Tag Archive for: consumer

[4 minute read time] Today’s CMOs are constantly scanning the news and social networks for the latest trends and cultural shifts. For emerging brands, cultural trends and shifts couldn’t be more important. But even the savviest of CMOs needs to put these separate trends into a broader cultural context in order to put them to use. Enter TrendHunter, their annual Trend Report is a must-read for PR firms, CMO’s, Product Managers, and Innovators. Guess who else watches these massive cultural trends? The media.

As a PR firm that specializes in emerging brands and emerging industries, we’re extremely fortunate to be working with brands already leading the charge on many of the trends and cultural shifts that the latest TrendHunter report documents in its 200+ pages. A few cultural trends caught our eye and thought they were worth digging into on a deeper level for our community of CMOs and media.

3 Massive Cultural Trends for Emerging Brands

Magic Mushrooms

Over the last 6 years, we’ve noticed an increasing demand for mushroom-based functional foods. The wonders of the mushroom knows no bounds. Nowhere is this more true than in the expansion of psychedelic mushrooms. As researchers fast track the science behind therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, global businesses in Brazil, The British Virgin Islands, and the Netherlands, benefiting from legal loopholes are launching brands and experiences that include psilocybin (the compound that creates psychedelic mushrooms). In the US, like cannabis-based THC, psilocybin remains federally illegal, but the local movement to decriminalize the psychoactive ingredient in mushrooms has already begun in Denver, Oakland, and Santa Cruz (as of this writing). Emerging businesses and innovators see psilocybin following the same path of cannabis, but moving considerably faster towards legalization.

Audio Only

Most marketing executives could not ignore the breakthrough app of 2020: Clubhouse. Clubhouse may or may not have peaked already, and everyone’s listening to see what’s next. Interestingly, the pandemic surge on ClubHouse came just as marketers were wondering whether podcasts, famously popular with commuters and gym rats, would remain relevant. But podcasts survived, and some would say even thrived.

Apps like Calm, which uses sound to ease tension also surged during the pandemic. Music lovers know the secret to these apps: listening to sounds has a measurable effect on mood and dopamine regulation. Could it be true? Are audio-only meetings more memorable than video meetings? Twitter is betting on it with its pandemic feature: ‘Spaces.’ Emerging from the pandemic, the sound will be part of every experiential memory and brands will be looking to research to determine how their sound logos impact people’s moods much the way the we investigate how color impacts mood for graphic logos. We’re launching the ability to LISTEN to our blog posts starting with this very post.

 

Inclusion

Brands Celebrate Inclusivity

Gillette Skinclusive Line

Inclusion is no longer a buzzword, it is now part of our day-to-day awareness.  This year, Gillette Venus’ Skinclusive line launch with a summer line, “My Skin, My Way” on video game Animal Crossing. But inclusive skin is in, and so it differently abled bodies with this launch. In-game inclusivity mirrors our greater awareness of how our differences can be beautiful. We’re seeing inclusion happening in apps like Chapters: Interactive Stories, where users can create an avatar that reflects their ethnicity as well. Expect to see this in-game inclusivity mirror: gender inclusion and political points of view as well.

Brand Purpose

Bonus round: brand purpose. From sustainability to social good, TrendHunters covered the trend we’ve been seeing for several years: brand purpose. The best brands in the world are already ahead of the game on this, but it’s also trickling down to emerging industries and smaller brands and that’s because tomorrow’s most influential buyers care very much about where their products come from and what the social, political, and environmental costs of the brand are.

 

All of these trends have massive PR, product, and marketing implications. More and more, our clients are bringing us in at the beginning stages of ideation, to ensure not only do campaigns hit newsworthy notes, they also keep them out of hot water, which is a moving target these days. But our team, hand-picked for emotional intelligence, are here to help you see emerging trends all around.

 

Thanks for joining us today!

