Are You Socializing Your PR Efforts?

by MGB2B

As you probably know by now, the lines between public relations and social media have blurred beyond distinction. PR and social media strategies for manufacturers can no longer be approached separately, but rather as two sides of the same coin. While many B2B companies are integrating their PR efforts into their social media content, they’re often just skimming the surface of what could be a truly cohesive program. Here are 3 ways to “socialize” your PR efforts:

  1. Make your PR shareable. In 2013, 30% of people in the U.S. were using social media for news discovery. This year, the stat has jumped to 35%. As this number continues to grow, it becomes more important to make your PR content shareable on social media. Are you including links to your social media networks on every press release? Are your social icons visible on your YouTube channel? Are you sharing your own PR content through social media? (See how to optimize it in the next tip.) If you’re not sharing, valuable media pickups could be passing you by.
  2. Optimize PR content for social media. This doesn’t mean writing your next press release entirely in emoji, but you should have alternate headlines to use on each of your social media channels. While headlines for manufacturing press releases often need to pack a lot of information into a limited space, you can get creative with your social media updates. For example, rather than revealing the name of your latest product, post an initial tweet about a new addition to your existing product line and encourage followers to explore further on your site. Pairing these techniques with basic tools like posting in LinkedIn groups, using custom or, if possible, trending hashtags on Facebook and Twitter, and mentioning relevant publications in your updates can help your PR content reach the right audiences.
  3. Transform PR into blogs. Generating new content and maintaining a consistent publishing schedule rank as the top two concerns for B2B marketers in 2015. To overcome these challenges, B2B manufacturers must utilize every opportunity to create new, engaging content. If you are not currently using your PR efforts to generate blog posts, you’re missing out. Not only is the majority of the legwork already done, whether in the form of a completed video, trade magazine article, or press release, but you have the chance to put a creative spin on the messaging and reach people who are already interested in what you have to say – your subscribers. The important thing is to spin your PR story into an insight for your audience; your blog is a place where (ideally) your audience looks to you for industry-related recommendations and useful information.  Take this opportunity to discuss topics that can be shared well beyond the life cycle of your press release.

B2B industries are increasingly relying on social media to interact with vendors, support their customers, and generate leads. PR and social media strategies for manufacturers must be streamlined to accomplish these goals; otherwise they run the risk of getting left behind.

Need help building a streamlined PR and social media program? Drop us a line.

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