Social Media And Public Relations Tactics - 16 Strategies That You Should Know

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Nov 21, 2022

Keith Peterson - I'm an expert IT marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in various Digital Marketing channels such as SEO (search engine optimization), SEM (search engine marketing), SMO (social media optimization), ORM (online reputation management), PPC (Google Adwords, Bing Adwords), Lead Generation, Adwords campaign management, Blogging (Corporate and Personal), and so on. Web development and design are unquestionably another of my passions. In fast-paced, high-pressure environments, I excel as an SEO Executive, SEO Analyst, SR SEO Analyst, team leader, and digital marketing strategist, efficiently managing multiple projects, prioritizing and meeting tight deadlines, analyzing and solving problems.

Are you looking for the 16 best social media and public relations tactics? If yes, continue to read this article! Social media is now an essential component of every PR plan, and it will only grow in importance as time goes on. So, it's important to have a clear social media strategy in place to make sure that all of your PR efforts on social media are working as well as they can.

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Social media is now an essential component of every PR plan.
- Media Update, a niche digital publication that reports on the latest news in PR

Social Media And Public Relations Strategies

Social Media & Public Relations Strategies

Be Relevant

COPYRIGHT_MARX: Published on https://marxcommunications.com/social-media-and-public-relations-tactics/ by Keith Peterson on 2022-05-21T18:37:16.760Z

It may appear to be a simple concept, but being relevant is one of the most crucial social media strategies that has been proven to work time and time again. Make sure that all of the content you provide is relevant to your audience and to the time you're sharing it. Research awareness days and include them in your content-planning calendar to ensure your social media messages are relevant.

Being seen is also a part of being relevant. As the expression goes, "out of sight, out of mind." Your plan should focus on keeping all of your social media accounts current. To stay relevant, you also need to be able to change quickly when an industry-related news story comes out.

Animated characters having a conversation

Add Value

On social media, you must earn your audience's attention. Take note: "No company deserves it automatically." Public relations professionals must recognize that social media is part of many consumers' "personal space" and that in order to be there, you must produce valuable material. Instead of chasing numbers, focus on how your content adds value to your audience; if you start doing that, attention will come quickly.

Consider your audience's needs and design your social media approach to meet those needs. Following up on being relevant, keep up with what's going on in your sector and consider how you might use it to enhance the value of your social media posts.

Be Consistent

It's all about the long game when it comes to strategy. Maintain a consistent frequency and style throughout all of your posts. Even if you're tempted to change your strategy if you don't see immediate results, perseverance will pay off in the long term.

It's also critical that your social strategy consider the need to maintain consistency in posting frequency, brand voice, and messaging.

Mind Your Tone Of Voice

As simple as it sounds, this is an important part of a successful social strategy to ensure that your material appears authentic rather than just pushing sales across several media. Take note of the Deadpool movie's social media marketing plan. The campaign was constant from start to finish, in line with Deadpool's tone of voice, and reinforced the brand's character, despite the content being crude and at times outright inappropriate.

Newsjacking

Although the term "newsjacking" was once a buzzword, it is still a viable social media approach for PR professionals to pursue. The word comes from the marketing strategy of "hijacking" current events and hot topics to spread your brand's message. Although newsjacking can be a highly effective tactic, it's critical to do it properly the first time.

The only kind of newsjacking worth your time is meaningful newsjacking. This entails staying ahead of the curve, exercising sound judgment, and selecting an appropriate angle.

When it came to the Oscar announcement mix-up, Specsavers excelled at it. Staying ahead of the curve ensures that your content receives the maximum amount of exposure. It's critical that you determine whether the 'discussion' is worthwhile to join. Pepsi learned the hard way with its Kendall Jenner campaign that the reaction from newsjacking gone wrong may often be what makes the headlines, rather than your original brand message.

Engage In Conversations

As the name suggests, social media is all about connecting with others. It's not enough to create social media content as a brand. You must engage in genuine dialogue with your audience. Examine any recent roundup of the most effective social media marketing strategies.

Audience interaction will be one of the most common themes. Make this a part of your social media strategy. Tesco and Aldi, for example, have mastered social media connections.

They're well known for their quick wit and relaxed demeanor. Also, don't be scared to challenge your audience. Asking for ideas or comments on topics is a surefire way to get more people involved.

If it's in accordance with your brand identity, engaging competitors is also a good social media tactic. You can use newsjacking to promote your own message by jumping into other brands' conversations.

Or, as in the case of Wendy's, completely dominate the discussion. Because it humanizes your brand, this performs very effectively. Instead of seeing you as a business, your audience starts to see you as a person.

Utilizing Video Content

Video is quickly becoming the de facto content medium. Everywhere you look, leaders in your field talk about how important visual content is for social media campaigns. And, based on statistics, this isn't likely to change very soon. To use video as part of your social strategy well, you need to know about the latest trends and how changes like Facebook Live affect how your brand uses online video.

Generating video content can take a long time. Plan ahead of time and set aside time to work as part of your overall social media strategy.

Become A Contributor Or Guest Blogger

The idea is simple: publish material on major business blogs to gain exposure and authority. Guest blogging is a tried-and-true new-school PR tactic. Given how eager most bloggers are for new content, a well-crafted proposal is frequently enough to get you in the door. There are three benefits to guest blogging:

You may reach out to a larger audience than your own, gaining visibility with industry leaders and potential clients.
You benefit from the blog's credibility (think "featured in" snippets or testimonials on your website).
Depending on the type of blog you're posting on, you may be able to earn backlinks or significant traffic.

