6 ways traditional PRs can up their game using social media

Did you know that no one actually cares about your latest crafted traditional press release on social media? If you want to build an attraction using social media, you will have to change your approach from pushing out marketing messages and start with creating magnetic content online to start pulling readers in.

Using social for digital PR is all about creating content that your targeted audience wants and building a community around your business. Using online PR with your social media marketing campaign is a powerful strategy to build awareness for your business. Find below a couple of tips on how you can get started with using digital PR that focuses on how your business can help others on the social web while you are building valuable relationships with your clients.

1. Start building a network
Start engaging on a variety of social media channels to get the word out about your business. You can also connect with business colleagues, friends, and family on these channels to increase your reach. Actively engage in the conversation currently happening on Twitter and on the other channels that you are using online. One of your objectives should be to build a solid base of associates and followers that can help you spread your message when needed. An important rule to remember on the social web is that social media is a two-way communication medium where reciprocity matters.

2. Be relevant
Be relevant and on topic to help journalists and your network find the information they are looking for by also introducing them to other relevant information sources. Use your social media contacts to help journalists find your information. With the content you provide, be to the point.

3. Create magnetic content
Create magnetic content around your business, products, and services. A good way to do this is by leveraging trending or hot topics around current news to create related hooks for your readers. This information can then be used in your blog posts and your social media status updates. Build an intriguing story around your business and then find new ways to share your business story. Understand what information interests your target audience.

4. Engage with journalists on social media
Many established social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, and Pinterest connect viewers with readers. Use these channels to engage directly on relevant interesting topics regarding your business. You can also follow journalists on Twitter and engage with them directly on their blog posts.

5. Use visual elements
With the sudden craze in visual social networks and channels like Instagram and Pinterest, consider how you can get your business, products or even clients on these channels. Use images of your products on these channels. You can also get your audience involved by having them send in their images. There are a number of websites that display viewers’ photos and videos.

6. Do the work for the media
Another great way to leverage the media’s audience is to reach out to other bloggers and writing a couple of guest blog posts. This works great for related blogs with a similar topic as yours. Understand that you must supply guest blog posts for the return in exposure to the audience of that blog and also getting a link back to your own blog or website.

Social provides businesses with the opportunity to build awareness and exposure for their brand to a much broader audience than traditional PR.