Blog Archive

Exposure Issues

The residual thought on any businessperson’s mind is how to gain more exposure for their establishments. If you have the same concern, don’t be alarmed. This is a healthy consideration. You might contemplate posting adverts on various print and electronic media. These conventional media have two key disadvantages. They:

• Are Costly
• May not elicit the expected response from largely sceptical customers

Within this context, the less expensive, more acceptable Online PR alternative could solve your exposure dilemma.

Definition

Online PR refers to the use of various internet tools to communicate with potential and existing customers as well as with the public.

Tools

The tools you use for your online PR drive include:

• Discussion threads
• Press releases
• Social media
• Forums
• Blogs
• Online media kits
• Web 2.0 bookmarking
• Wire services (PR Web, Business Wire, PR.com, and PR Newswire)
• Search engines

PR Web

For efficient Search Engine Optimisation, you use the PR Web tool. This tool offers you a range of advantages, for example, it has powerful tools that:

• Host high-resolution images
• Distribute press releases
• Host a podcast element for particular press release levels
• Host permanent URL redirects
• Accommodates a trackback URL on press releases thus prompting blogs to connect to the bulletins

Purpose

You use online PR to achieve a number of important marketing functions, namely:

• To monitor and manage your brand’s reputation
• To influence your on-line community (audience)

Influencing the thinking of your audience involves changing a number of parameters (PRMarketing.com, LLC., n.d). With proper online PR, you modify your audience’s:

• Behaviour
• Thinking
• Sentiments

 Reputation Management

A Compelling Context

Today’s consumer is no longer a passive user of your products. Unlike in the past when a disgruntled consumer would swallow the bile silently, the contemporary consumer usually uses social media channels to complain about their poor experiences (Big Mouth Media, n.d.). Such negative exposure is likely to ruin, even bring down, your business. This is where the brand reputation management element of on-line PR comes in.

The Nitty-Gritties

Via online PR, you issue appropriate, timely responses to any negative sentiments observed among the online community.  Through discussion threads, blogs, social networking sites, or forums, you swiftly swing into action (Odden, n.d.). You apologise for the mess and assure consumers that your company will ensure that the problem does not recur (Jennifer, n.d.).

Online PR Basics

While launching your online PR campaign, you need to abide by a set of principles that will streamline issues. Key considerations include:

• Integrating offline PR tactics into your online PR strategy for complementarity
• Always informing the online media of any new company information
• Making use of social bookmark services like del.icio.us and furl.net
• Making good use of relevant resources
• Using your company’s blog to contact other blogs so as to boost coverage of your company’s news

Important Resources

Your online PR undertaking has to be supported by certain resources. Key ones include:

• A skilled PR professional
• Software such as Google Alerts and blogpulse.com

Experienced PR Expert

Your PR personnel is your most crucial resource. Without their input, your posts are unguided. Through the pro’s social, technical, persuasive, and creative skills, your posts become ‘alive’.  The professional comes in to carry out two key functions, namely:

• Conducting research on possible stories
• Persuasively pitching bloggers and online commentators

Summary

Though online PR, you use various strategies to change the views, opinions, inclinations, and thoughts of your online audience. If done correctly, the end result is a resounding competitive edge for your company. You also maintain the reputation of your brand. Simple Alliance helps you to gracefully place your company and brand before your consumers. We go further to establish a bond between you and your clientele. As public relations consultants and public relations specialists, we are well-versed with online PR basics. We fully understand which public relations media is best for what situation. Trust Simple Alliance to monitor your brand, manage your brand’s reputation, and to communicate with prospects and your consumers in an unparalleled way.