For example, in their "Work Life" section, blogs like FastCompany allow guest posts. These blogs are written by experts in the field, often on behalf of B2B or SaaS professionals who know about workplace trends from their own experience.

Contributors gain a byline summary snippet and a link to their company's website in addition to building their own influence by contributing to the blog. Creating smart pitches and interesting content that people want to read is a must if you want to guest post. As a result, once the content is released, you can promote and share it. That's how social media and public relations work.

Encourage Your Employees (Including C-level) To Post On LinkedIn

Keep in mind that public relations isn't only about getting your name in print. Social media is ideal for engaging with the "public" side of public relations. When it comes to milestones and new services, many B2B enterprises, for example, rely on LinkedIn to spread the news. C-level executives and those in leadership roles, in particular, have a lot of clout on LinkedIn.

Not only can announcing news from a personal account make it feel more real, but it also has a much higher reach than a standard brand post. The beauty of social media PR is that it allows you to directly communicate with your target audience and groups. Internally, the more individuals promoting your company and singing your praises, the better.

Empower Influencers To Spread The Word About Your Brand

Influencer marketing is one of the most innovative ways to increase your social media PR efforts. Getting your items into the hands of influencers is a terrific way to spread the word for B2C companies. There are almost endless ways to connect with influencers, from giving them free stuff in exchange for reviews to full-fledged paid sponsorships.

Also, keep in mind that the definition of an "influencer" is always evolving, especially with the development of micro-influencers. While large-name businesses may team up with celebrities, up-and-coming brands can collaborate with both big and small content providers. Follower count is less important than engagement and buzz.

Build An Army Of Advocates With An Ambassador Program

An ambassador program, which is essentially a more comprehensive version of influencer marketing, virtually ensures you 24/7 social media PR. The company frequently trusts and vets ambassadors. In exchange for a commission, free products, or other perks, they will talk about your brand and its newest products.

Brand ambassadors will spread favorable word of mouth on their own if you sell a good product. Consumers are once again flocking to platforms like Instagram and Pinterest to learn about new items. Prospects are more likely to buy if they see an army of happy consumers chanting your praises.

Animated characters using a social media using their laptop

Interact With Journalists And Publishers Via Twitter

When we consider how to gain "coverage" for our products or businesses, we automatically think of journalists. While contacting journalists is completely acceptable (and actually easier than ever), keep in mind that journalists are also individuals. The fundamentals of proper social media involvement and decorum are still in effect today.

Take the time to learn about a journalist's interests, publications, and articles before cold-pitching them on Twitter. The following are some low-hanging fruits for building trust:

You won't have to seek far in your field to discover someone who is hungry for a tale. In addition, hashtags like #HARO ("help a reporter out") and #JournoRequest are great places to discover journalists looking for a source.

Use Social Media To Boost Your Press Release Strategy

This is probably one of the simplest examples of how social media and PR work together. Because for some businesses, social media is the sole means of disseminating information or announcing new items, in addition to dropping links on LinkedIn or Twitter, you might also want to consider:

In your caption, summarize the main aspects of your news release.
Along with your external link, provide bullet points or a "condensed" release.
Creating a picture or infographic from your press release.

Implement A Social Media Crisis Plan To Stay Positive When Things Go Wrong

Public relations relies heavily on reputation management, especially during times of crisis. On social media, bad news spreads quickly. When you get a lot of bad feedback, it's important to respond well if you want to keep your clients' trust and keep your credibility.

Remember that even the most well-known brands make public relations missteps and must apologize. This emphasizes the importance of having a social media crisis plan.

While you shouldn't plan for the worst-case scenario, having a crisis plan in place can help you handle situations that could result in negative headlines. When in doubt, hold yourself accountable for your errors, but never make a hasty decision.

Support Your PR Pushes With #hashtags

Creating a hashtag campaign is a great way to keep track of conversations about your company's PR activities while also cementing your brand's identity. When used correctly, hashtags are catchy and easy to remember for your audience. Consider how you may use hashtags in conjunction with your efforts to:

Create a sense of belonging among your customers.
Donate to a worthwhile cause.
Highlight your company's accomplishments or milestones.
For example, LEGO has been using the hashtag #RebuildTheWorld to highlight good, uplifting tales about the company for a few years now.

Make A Point To Respond To Your Target Audience And Build Relationships

Remember that getting excellent press for yourself is as easy as interacting with your clients on social media. That's because the majority of your interactions with followers are public and visible to everyone.

And you use those shoutouts and Retweets to generate buzz in that way. To increase the number of favorable conversations about your brand, make it a point to:

You'd be shocked how you can turn a negative interaction into something positive if you respond to questions, comments, and complaints alike.
Regularly people who sing your praises should be retweeted (including success stories and testimonials)
Directly ask questions and promote participation: People want to speak up, but you must give them the opportunity.

Just keep in mind that the speed with which you respond to social media messages is critical. You don't want to leave someone hanging or miss an opportunity to capitalize on positive customer or influencer feedback. Public relations is no longer just about sending out cold emails and putting out news releases.

Even a little bit of ingenuity in your social media and public relations approach can go a long way. To get more positive press, you can do things like reach out to influencers, write guest pieces, or just change how you promote yourself on social media.

We can't exaggerate the importance of social media in helping corporate activities in the next few years (including PR). Check out the latest Harris Report, which delves into the future of social media marketing and what you need to know if you haven't already.