more times! One piece
of content can flow out to multiple sources.
Instead of simply putting your press release on the wire, turn it into a blog post that
connects the news to an engaging viewpoint; use it as the launchpad to discuss a related
issue, educate, or dive into a juicy Q&A. Find ways to take an offline PR campaign to
social… and vice versa.
When you re-purpose, don’t simply rewrite the piece. Go one step further to transform your
news braggadocio into content that provides VALUE.
9. Background
Goodbye, Silo’s – Hello, Cross-Promotion
Today’s PR doesn’t allow for silos. Content marketing, search engine optimization, social media, customer
service – all of these things are blended into the total solution that we are responsible for. If you don’t
know the basics, there is no time like the present to dive in.
Once you have your content underway – take it even further with the second major piece of digital PR:
SEO. This particular function should not belong to the IT silo, or the web programmer silo – it’s a
marketing function that should cross into all PR activity. Even if it isn’t yet deliberate, it’s having an impact
by virtue of what you are publishing online – and you can boost your impact by taking a mindful
approach, instead of accidental.
Integrate search keywords to expose your news to those who are searching for similar content. Use your
keyword research to drive trends press releases, byline articles and blog posts, and learn how to correctly
integrate keywords into each piece of writing for maximum impact.
Then share it like crazy on social media! The third piece of the content/search/social trifecta (in no
particular order). And, for heaven’s sake, learn how to build Twitter lists so you can monitor journalists on
Twitter.
10. Background
Be curious… insatiable in your thirst for knowledge!
Learn, learn, learn. It’s never been more important to ALWAYS
continue learning – fresh skills are critical to your success as a
marketing or public relations professional. Whether you are a
seasoned pro or brand new to the industry – challenge yourself to
constantly learn and apply new skills/technology to what you are
doing, and adapt processes to fit your environment. It is critical to
invest in YOU.
13. Fundamentals
What is the difference between Digital PR and Traditional PR?
Traditional PR uses high circulation, readership, and viewer ratings to
determine who to approach when selling in content to media houses and
publishers. Even traditional PR’s who claim to ‘do digital’ still use this this
method.
Digital PR doesn’t exclusively focus on the number of followers on
social media sites and readers before approaching them. It also focuses on
evaluating domain authority and non-paid opportunities for link citations.
The success of Digital PR is, as a result, more measurable than Traditional
PR.
14. Fundamentals
How does Digital PR fit into my marketing strategy?
Digital PR should follow closely with your SEO and digital marketing
strategies for maximum effect. However, Digital PR can strengthen weaker
landing pages and increase the site traffic of slower moving stock – even
if it does not directly follow your overall marketing objective. When used
with SEO, Digital PR can take advantage of key search term trends and
maximise coverage on what people are already searching for on the
Internet.
15. Fundamentals
Digital PR tactics include:
Surveys converted into publish-ready news stories
Feature placements
Thought leadership
Press releases
Charity/celebrity engagement
Bespoke campaigns
Blog writing
Spokesperson statements
19. Digital
Platform Agnostic
Social Media Spectrum
Niche presence in Platforms
Positioning & Owning space
Objective Destination
Community through SocMed
Key Power Influencers / Opinion Formers
Tech savvy organic community
20. Digital
SEO Intersection
PR, SocMed & SEO Amplification
Keyword Marketing
Digital & Analog Marketing Channels
Social Participation + PR = Links
Build brand presence, ranking, referral traffic &
editorial
24. Simplicity
1. Collaborate with influencers.
Word of mouth, press coverage and endorsements,
have long relied on one effective marketing tactic:
third-party credibility. No matter who your target
market is, the best way to earn credibility is to have
people of influence tell others why they appreciate
your product or service.
30. Simplicity
2. Communicate your 'why.'
In today’s world of watchdog technologies, brands are
scrutinized with every consumer touch point. From YouTube
videos that expose poor customer service to Twitter
comments that belittle brands for not living up to their
promise, companies can no longer mask inefficiencies. This is
both a challenge and an opportunity for brands to establish
and implement core values that humanize them and make
them more relatable to the public.