5 Must-Know GenZ Insights for CMOs and Marketers

[5 minute read]

GenZ vs. Millenials: What Marketers Need to Know

GenZ is coming and CMOs and marketers need insights now. After a decade of news about Millenials, here comes GenZ, they make up 25% percent of the population. GenZ is here and CMOs will need to take notice if they haven’t already. It might be easy for marketers or PR professionals to assume this generation is similar to Millenials, but that’s untrue. GenZ, the oldest of whom are turning 23 in 2021, is a generation with distinct preferences and personas. This is also the most diverse generation ever, almost half of GenZ is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). And marketing and branding experts should know: their projected spending power, according to a late 202o Harris Poll, is $143 billion.

While both generations are purpose-driven and feel misunderstood and unseen by brands, especially BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+, GenZ believes cancel culture is thier weapon against feeling unseen.  Millenials grew up as digital natives, but GenZ grew up as social media natives. In contrast to the hopefulness of Millenials, GenZ is are more practical and politically polarized, and view social media with skepticism.

 

Our GenZ insights for CMOs and marketers take into account both the data presented our team’s decades-long PR and marketing experience.

GenZ:  Take Us Seriously

Grounded GenZ is taking control of their destiny, they are more likely than the general population to have already bought investments (65% vs. 45%). They feel adulthood has been delayed for them and that mental health is extremely important. They are also incredibly invested in social change and see their response to brands as a way to take back their power. GenZ also enjoys thrift shopping – perhaps because of economic uncertainty, sustainability, or simplicity – they aren’t as moved by flashy streetwear and fashion drops as their predecessors.

 

  • 58% of GenZ women prefer to work in a freelance job or have their own business for flexible hours over working a traditional 9-5 job with a reliable paycheck.
  • GenZ watched their parents “burn themselves out at work” and want to find more balance in their lives said 74% of GenZ women.
  • 70% of GenZ said they have or plan to put more money into savings
  • GenZ pioneered cancel culture (50% say they have personally called out a brand), yet,
  • 73% of GenZ women say “social change does not actually occur on social media-it occurs with action in the real world.”
  • 65% make purchases through a brand’s mobile app
  • 52% say they have prioritized shopping at a small or local business to support them after the COVID outbreak.
  • 3% of Gen Z have or are considering upgrading their car to make themselves feel more safe or comfortable during the pandemic
  •  GenZ is expecting a return to travel, with 32% saying they will increase spending on travel.

GenZ Work & Financial Preferences CMO Insights:
Having experienced recessions and pandemics to say nothing of student loans, GenZ has grown up with uncertainty.


For marketers, this means this generation’s patterns may be harder to track down and be ever-shifting, particularly because they want a more flexible lifestyle. This, of course, may change as GenZ ages, but for now, keep your eyes on the shifting sands of time, because GenZ is flexible, self-reliant, and eager to control their own destinies. 

GenZ Purpose Driven CMO Insights:
Purpose-driven communication to a cancel culture generation is a double-edged sword.

It will be incredibly important for marketers and brands, large and small to understand the GenZ audience because while GenZ knows real change happens in the real world, they revel in making brands feel uncomfortable. This generation also has zero tolerance for racism from brands and society at large.

GenZ Shopping Insights
Shopping to make a statement or to self soothe. 

Perhaps because of their polarized and turbulent upbringing, this generation is longing for simplicity, therefore they’re already nostalgic for childhood brands and why they embrace thrift shopping, despite being native digital shoppers. They’re craving balance, escape, and their own experiences. They see mental health as its own reward, and they’re actively seeking coping mechanisms. Marketers will need to balance escapism with fantasy for this generation because right now, they’re an extremely grounded bunch, even when they escape.

GenZ: Social Media Isn’t an Escape

It’s so easy for marketers to assume the best way to reach GenZ is through social media.  For previous generations, social media represented an escapist world, but not for GenZ.

