The Top-rated PR Strategies and Tactics to Boost Your Brand's Visibility

Apr 25

Running a successful small business is no easy feat, but having an effective PR strategy can completely revolutionize your brand's public image. Despite the ever-changing landscape of PR in recent years and its current challenges, it doesn't have to feel overwhelming — there are plenty of up-to-date tips to stay ahead of the curve! Crafting that perfect plan may be tricky, though (not gonna lie: writing this between dinner clean up and taking my pup for a walk is another challenge that may end in a glass of wine). That being said, the world of PR fills my glass, and I'll never stop sharing great marketing tips with you!

Let's explore some top-rated strategies and tactics to get your brand name seen in the headlines.

1. Consistently Build Relationships with the Media

PR is all about making lasting connections. To rise above the noise and get your brand some earned press, you've got to identify critical media contacts that fit with your brand voice — a potential match made in marketing heaven!

You must be willing to invest the time to find nurturing relationships with key influencers, journalists, & stakeholders. You don't want to be too eager, though. Research who they are before reaching out, and make sure NOT to flood them with content daily. You want to establish authentic communication that can help build trust over extended periods – sending multiple emails without any results could do more damage than good.

Take it slow but steady – maintain consistent contact over time, and you'll eventually get to building that bridge.

Think of it like dating. You don't ask someone to marry you over Tinder, right? No. You set a date, go on a date, talk on the phone, go on more dates…you get the point. Learning about each other is pivotal, and when it comes to establishing relations with journalists, it's the same.

2. A Great Social Media Presence is Just as Important

PR is the mother of all marketing, and social media is its favorite daughter. Social media is both earned and paid media and undeniably one of the most effective PR strategies available today.

Let's quickly chat about earned versus paid media:

Traditional paid media involves:

Paid placement
Pay-per-click advertising
Branded content and
Display ads.

Paid media yields conversion rates of 1% or less, while earned media yields conversion rates of 5%+. Globally, 92% of consumers indicate that they trust earned media above all other forms of advertising.

Earned media is when you are mentioned, written about, or quoted without paying anyone. For example, your product is listed on a blog, you were interviewed on a podcast or your company did something newsworthy, and it was covered on a TV segment.

Earned media has:

Increased trust & credibility
Higher conversion rates and ROI
Staying power

But most of all, owned/earned media helps to connect all other marketing initiatives.

Let's go back to why this is important for social media.

Building a strong presence on social media is an essential PR strategy and should always be considered. Social platforms are:

Powerful tools for boosting brand visibility.
Connecting with target audiences.
Driving new leads and customers.

It also gives you immediate access to invaluable customer insights (hiring a social media manager can help with this!), which can be super helpful in increasing engagement and personalizing your outreach initiatives.

By sharing great content, creating targeted paid campaigns, and leveraging influencers, it's possible to gain serious buzz even with a smaller budget, boosting the overall recognition of your brand. In 2023, PR strategies are just as important online as offline and one of the best ways to give your brand an edge.

3. Create a Solid Strategy

Having a solid PR strategy in place – whether it's to support your short-term or long-term goals – will help you and your team understand the marketing direction and tasks at hand. Developing a content marketing plan is a huge part of this. It's no longer enough to go through the motions of traditional PR pitching – you need to be deliberate in every piece of your messaging, marketing, and online content. And yes! writing blog posts is still crucial to getting more attention to your expertise and brand.

Before launching any PR campaign, identify the business objectives for this work, who will be responsible for the tasks and what timelines are needed to complete the project. This will ensure that all of your efforts are focused and aligned with your overall brand vision. Once you understand this clearly, start to develop tactics that will land with your audience.

Whether it's media relations, content marketing, social media, or events, each tactic must support your overarching PR strategy – putting you one step closer to easily reaching your PR dreams!

4. Scan for Emerging Trends

PR is an ever-changing landscape, and what worked yesterday won't necessarily be effective today. With audiences now expecting a more targeted approach, the days of a "one size fits all" approach are long gone. Staying ahead in the PR game means recognizing emerging trends and adapting accordingly.

If you're a PR pro, rolling with the punches is all part of the game. Creating content that captures the needs of both parties can be challenging. It takes being proactive and versatile, developing multiple pitch angles ahead of time, strategizing as a team to stay one step ahead – plus having an ace up your sleeve if things don't go according to plan!

PR professionals must be adaptable to changing news while creating content that captures these ever-changing stories. It could mean creating multiple pitch angles ahead of time, brainstorming various strategies with your team, or staying on top of emerging news that may affect your clients. Client expectations and goalposts shift. If things don't go as planned, be prepared to adjust quickly and try new approaches.

In 2023, tech-driven strategies such as chatbots, voice assistants, and AR experiences will become commonplace and necessary to stay ahead in this fast-moving field. Now's the time to embrace and use these automated content tools to leverage your PR strategies. Because when it comes to building your brand, nothing beats being a step (or AI prompt) ahead!

Staying on top of the latest PR strategies and tactics is key to bringing those all-important eyes to you and your brand. Taking time to approach these intentionally will not only expand your reach but establish momentum as well.

Looking for a super simple way to kickstart your PR today? Get your Free DIY Media Kit here!