31. Simplicity
3. Create content, not ads.
Ad buying has adjusted to the digital world. Tools like
sponsored posts and native advertising, allow brands to
create rich user-specific content that tells a relevant story
rather than a repetitive promotion or sales pitch. The days of
guaranteeing mass viewership of catchy slogans are
dwindling. Consumers now have choice over what content
they engage with and brands need to understand what drives
them. From responsive video series to interactive social
media campaigns, brands need to become clever and more
customized than ever with their online content.
32. Simplicity
4. Give traditional press exclusivity.
Commuter papers, trade journals, dailies and broadcast shows still carry
third-party credibility and weight in today’s digital world. Keep in mind
these publications are dealing with more competition than ever. A mass
press release, for that matter, is not likely going to gain you a coveted
feature in your national newspaper or a slot on the local morning show. If
you want to land earned editorial with traditional press, offer the outlet
you are targeting an exclusive angle. Your brand has many layers. Find the
right outlets to tell each aspect of your brand story to.
While the tools and landscape may have changed, the core of what
motivates the public to appreciate a product, service or a brand has not.
Brand loyalty still comes from the public relating to a brand’s culture and
values and a belief that its offerings add great value.
34. Re-Invent The Wheel?
1. The traditional press release is no more.
The age of the standard press release is no more. Unless you’re Apple —
or you have some truly groundbreaking product — you’re wasting your
resources if you’re continuing to write and distribute traditional press
releases to journalists and outlets to get them to cover your news. Rather
than trying to gain media coverage through ineffective press releases of a
time gone by, it’s critical for PR professionals and marketers to embrace
new and different ways of getting news about our offerings and
accomplishments to our audience members. Take advantage of social
media, develop relationships with industry leaders and influencers, and
incorporate quality visuals in your messages to get the attention of
journalists and outlets that can help you spread your message.
36. Re-Invent The Wheel?
2. Thought leadership will become a growing PR budget priority.
Thought leadership and executive branding Thought leadership is a newer
marketing trend where business leaders and companies position
themselves as leaders in their spaces, and it serves as a great framework for
related PR tactics and campaigns.
So, before leaders set out to promote their images and their companies’
messages, they need to control the original content around their brands.
By focusing on thought leadership, you can surround yourself and your
audience with the right kind of content — content that’s valuable,
educational, and engaging. As thought leadership continues to grow in
popularity (and as the base of successful PR strategies), agencies will need
to adjust their budgets to allow for greater thought leadership
development and execution
37. Re-Invent The Wheel?
3. Content amplification will become (even more) critical.
Years ago, if you could get yourself published in publications like TechCrunch or
Forbes, your site would probably crash from all of the traffic. Outside of doing
well on “Shark Tank,” there really aren’t as many opportunities to drive that
volume of traffic to your website anymore. Sure, there are plenty of channels to
promote your messaging, but you have to know how to leverage and amplify your
content to get more eyes on it. And it all starts with the quality of the content
you’re trying to get in front of your audience.
When you start with good content, amplifying it to your targeted audience
becomes much easier, and you’ll find even more avenues for you and your team to
distribute it. In addition to social media, including new content in lead generation,
and nurturing events — from infographics to whitepapers and articles — the
sales process, marketing newsletters, and even email signatures can get more of
the right eyes on your content and amplify your message.
38. Re-Invent The Wheel?
4. Negative brand advocates will be prevented through content.
Sometimes, people can be unreasonable and a little impulsive, and with such easy access to social media,
every person has the ability to share bad experiences with his or her network. You never know who has a
column at a publication you’re targeting, a massive social following you’d like to reach, or who just
connected on LinkedIn with a person you’re trying to develop a relationship with. And that’s scary.