 

  • 70% of GenZ women say “they are tired of the “Instagram aesthetic” that projects a certain lifestyle.”  BUT GenZ isn’t rejecting influencers entirely,
  • 67% said “influencers are more important for showing brands, than brands themselves.”
  • 70% of Gen Z women say it’s more important for people to “prioritize their mental health over their physical health.”
  • 56% of Gen Z women say, “I believe social media is built to be addicting and I’m working to curb my behavior”
  • At home, they find driving soothing, with 38% claiming serenity through driving (compared with 28% of the population).
  • They also derive a sense of comfort and escape from food, 70% say that “snacking helps me take my mind off the issues of the world (compared to 65% of the general population).
  • 48% of Gen Zs miss being able to listen to music or a podcast on their daily commute (33% total)
  • 60% of Gen Zs plan to spend more or maintain spend on connected fitness equipment in 2021
  • 63% of Gen Zs say they have been buying nostalgic snack brands from childhood during the pandemic (63% Zs, 53% total)

 

GenZ Social Media Marketing Takeaways:
As social media natives, they’ve grown hardened to the communication style of social media.

Social media isn’t so much of an escape for GenZ. GenZ seems to understand life is messy and that garner a sense of authenticity from “reality.” They seem to want brands, influencers, and advertising to represent life’s realities a little more closely. Expect GenZ to view social media the way GenX views email: as a tool. Social media will increasingly be something GenZ seeks to have control over.

This generation absolutely craves escape ,and serenity, they see travel and mental health, and fitness as vital to their well-being.

 

GenZ: Escape CMO Insights:
Realistic and approachable escapes for a practical generation

Expect this generation to seek out authentic and approachable experiences until their finances are more secure. They’ll seek out comfort foods, nostalgia, and friends for comfort. When they’re alone, they’ll listen to music and podcasts and stay connected, but it’s likely that there will be variation in their entertainment choices. This is in part because they view certain activities as relaxing (driving) and others as required (social media and fitness), watch those motivational purposes and pair messaging accordingly. Marketers will also need to be alert and flexible to the on-the-go lifestyle of this generation.

*All statistics referenced here came from The Harris GenZ 100 Poll Round-Up. 

PR for Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Brands

[Reading Time: 5 minutes]

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are increasingly growing in popularity. While the industry itself is hardly an emerging industry, many DTC products represent a disruption in the status quo.  Instead of buying from a third-party retailer, customers can purchase products or services directly from the company. Businesses with successful DTC brands typically have one thing in common: a strategic and effective way to reach their target market.

Using targeted public relations and social media campaigns for DTC brands can create brand awareness, reach your ideal audience, and engage with current and potential customers. However, it’s not merely about posting things on Twitter or Facebook, and suddenly your business makes more money and grows. Creating a successful digital marketing plan means knowing when and how to use PR and social media for DTC.

 

Why Brand Awareness Is Crucial for DTC Brands

If you have a DTC business, you need to implement a marketing strategy that focuses heavily on brand awareness. In the beginning, your main goal isn’t as much about making sales as it is about garnering attention from potential customers, so they know who you are and the types of services or products you offer. These are the people who might encounter your brand again down the road and decide they want to buy something.

Building brand awareness begins with online advertising. Your target audience should be served interesting and unforgettable ads. It’s about creating a lasting impression in the minds of potential consumers and building trust. The more ads they see from you, the more they will feel comfortable with your business. Online shoppers are more likely to trust a brand they’re familiar with than one that doesn’t seem legitimate.

 

Using Social Media to Engage With Customers

Once you’ve established yourself as a brand, you need to maintain that awareness throughout various digital marketing platforms. An effective way of doing that is by using social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are excellent forms of marketing to target a specific demographic or communicate with current customers.

 

You can increase your followers, attract new viewers, and engage with the people who are actually purchasing your product. The share feature within many social media accounts also allows users to quickly and easily spread the word about your brand to others. It’s basically like word-of-mouth advertising but via the internet.

 

One of the best features of social media marketing is customers’ ability to buy things through links included in the posts. If you incorporate relevant links in each post connecting to your products and services, it creates a hassle-free experience for consumers to make a purchase directly from your Instagram page or YouTube video.

