A while back, I shared insights and 4 tips on how individuals can utilize social media to take their public relations efforts to the next level while still achieving a mutual benefit for themselves and the reporter. Now, I’d like to provide you with 4 more tactics – this time, more advanced.
These 4 additional tactics may take more time to implement and master, but they are equally as vital. Furthermore, it’s important to note that the more time you put into your social media public relations efforts, the greater return you’ll obtain. Take a look:
- Reveal your broader interests to build relationships. Expressing genuine interest in a reporter’s article even when it’s not directly related your product/service shows the reporter that you have a broader interest in his/her work. Mentioning or retweeting articles on Twitter, making comments and helping journalists expand their audiences is good practice for building a two-way, mutually helpful relationship. To ensure your connection gets off on the right foot, update your social media profiles beforehand. Reporters are researchers by nature, so they will likely explore your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts to learn more about you, your agency, and the companies you represent.
- Identify trends. Use keyword monitoring software tools, such as Google Alerts, to receive up-to-the minute news that can be used to identify opportunities with key reporters. Additionally, a quick check on Twitter can confirm instantaneously if the news is travelling and a deeper dive can show who is sharing it. As more and more news is reported first on Twitter, public relations pros need to recognize its power and apply commonsense discernment techniques to the source of the news. What the internet provides in speed, it can also take away in accuracy.
- Leverage partner networks. Never does a story serve only one company. Strategic partners and customers, clients and employees need and want to participate – especially if the company news is innovative and thought provoking. Using social media avenues, public relations pros can help clients turn the limelight on partner companies, sister publications and key employees while also helping reporters expand their audiences.
- Measure results. The elusive, holy grail in all public relations work is the ability to measure results. Whether it is a client who hears from a customer that a story was great, a prospect that picks up the phone in search of more information, or a positive move in stock price or valuation, the ability to move the needle in awareness, interest, desire or action is the real test of the power of public relations. Remember to track your leads, coverage spots and conversations appropriately as well as set and evaluate key performance indicators at the start of each month or quarter.
In addition to measuring public relations impacts, remember that today’s reporters may also base their articles on reach – whether it’s subscribers of a newspaper, clicks in a newsletter or article/page views on a website. Print media is difficult to track, as there’s no way to ensure that an individual is reading each piece of content in a publication. That’s why social media provides outside opportunities. Shares, comments, and likes via Facebook as well as replies and retweets via Twitter can easily showcase and help reporters increase their reach, content production, and overall reputation. Proving this value to them may enable you to further your relationship and create additional opportunities for you both.
The 8 tactics and best practices I’ve shared with you over the last few weeks is just the beginning. What other ways have you used social media in your public relations efforts? Share your insights below!
