Using Social Media for PR

Using social media for PR is all about creating content and communicating with your audience.  However, it should be done in such a way that it gets you increased engagements, wider coverage and helps build long lasting relationships and online reputation. But to begin doing this can be a challenge in itself. I know many of you would be struggling a lot when it comes to actually using social media as a tool for public relations. So, here are five steps that can help you begin with using social media for public relations:

1.       Identify your target audience

At first you need to identify who is your target audience for your online PR campaigns and efforts. Find out where they are on social media. There is a possibility that they are scattered across all the channels or they are only on social networking sites. You need to be present exactly where they are in order to reach out to all of them.

2.       Set your goals and objectives

Fix your goals and objectives clearly define them. For example, whether you want to create awareness or engagements or buzz. Once you finalise these it will become easier for you to come up with a suitable strategy. While setting goals make sure that they are measurable ones. So that you will know whether you succeeded or failed to achieve them.

3.       Develop a strategy and choose a tactic

Decide whether you will be leveraging blogs or social networks. If for instance, you choose blogs then will you be using blogger’s outreach? If yes, then which bloggers will you reach out to? What content will you send them? Decide all this in advance.

4.       Identify tools which you will use

Here you need to identify which mix of tools you would use. Only Facebook and Twitter would be used or will you consider Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. You need to be sure about which of these you would be using specifically and why?

The following infographic made by E-Power Marketing Inc. can help you to decide which channels you can use depending upon what you want to achieve.

5.       Decide what and how you will measure

You need to do this so that you know whether your efforts are working or not and to what extent they are working or failing. So, decide on which parameters you will measure you social media PR campaign or activity. Also, choose tools that will help you measure them. Like for example, tools like HootSuite can give you insights on your PR campaigns across various channels and those like Klout can give you a “Klout Score” that will help you know how influential you are on social media.

Many of you think and plan of using social media for PR but that day never arises when you actually get down and kick start using it. If your competitors have already entered the social media game then you better not delay. Don’t just keep thinking, I suggest just do it!

I would like to hear some more interesting tips from you for using social media for PR. Please share them in comments.