 

Don’t Forget About Your Public Relations Plan

The right public relations strategy can inform the public about a company’s brand, build and maintain reputations, and gain credibility with a target audience. It’s not just about letting people know you exist, but also about letting them know exactly who you are. You’re trying to create an image, and the way you go about doing it can have a positive or negative impact on consumers.

 

Some of the most common PR strategies include:

  • Brand identity – Choose a logo, determine how you want your website to look, pick the tone you want to convey when communicating with customers, and pick visuals to use for your social media campaigns.
  • Messaging – You should include a backstory about who you are and how you got started. You should also incorporate your company’s values and mission. It’s critical that your tone remains consistent throughout all PR and social media for DTC. If you regularly change the voice conveyed through your marketing, customers will have difficulty trusting you.
  • Events – You can host an event or sponsor one where you know your target audience will be. Potential customers will see that you’re a legitimate business and learn about the products or services you sell. You will also have the opportunity to speak with them face to face and build trust.
  • Media – Press releases are an excellent way of notifying the public about the launch of your new brand, releasing a new product, or a sale or giveaway.
  • Partnerships – Partnerships can be a significant part of promoting your business. You should stick with people and companies that are relevant to your brand. For example, if you sell hiking gear, it wouldn’t make sense to work with a restaurant. Instead, you might want to partner with a sporting goods store and stock their shelves with your product.

 

Combining Social Media and PR for DTC Brands

 

Your brand could benefit from integrating your social media marketing and public relations campaigns, since both can complement each other.

Common examples of integrating social media and PR campaigns are:

  • Influencer Outreach – Social media influences are an excellent source for promoting someone’s brand. They typically have hundreds of thousands or millions of loyal followers who trust them and purchase the products they promote.
  • Digital Press Releases – Traditionally, companies send press releases to journalists to convey information about their brand. However, in the digital age, you can publish your own press releases on your social media accounts, through email, or as a blog on your website.
  • Forging and Maintaining Relationships with Journalists – You can use social media to create relationships with journalists in your industry that benefit your company and achieve your marketing goals. It doesn’t take much effort to gain their trust and support – if you take a genuine approach by following them on social media and sharing their posts, they might be willing to do the same for you.

 

Contact Avaans Media

If you’re looking for the right marketing agency to expand your digital audience, increase your return on investment, and successfully grow your business, Avaans Media can help. We have over a decade of experience creating and implementing effective PR and social media campaigns for DTC brands.

 

Schedule a call or complete our online form if you want to discuss your goals and determine the most effective strategy for improving your online presence.

PR and Social Media for Maximum Brand Awareness

Nothing beats when PR and social media for brand awareness. Used together strategically, they give your brand a competitive edge. With more avenues available to companies to reach their audiences, we are more inundated with brand messaging than ever before. Despite the myriad ways that brands have to reach their customers, though, the proliferation of media channels means it’s getting even harder for brands to break through all of the noise to reach their targets.

One study from Ragan found that 86 percent of TV viewers ignore or skip commercials, 44 percent of direct mail goes unopened, and 91 percent of email users had unsubscribed from an email newsletter they had previously signed up for.

Faced with these challenges, what are companies supposed to do? They can keep throwing resources at the challenge and following the same old formulas, to what will likely be diminishing returns. Alternatively, they could try a new approach by combining the strengths of two seemingly opposed marketing tools: Public relations and social media.

Below, our media experts at Avaans PR take a closer look at the benefits of incorporating PR and social media into your campaign strategy. Contact us today to learn more.

Harnessing Consumer and Media Synergy

Before diving into the gains companies can see from combining their public relations efforts with their social media campaigns, it’s worth taking a brief moment to compare and contrast how PR and social media work (or at least, how they’re supposed to work).

Social media allows companies to share their own messages by combining words, photos, video, and audio on various platforms. By contrast, public relations is the art of getting third-party organizations to say nice things about you on their platform (i.e., their newspaper, magazine, website, TV show, podcast, etc. Put simply, social media is what you say about yourself, while public relations what other people say about you.

