Top 5 PR StrategiesThe article below by guest blogger Danny Brown discusses the need for good media relations in Press release Distribution as well as the importance of online monitoringof your brand, your market etcHi.Im Danny Brown, owner of Press Release PR, a boutique PR agency specializing in search engine optimized press releases and promotional campaigns for the Web 2.0 world. Manoj has very kindly asked me to share some of my thoughts while he is on vacation hopefully I dont bore you all too much!So much has changed in the public relations industry in the last couple of years its easy to get lost in the crowd and forget what the role of a PR agency or professional is. With the growth of online news outlets and Web 2.0 offering an instant information hit, the traditional PR way is having to adapt or lose relevance.However, there are still some traditional ways of working that are just as relevant in todays Web 2.0 world when it comes to effective PR strategies, no matter if its a predominantly online or offline campaign.Media RelationsOne of the age-old prerequisites for good PR is making sure the media picks up the campaign. It doesnt matter if its a single press release or a full-blown PR blitz having strong ties to the media will give you an immediate advantage, particularly in this day of blog power.Journalists and especially editors are busy people and dont have time to look at every news or media release. However, have one on your side and youve immediately got an inroad into getting the media attention your story needs. So how do you get the media on your side?Its all about credibility you need to make sure your story is newsworthy first. The best way to ensure this is to make sure your news is timely and interesting. Having a newsworthy story is half the battle in getting a media source interested. The next is to call your desired media source directly to introduce yourself and explain why your news will be of interest to their readers.If theyre not free to talk at that time, offer to call back (or even meet) at a more convenient time. Meeting someone face-to-face is one of the best ways to build trust and if your story is indeed newsworthy and you offer first bite at future releases, youll stand more chance of building a strong media contact.Know Your MarketPR is probably one of the fastest changing markets around along with technology you need to know whats happening around you to be able to act immediately to keep your clients ahead of the game. Use everything at your disposal to keep abreast of the latest news.Web 2.0 offers a fantastic portal to keep up-to-date with whats making the news podcasts from the big newspapers via the likes of iTunes, blogs from the top people in your niche and Google Trends and Google Alerts are just some of the ways you can ensure youre at the head of the information queue. Use them, because its almost guaranteed your contemporaries are.Use TechnologyA recent report from the UK suggested that as many as 79% of British PR firms dont have an online strategy. In todays predominantly online business world, I find that to be just a little scary. Theres no quicker medium than online for breaking a big news story.Social media giants like Facebook, Digg and Youtube are now being heavily used by PR agencies for their clients. Viral marketing and video campaigns are just two of the ways that businesses are reaching a wider audience.Blogging is another vital cog in the online promotion of a business. Where else can you have a medium that allows instant interaction between you and your customers, or potential customers? Additionally, a blog allows you to offer a more personal side to your business speak and can help you connect to your key audience in a way that would have been almost impossible before.Monitor the WebAs much as social media and Web 2.0 offers a wonderful tool for any PR campaign, theyre only as good as you make them. You need to know whats being said so you can act, or react.For example, say you have a new product on the market and, for whatever reason, it receives some negative reaction in the blogosphere. If youre not monitoring the situation, then you wont be able to come out with any answers to the negative questions being asked.This is where the likes of Google Alerts comes into use. Monitoring any news on your product niche will soon let you know of any reaction to it, positive or negative. With the most influential bloggers having the power to instantly make or break a product or story, you have to be on top of your game and be ready to build on positive news or counter negative news. Consumer created content is the fastest growing medium on the web today make sure you use it to your advantage.Social AwarenessTheres no better PR strategy than local awareness. Consumers especially are more likely to buy into a product or idea that gives back to the community just look at how successful eco-friendly businesses are compared to non-green competitors.If your business can offer something to the community as a result of your new product or service, youll be in a far better position to receive positive PR. Look at fast food giant McDonalds no-one can deny they have come in for a large amount of stick over their menus. Yet their campaign to provide homes and support to underprivileged children is not only a worthwhile cause, but an excellent example of using positive PR to overcome negative views.The public relations industry is in a state of evolution, with social channels transforming public relations in new directions. Savvy public relations professionals recognize that incorporating social media into their current strategy is essential to reaching consumers, business buyers and media alike now and in the future.Social media pr strategyThe public relations industry is in a state of evolution, with social channels transforming public relations in new directions. Savvy public relations professionals recognize that incorporating social media into their current strategy is essential to reaching consumers, business buyers and media alike now and in the future.

The proof is in the numbers: More than 400 million consumers are active on Facebook, and just less than 106 million consumers are Twitter users. Ninety-one percent of business buyers read blogs, watch user-generated video and participate on social media sites, according to Forrester Research. Eighty-nine percent of reporters use blogs for story research and 65 percent use social networking sites, according to a recent study by Cision and George Washington University Why Social Media Matters to PRPull PR has become far more valuable than push. When public relations professionals become media by publishing content, they embrace a pull strategy naturally and can attract attention from all other types of media. Social media allows public relations professionals to be more strategic and transform their craft from push to pull. Consider what an effective social media strategy can do: Create authenticity/personality: With so many faceless companies in existence, both consumers and business buyers crave authenticity. The social Web enables public relations professionals to talk with customers and prospects, not at them, which can foster valuable relationships. Creating meaningful bonds between a brand and media/consumers helps position the brand ahead of competitors. Make a brand referential: Social media applied strategically for public relations can help make a brand referential. Once a brand is referential, it benefits greatly from links, mentions and attention. It becomes seen as the go-to source for that industry since the Web itself is referential. Build a permission asset: By growing a community of your target audience (whether thats media, business buyers or end users) via opt-in methods, it fosters a very different kind of relationship than interrupting them with messages. Anticipated, relevant messages are much more likely to be read, shared and reacted to than the old spray and pray approach to public relations. How to Create an Effective PR/Social Media StrategyNow that weve covered the why, the next step is a brief overview of the how. To create an integrated PR/social media strategy, public relations professionals should start by embracing the following core items: Include a layer of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Search engines have been incorporating social content in organic search result, including Twitter tweets, blog posts and updates from other real-time services. Optimizing social public relations content including headlines, alt text, images and video with target keywords is essential to get found for the terms people are actively seeking out. Stay platform agnostic. Remember, strategy isnt about tools and tactics like Twitter and Facebook. Go platform agnostic and focus on being known as a leader in a niche at the macro level. This is a powerful, long term approach: If the history of the Web has taught us anything, its that networks come and go, but leaders remain. Commit long term. Effective social tactics can produce immediate results. But a single tactical success is not necessarily an indicator of sustainable growth. Public relations professionals should engage in continued, methodical tactics over planned lengths of time. If a social media strategy is sound, it will pay off in time and provide increasing returns.