Current developments in technology and media have greatly complicated public relations management. However, the myriad ways of spreading and obtaining news round the clock also presents new avenues for managing information and communicating with audiences in ways that are more effective than the standard press release.
Now businesses have to consider their social media presence and whether they can afford to ignore this, especially bearing in mind that these channels have seen a huge growth in recent years. Over the last few months research has revealed that more users are now accessing these sites via mobile technology, and while this trend is especially evident among younger demographics, it is growing among older age groups too.
So how can businesses best manage their public relations via social media as Facebook and Twitter and the like? Firstly it is important to keep in mind that the whole point of social media is building relationships with your audience and never about direct selling or overt promotion. It's about engaging with your audience by sharing news, offering helpful information and answering enquiries in ways that build trust and loyalty. At the same time it's important to consider the different strengths of each platform and which would best suit your PR management style. Instead of spreading your resources thinly across different platforms it is infinitely better to focus on one and maintain it well; having a neglected site can often do more damage to the company's public image.
Using social media is work. It takes time and effort to maintain your presence to a level where it can help generate interest in your business activities. Entrepreneurs and others whose roles straddle departments can often neglect their social media activities from time to time when more pressing matters impinge on your schedule. Setting aside a time on a weekly, let alone a daily, basis to update your postings can sometimes be unrealistic. There are a range of tools to help you with this. Look for scheduling apps like sproutsocial or Twuffer that can give you the option to input many postings at the same time and have them staggered over a course of a month or a week, depending on how regular you aim to post.
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Content Marketing