While it’s tempting to dismiss PR as a relic from the pre-Internet era, nobody should forget the importance of public relations by focusing exclusively on social media. Some people are understandably skeptical of the messages they receive from social media, at first, until they learn to trust the brand. But public relations can win over cautious consumers by providing positive coverage from a third party. A study from the Content Marketing Institute found 70 percent of consumers said they prefer to learn about a business from articles as opposed to ads.

It’s a mistake to view social media and PR as unrelated or separate efforts for your company. Rather, social media and PR both serve the same function in different ways: To spread your brand’s messages, ideas, and values to your customers, stakeholders, and the other communities you serve.

When you take a holistic approach to your communications efforts, it’s easy to see how PR and social media can use each other’s strengths to bolster their individual effectiveness, as well as the overall effectiveness of your communications campaign.

The Benefits of Combining PR and Social Media

Here are a few examples of how leveraging both PR and social media can benefit your company:

Separate but unified messages across channels

A key element of any successful media campaign is a coherent, unified message across platforms. Combining PR with social media allows you to use multiple assets in different ways while still spreading the same general idea.

An example of how this might work is with a new product launch. You might have a blog post and a dedicated landing page with a short video about the new product on your website. Your social media team can use this content in their posts, while your PR team can use the blog post and other content to craft a press release and reach out to potentially interested third parties for additional coverage. Across platforms, though, the message is the same, which helps you better connect with your audience.

Efficient cross-promotion

Similarly, utilizing social media and PR harmoniously helps you make more efficient use of your resources. Your PR team can include easy links to your brand’s social media accounts in their materials and extend the reach of your social media content by reaching out to journalists, influencers, and others who might share that content. Likewise, your social media team can share positive stories about your company from third parties in your social media accounts, which helps lend authenticity to your content.

Increasing the size of your audience

Social media has massively expanded the potential reach of a PR campaign, and you should take advantage of this opportunity. PR campaigns are generally aimed at the audience for a particular publication or outlet, but social media can amplify positive press coverage by making sure that message goes out to thousands, perhaps even millions of people. By working together, both your social media team and your PR team can extend their reach.

Using PR strategies to improve your social media presence

As social media has grown and become intertwined with public relations, brands have had to learn a few lessons about proper social media strategy. A careless or insensitive post can generate a massive backlash in minutes or hours. Savvy brands will have a skilled PR team monitoring or running their social media feeds to watch out for distasteful or improper content, and they can respond quickly if anything goes wrong.

A Successful Brand Campaign Using PR and Social Media 

At Avaans PR, we already have extensive experience handling both PR and social media campaigns for purpose-driven brands. One of our biggest successes was a campaign for a hemp-based consumer packaged goods brand. With many people being skeptical of hemp products, finding a way to engage potential customers was a challenge.

However, by generating positive press coverage through live events, celebrity endorsements, personalized review opportunities for journalists, and customized social media content, we were able to generate more than three billion earned media impressions over three years, at an estimated earned media value of $5 million. The company also saw a 300 percent increase in its share price ahead of its IPO.

Talk to Avaans Media About Your Social Media Today

We’re proud to be innovators in PR and social media strategies at Avaans Media PR and Social Media. If you’re interested in seeing how we can help your purpose-driven brand meet its goals, please get in touch with us.

You can set up a call by visiting our contact page or by finding one of our team members across the United States. We have team members in New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Phoenix, Honolulu, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. We look forward to hearing from you.

Other articles you might enjoy:

Why your Social Media & PR Must Work Together

Should Your PR Agency Be Your Social Media Agency?

It’s no secret consumer behaviors experienced a major shift during the pandemic. Marketers and communicators have been watching closely to see how these changes would affect the post-pandemic world. For Team Avaans, we have our eyes on how these post-pandemic consumer shifts will particularly impact emerging industries like drones, cannabis, and online immersive experiences.

Post-Pandemic Shopping Habits Reflect Online Changes

The latest Harris Poll provides some great insight into what consumers think they will do.