To prevent this in PR, establish processes to avoid negative experiences in the first place. That starts with
training your team to handle situations and experiences effectively — before they turn into PR
nightmares. Take it from Jay Baer who just released his new book, “Hug Your Haters.” It showcases why
ignoring your haters can be a toxic spiral and how to solve the real issues at hand. That’s a helpful
resource if your team is struggling through this process.
I’ve found that another great way to do this is through content.
We use content in our hiring process to educate and attract candidates, during new hires’ onboarding
processes to introduce them to our culture and services, and throughout their time with our company to
keep them up-to-date about our industry. When your team is educated and engaged, they can help
facilitate better experiences with your clients, and those experiences reduce your chances of falling victim
to the social ranting and negative brand advocacy of a disgruntled customer.
39. Re-Invent The Wheel?
5. Online reputation management will be necessary.
When you pitch a story or a piece of content to a publication editor or journalist,
the first thing a lot of them do is search who you are and what your company
does. Because they receive hundreds of pitches each day as a result of the rise in
guest contributors, they might only have a few seconds to look into you, and that
search can go one of two ways: They either like what they see and follow through,
or they don’t.
When someone searches you and finds solid content around your brand, your
expertise, and your company, you essentially pass his or her test. Thus, your
chance of acceptance to his or her publication increases. But if there isn’t much
content (or if the content you do have is negative), a relationship with you isn’t
worth the risk. To better manage your online reputation and get your message to
the right audiences, it’s important to consistently create and publish quality
content.
40. Re-Invent The Wheel?
6. True influence will win over number of followers.
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed that brands and company executives are
spending a significant amount of money to gain the attention of leading industry
influencers with hundreds of thousands of social media followers to gain access
to their networks, increase their own following, and promote their messages. And
while this can mean a higher number of people in your “followers” section on
your profile, it doesn’t guarantee that those people are right for you and your
brand.
My company works with many influential clients who may have a few thousand
followers, but they earned them naturally — not from buying them, follow-backs,
or other shady ways to make it look as if they have influence — and they’ve seen
great success on social. It’s ultimately better to have a slightly smaller, higher-
quality network that loves your brand and content than it is to have a larger one
with no engagement. Focus on developing a network and building influence
among a targeted, valuable audience and social following to stay ahead in 2016.
41. Re-Invent The Wheel?
7. Use of paid promotion and social ads will continue to rise.
With thought leadership strategies serving as such a great base for public relations efforts,
we’re seeing more and more leaders produce and distribute content around their brands and
expertise to fuel those PR efforts. And, although amplifying content in sales and marketing
processes can help get it to the right audiences, another method of distribution is on the rise.
According to the Content Marketing Institute’s 2016 content benchmark report, more than 50
percent of B2B marketing professionals use social ads and promoted posts to distribute
content, and the effectiveness ratings for each of these methods have increased since last year.
This means more marketers and communications professionals are turning to paid social
efforts, and those efforts are seeing higher and higher returns. To keep up, communications
professionals should look for new ways to invest in paid social distribution and reach new
audiences.
The public relations industry has seen dramatic evolution over the years (especially in the last
few). It’s an exciting time to be a communications professional, and if we want to continue
evolving with our field, we have to pay attention to upcoming trends and changes in our
practices.
43. 2017?
Stop relying on Google
Marketers should take heed. Google is one basket, but it doesn’t deserve all your marketing eggs. Search
engine optimization is important, but a searcher can accomplish her goal through more means than just
Google. I advise digital marketers to rely less on Google, and engage more direct forms of interacting
with their target market.
Mobile. Just mobile
The importance of mobile search, mobile optimization, mobile conversions, and mobile ubiquity cannot be overstated.
Mobile devices and our collective addiction to them are fixtures of the modern marketing era.
Social conversion – lead generation
Enough has been said about the power of social networks. Not quite enough as been said about the importance of social
conversions. For ecommerce and lead generation sites, social provides a growing opportunity to improve conversion rates
and gain new conversion channels.
New payment methods
