WHAT IS YOUR BRAND'S VOICE ONLINE?

"PR should control the social media as all social media should come from the same voice.

---- Elizabeth Trew  Freelance Copy-writing & Marketing Communications Specialist

When the company wants to send out messages using social media, then PR should craft or review the message."

Decide whether your brand stands for ‘freshness’, ‘innovation’ ‘excellent customer interactions’. Once this voice or personality is established, all conversations will be geared to reflecting this online.

Invite conversations- don’t just brag.

In many social media efforts, the PR is aimed at showing of the latest achievements, accolades or awards. Today, you do this at the risk of appearing anti-social. In as much as you should celebrate achievements, invite your fans to discuss around the main topics that define your success and value proposition.

In order to avoid confusion and get the most of all your social media campaigns, it is important that you get a unified approach to your engagement on online. 

8 Things to Do AFTER You Get Media Coverage!

Most of the advice you see on music publicity (including mine) deals with how to get it in the first place. And it’s no wonder. Getting on the mental radars of music editors, reviewers and writers can be a challenge for many self-promoting artists.

But what do you do when you actually land that coveted free media exposure? Should you just sit back, relax and soak up the feeling of victory? Yes, but you must also capitalize on the moment and turn it into even more free marketing!

Here are 10 things to do after you get publicity. Each will enhance the value of the free coverage you just earned, and many of them work together:

    Celebrate that you just got free publicity! Do a happy dance, jump up and down, and have a beer while you do the rest of these things. You deserve to celebrate!

    Add a link to it on your website or blog. Write a quick synopsis in your own words of what it is and where it appears, then link to the article, review, interview, podcast, etc.
    Link to it in your EPK (electronic press kit). It is always good to keep your electronic press kit updated with hot new accolades. Be sure to quote from and link to the write-up or video from within your EPK.

    Tell the world on social media. Why not talk it up with your friends, fans and followers? They may even help you share it – thus making your free publicity go viral to some degree. Make sure you use all of your social media profiles: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, etc.

    Ask people to share and retweet on social media. Sometimes you don’t get things in life unless you ask for them. Sharing your good news is one thing you can and should directly ask for. Don’t just assume your peeps will pass your link along if they want to. Actually say ”Please share” or “Please retweet.” You might be surprised how many people actually do it when you ask.

    Let your fans know via email. Do you have a list of email contacts? (I certainly hope you do!) Send them a quick note. Personalize it and tell them why the publicity excites you, not just that you got some free press.

    If the news source page allows comments, ask fans to leave comments to fan the flames. If the press you got sits on a web page that allows comments (and most do these days), encourage your supporters to leave some. That might push the page into the site’s “most popular posts” list for that week.

    If it’s significant national or online press, let your local media know about it. Write up a quick press release or just send a short personal email to let your regional press contacts know about the cool exposure you just got. That may very well lead to more local publicity.

Always remember that free publicity can easily lead to more publicity, wider exposure, and image enhancement.

Written by Bob Baker

THE ESSENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media requires us to create, curate, and share engaging and relevant stories. Brand journalism, otherwise known as content marketing, is not new to us.
 PR pros have always told stories using a range of communication styles and media. Many of us are former journalists. 
We can turn rocks into newsworthy features (true story), and Social Media is another way to tell and share our stories.

ONLINE PUBLICISTS, KEEP THIS IN MIND!

The key differentiator between traditional media and social media is: YOU.

Traditional media works like this: You get reviewed in a newspaper or in a magazine, or played on the radio and it’s broadcast out into the world. People read the magazine or hear a song on the radio. It’s ONE WAY or PASSIVE.

Social media, is completely different. It’s a TWO WAY or INTERACTIVE street. You are not only invited to participate, but also encouraged to do so. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs facilitate easy participation, which is completely transparent and you (and all who are connected) can see, react and participate with you.

BRANDS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

People have always said good – and bad – things about brands, and now that social media has risen in popularity, it means people have another platform to talk about your company an products/services. The major difference, however, is in the viral nature of this platform. 

When someone mentions your brand in social media, there is much more potential for other people to notice, and it‟s monumentally easier for conversations to spread much more quickly and easily. In addition, these conversations have the potential to reach a much larger audience than ever before.

If your company is not participating in social media today, it‟s missing an opportunity to spread its message and missing valuable – and even damaging – conversations that could be taking place about your brand.