It’s actually not much of a surprise that consumers see themselves as online shoppers at new levels. What’s actually more surprising to me at least, is the number of people who say they will shop at a department store or mall. Honestly, I think retailers can grab onto this and combine it with a bit of nostalgia to make the shopping more of an experience, which is what I believe consumers are craving. I also think consumers are craving any experience outside the home, so retailers will need to see themselves as curators of the experiential if they’re to stay top of mind for consumers as the re-opening of America really takes hold later this summer.

In-person retailers and entertainment venues will have safety concerns to contend with as well. People want to go back to being with others, they just don’t want to feel unsafe doing it and they will expect buildings and venues and businesses to take the lead on protecting them moving forward. Expect to see investments in air purification and upgraded surface sanitation as among consumer expectations.

Harris Poll Results: Pandemic Driven Changes in Shopping Behavior

Image courtesy Harris Poll, March 2021

 

Post-Pandemic Consumer Shifts for Emerging Industries

I also believe that these numbers will impact emerging industries even more and here’s why: consumers in the nascent stages of establishing buying patterns have less nostalgia and fewer habits, so those formed in the early stages will stick around longer. For industries with direct retail exposure, like cannabis, this will be incredibly impactful.

Consumer Shifts for Cannabis

Specifically, in cannabis, which benefitted from the “essential business” designation in many states, this will be a time of great opportunity but also change. Cannabis consumers most definitely took advantage of curbside pickup and delivery options during the pandemic. But cannabis is a social drug, and as users are reconnecting with old friends, they’ll likely merge old patterns with new and start expecting a more “on-demand” version of cannabis delivery, more closely mirroring food delivery.

Consumer Shifts for Online Immersive Experiences

We’re also seeing another emerging industry: online experiences. These could be games like online escape rooms, platforms like Oculus, or immersive publishing. While many of these businesses took hold during the pandemic for obvious reasons, what these numbers suggest to me is consumers now see the online experience as integrated with their offline experience in a more holistic way; the lines are blurring and consumers, especially under 50, accept that.  I believe online entertainment expansion will absolutely increase in the next year. I also believe the summer months won’t be the most extraordinary for these businesses, but as the days grow shorter in the fall and we collectively return to inside the home, we will look for ways to escape and online immersive experiences will be ready to transport us.

Consumer Shifts for the Drone Industry

The re-opening of America will also remind consumers of privacy concerns in a way they haven’t thought about in a while.  During the pandemic, many mysterious drone sightings caused local concern, but the news never sunk into the national consciousness because of the overwhelming pandemic and election news. Consumer acceptance of big-ticket online purchases and drone curiosity, along with the ability to be together again, will all benefit drones. But overall, the drone industry would be wise to stay fully attuned to consumer shifts in privacy, particularly in rural areas where drone flying is subject to fewer regulations, but where the culture is very attuned to privacy concerns.

These are a few of the trends we’re watching as post-pandemic consumer shifts continue to emerge. As you’re planning for the rest of 2021 and into 2022, if you’d like to review your assumptions or internal research, reach out to us, we’re watching industries from many angles and incorporating insights from multiple sources.

Other Resources and Insights
5 PR Trends CMOs Need to Watch in 2021

How 3 Players in the Drone Industry are Shifting Public Opinion

Why Social Media and Your PR Must Work Together

[5 minute read]

Many brands use PR and social media, but so many miss the opportunity to align these teams. Companies use social media to create relationships with their consumers, promote their products, and gain exposure to their key demographic. If that sounds a lot like what a PR specialist would do, you’re not wrong.

 

However, while a social media expert speaks directly to consumers, a PR strategist will cultivate a company’s positive reputation through various means, such a distributing press releases, arranging speaking engagements, and influencing traditional media to cover your story.

 

Although social media and public relations are each unique types of marketing, you can combine the two to generate interest in your brand, create trust, and engage your audience.

 

The media experts at Avaans PR explore the many returns you can enjoy by aligning your social media and PR strategies. Learn more by contacting us today.

