Traditional PR methods involved things like press releases and reaching out to media outlets but times have progressed and we now have a much more effective PR tool – social media.
Just think of how many millions of people use social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X on a daily basis. Not only that, but businesses, journalists, and media companies also have a huge presence on social media.
This means that we have a more accessible channel for PR in social media and this is what we look at below.
How Can Social Media Help With PR?
The main issue with traditional PR issues was the limited scope and you could only typically reach specific audiences. These constraints are not present on social media due to how the platforms work, the hyper-connectivity, and the millions of people that use them.
With public relations and social media, you can reach new audiences and interact with your customers in a way that previously wasn’t possible. It is far easier to grow your public image, boost your brand reputation, and craft a “business persona” that bolsters your PR.
Effective Social Media PR Strategies to Utilize
Due to the vast scope of social media, I get that it can be difficult to know where to start. I advise first, building your presence and concentrating on producing consistent, quality content that is engaging for your audience.
With a solid social media presence and following, you can then look at PR and improve your image and relations. There is a range of things you can do to achieve this including:
Reach out to influencers
Influencers can be incredibly… influential… get it? Anyway… seriously – tapping into the power of influencers is a great PR move and you can essentially benefit from the vast audience they have accumulated.
Influencers earn a living via sponsorships and crafting relationships with companies so you can form a mutually beneficial relationship where you get to boost your PR. The key is to work with influencers who have a positive image and are experts in your industry.
If they promote your products or services and recommend your business this can do wonders for your PR but can also drive sales and engagement on your social media profiles. Influencers can also add amazing credibility to your business as research shows that many people now trust influencers over a company’s own advertising methods!
Form relationships with journalists
Traditionally, forging relationships with journalists was difficult but now most journalists have a social media presence and are incredibly active on platforms like X. Therefore, a key aspect of social media PR is reaching out to journalists and maintaining positive relationships with them.
As with influencers, you should ideally seek journalists who specialize in your field of business or at least have relevance to your industry.
Journalists can then create pieces relating to your business such as reviews, interviews, blog articles, or simple social media posts. All of this gives a boost to your PR and helps build your positive business image.
Use hashtags to benefit from trending topics
Hashtags are often slept on and I don’t know why as they can benefit your business in a number of ways. Next time you log on to X (formerly known as Twitter!) just check out the trending hashtags! You can see the buzz these tiny phrases can generate and this can give a boost to your PR.
You can create your own hashtags and use them in your social media posts to generate interest in subjects. It can also be beneficial to look at trending hashtags and try to incorporate them into your posts.
Hashtags relating to social issues, environmental issues, and world news can help convey your business in a positive light and craft relationships with new audiences. Obviously, you should only jump on trending topics if you agree and believe in what is being discussed!
Add social share buttons to your content
This isn’t really a strategy but more of an SEO technique but adding social share buttons to your website content can help boost engagement and traffic. A digital PR agency can help integrate items like this into your web content.
Social share buttons can be added to blog articles, product pages, and generic web pages and this is a great way to get customers involved.
Use social media as a customer support outlet
An aspect of social media PR that is rapidly developing is social media as a customer support outlet. Many businesses now utilize social media to respond to customer support queries and even have dedicated customer support profiles on X.
A public-facing and highly accessible customer support method on social media can do wonders for your PR and social media presence. Customers can see that you are engaged with them, that you value their business, and that you are active in improving their experience with your business.
Obviously, this is something that must be planned carefully and you must have an effective team who can handle the queries and respond quickly otherwise this could have an adverse effect on your reputation and PR image.
Social Media is an Especially Effective PR Tool
The impact of social media on public relations is undeniable and we have never had such accessibility and interactivity with businesses. If you want to improve your PR, this is the way to go, and being active on platforms like Instagram and Facebook can help build positive relationships with your customers, suppliers, and more.
