Whether you’re launching a new brand, working on behalf of a new client, or thinking about new ways to build buzz around your existing brand, a combined, creative approach can generate tons of attention without spending a single dollar.
And while PR budgets shrank 13% in 2020, it’s still possible for teams to implement a successful strategy with minimal help and minimal spend. The end result: more public awareness and an expanded reach to new customers.
Below are 7 tips I compiled--ones that we, at OnePitch, have implemented--that are easy to start with and proven to yield results for your public relations campaigns.
Social Media
Nearly everyone is on social media these days, literally. 3.6 million people use social media globally and that number is expected to grow to 4.5 billion by 2025, according to Sprout Social. Here are a few more social media stats from Sprout Social:
- Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are among the top 10 most active social media platforms.
- Facebook is the most used social media app in the world.
- Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users.
- 60% of Pinterest users are women.
- 96% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for content distribution.
It shouldn't come as a surprise that social media’s wide reach, and low cost, make it one of the most popular vehicles for information sharing and community building. When you’re considering which networks are most important, make sure you think about your audience and where they spend their time on social media. And, remember, you don’t need to have a presence on EVERY social network.
Contests, Sweepstakes, and Giveaways
Another great way to generate buzz about your brand, or client, and engage your audience is through contests, sweepstakes, and giveaways. As Outgrow puts it, “Giveaways and contests are the millennial versions of interactive content types.” Here are a few stats linked to the blog above:
- Entertainment is the topmost industry to run contests, followed by music and technology.
- The average price of a contest prize is $369.
- Travel offers are one of the most popular categories to be given as a contest prize.
- Contests with prizes of $1000 or more receive an engagement rate of 5.8% per 100 followers.
- 78.4% of contest shares are done on Facebook. On mobile devices, Whatsapp devices stand out at 17%.
Here at OnePitch, we have a referral program where our users can win up to $100 per month when they refer colleagues and friends to sign up for a free account. To date, we’ve had over 1900+ referrals to our site. Another great example from our team is our giveaway opportunity for leaving a review of Coffee with a Journalist on iTunes. Each person who leaves us a review and sends us an email receives a free swag pack full of stickers, a magnet, and a keychain. It’s our way of saying thank you and aiming to drive more awareness about our show! (PS: click the link above :) )
Online Reviews
For most business professionals, tools are a standard part of the job. And, like most of us do ourselves, when evaluating new tools or replacement tools paying close attention to reviews helps us understand what fits our needs best. Don’t be fooled either, there are tons of review sites for every sort of thing from Yelp to Google, to Angie’s List and Tripadvisor.
Here are a few stats on reviews from this blog on G2:
- About 95% of customers read reviews before making a purchase.
- 72% of customers won’t take any buying actions until they’ve read reviews.
- When a product gets five reviews, the likelihood of it being purchased increases by 270%.
- Customers spend 31% more when a business has positive reviews.
- 92% of customers trust peer recommendations.
While it seems easy on the surface, receiving reviews from customers can be difficult at times. Make sure you implement an effective review generation strategy and make it as easy as possible for your customers to share their feedback.
Virtual Events
Many of us are familiar with the countless webinar e-invites in our inbox--at least I am--and there’s a reason for this. Virtual events have become part of the norm even a year after the pandemic started and there’s no sign of them going away.
Here are a few stats Markletic noted from their recent B2B market survey:
- 33.7% of marketers say that the average cost per virtual event attendee is between $500 - $1000.
- The most popular type of virtual event is small gatherings. This is followed by networking events and round table discussions.
- 80% of people join virtual events for educational purposes. The next biggest reason for joining virtual events is networking.
- 71% of event organizers rank deals closed as a success factor.
- 49% of businesses organize between 20-30 per year.
When considering what kind of virtual event to host, listen to your customers first and foremost. What pain points do they experience? What have they told your customer success team, or sales team, they have trouble with when it comes to your product/service? You can also look at what your competitors are doing in terms of events and pull ideas for how you can make yours unique.
Partnerships & Sponsorships
You should also think about other companies with who you can partner with whether it be for events, contests, and event sponsorships. A few of the benefits include low cost, brand alignment, brand recognition, and ultimately an opportunity to showcase your brand, or client, in front of a larger audience.
A few stats on partnerships outlined in this post by HubSpot include:
- 54% of companies say partnerships drive more than 20% of total company revenue.
- 34% of marketers say that co-marketing or brand partnerships are the most effective ways to increase an email subscriber list.
- Roughly 11% of marketers say "partnership posts" are their brand's most engaging type of social media content.
If you’re thinking about which brands to partner with consider ones that are complementary to your product or service as well as their audience. Also, remember that some partnerships are free but typically sponsorships come with a price tag.
Contribute Content
We’re all familiar with the term, “thought leadership,” and if you aren’t here is a definition (and article) courtesy of John Hall from Forbes:
“Thought leadership isn't about putting your personal needs first — the purpose is to educate your audience, question the status quo, and become a trusted source for information.”
In the post, John outlines 6 key business goals including public relations. They are:
There are tons of tools and opportunities to provide thought leadership on a given subject. Popular services like HARO, provide you with daily requests directly from journalists and bloggers. A lot of companies are taking note of thought leadership and implementing strategies for owned content as well, even we do at OnePitch! You can find more information about contributing to our blog, The TypeBar, on this page.
Pitch Media & Influencers
Just as social media should come as no surprise, hopefully, media relations does too. It’s no secret that consumers' trust in paid media has declined over the years. Consumers now demand more authenticity and honesty from the brands they follow.
At OnePitch, media relations is our bread and butter and we know a thing or two about how to pitch journalists and get press coverage for your brand or client. Here are a few helpful blogs we’ve produced for easy reference:
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It takes a combined approach to build buzz around your brand and by implementing at least one of these tips on the list above, we’re confident you will get more eyes on your brand and, in turn, build the case for PR is vital to the success of your brand, or client.
Don’t forget, we’re most active on Twitter and Instagram, and you can find us on all other platforms @onepitchsaas!
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