 

Aligning Social Media With Public Relations

 

We are living in an age of technology. It’s everywhere. Marketing is no longer only about direct mail, signs, and flyers. Digital marketing has become more mainstream, and it seems like the options are unlimited. Not only can you choose individual strategies, but you can also combine various social media platforms and different types of marketing to get your message across and reach a much larger audience than you would with some of the “old school” methods of marketing.

 

Integrating your public relations efforts and social media marketing is an excellent example of how advertising has changed over the years. At one point, companies used PR to promote individual people, such as business partners, investors, or shareholders, within specific industries.

 

However, with the rise of social media and its undeniable influence, people, brands, companies, and others use these marketing platforms for public relations purposes. Both are useful in building trust between a business and its consumers, so it makes sense that the two should come together to achieve a company’s marketing goals.

 

The Influence of Social Media On Public Relations

 

Social media has had a significant impact on the world of PR. The most notable are:

 

  • Although communication is the cornerstone of both social media and PR, social media allows businesses to engage with their customers in real-time. This can allow for a more impactful PR strategy. When you’re publishing content using emails, news releases, and other platforms associated with PR, you have an opportunity to post a related update on social media, which will help your message live longer on the internet and spread faster than ever before.
  • Business stakeholders may find PR to be more “friendly” thanks to social media. Relationship marketing is a new marketing area helping companies seem approachable and warm despite the seriousness of their services or type of business they have.
  • With the help of social media, public relations can reach a larger audience than usual. Previously, PR would target specific people, such as investors or journalists. However, you can use social media to expand your target audience to anyone who can grow your business and help it become more successful.

 

The Differences Between PR and Social Media

 

Even though your company could benefit from using PR and social media together, you should understand the major differences between the two. They include:

 

  • Audiences might react differently to social media than PR. Whereas social media audiences are typically interactive and engaging, public relations audiences might take a more passive approach when interacting with content. This is because many see PR as one-sided, while social media platforms are two-sided. When you put out content for social media, your goal is to engage the public to maintain active communication. Conversely, PR content reaches the audience – through traditional media, for example – and may receive little to no engagement.
  • The way you communicate is also different between PR and social media. Companies use social media to begin conversations with their customers and increase sales. It’s crucial to use a consistent tone while engaging with the audience, so they don’t lose trust in the brand. On the other hand, PR may target their messaging more specifically to influence brand expansion and media coverage.
  • The impact social media has on your business, sales, and other marketing activities is easy to measure. You can analyze the data to determine what areas need improvement and what strategies are working. However, it’s sometimes more challenging to determine the return on investment with the PR strategies you’re using.

 

How to Use Social Media & PR Strategy

 

You can use particular social media platforms to improve your public relations plan and meet your company’s specific needs.

 

  • Instagram – Many companies use this platform to engage with their audience and bring awareness to issues and causes. Instagram is also perfect for promoting your business and keeping people engaged during an event you’re participating in or hosting.
  • Facebook – This is an excellent choice for brands or companies that regularly communicate with their audience. You can use various tools to assist with your PR activities, such as mentions, groups, and call-to-action buttons.
  • LinkedIn – LinkedIn is another excellent platform for connecting with other people. You can circulate information relevant to your business, gain the attention of influencers to help promote your products or services, and gain an insight into what other companies are doing within your industry.
  • Twitter – Social media marketing is sometimes about getting your message across using a short and to-the-point post. Twitter restricts users to 140 characters, perfect for providing a quick update to your consumers, launching a new product, or promoting your brand. You can use hashtags to reach your target audience and find comments from others about your company.

 

There’s no doubt that PR and social media together can maximize a company’s online presence. Knowing how and when to use these marketing strategies is crucial. That’s where an experienced PR and social media agency comes in.

 

Contact Avaans PR Today

 

At Avaans PR, we dedicate our time and effort to creating brand trust, building and maintaining reputations, and growing businesses for our clients. Our team knows the most effective marketing strategies that can positively impact your target audience and generate interest in your company and brand. Since 2008, our PR and social media agency has helped clients expand their digital reach, and we’re ready to do the same for you.

 

Reach out to Avaans PR for more information by completing our contact form or scheduling a phone call.

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