Setting up a business, group, or event is difficult, but that’s only the beginning. Once you’ve started your venture, you need to promote it, as there’s no use creating something without anyone to appreciate it. A great place to start is the World Wide Web, or the internet, as it’s known to all the cool people. You’re cool, right? Good. Now that we’ve got that out the way, let’s get started on good ol’ public relations.
Why Online?
First things first, why should you go online? Why not go to your local newspaper, or advertise in a magazine? While these are still viable advertising options, the internet is definitely the place to be. Everyone and their dog uses the internet, with official statistics displaying a 51% global access figure as of June 2017. 89% of the UK regularly uses the internet as of the same year, which is a remarkable statistic that hints at its usefulness.
With the internet, you have access to bundles of information at the click of your finger. Social media allows you to talk to people in your local area or people on a worldwide scale. You can promote your business on search engines using PPC advertising, which runs a bit like an auction house. You can even create content that boosts your ranking, without paying an extra penny. This is what’s known as SEO, in which keywords are used to increase your online ranking on search engines.
We know that’s a lot to take in, and we’d stress the importance of conducting your own research too. However, we’re going to mention several advantages that should peak your interest.
Reach the Right Audience
Your audience is waiting, you just have to reach them first! From social media campaigns to keyword targeting, there is a range of options for you to choose from. You can create your message and send it to thousands of people on social media, or you could send product samples to bloggers, who would then review them on their platform of choice. The internet is mostly used by those under 50, but usage among older people is increasing too.
Cost-Effective Creativity
Creating physical advertisements could cost a small fortune, as could sending your adverts to newspapers and magazines on a regular basis. Online PR allows you to spend as much or as little as you need to. Set your own budget based on your needs, and you’ll see results that reflect that. Most social media platforms provide estimates of the results too, and you can judge the success of your campaign with a variety of tracking options.
SEO Success
SEO – or Search Engine Optimisation – is a combination of several marketing techniques. Broadly speaking, the aim is to create relevant, well-written content for your website, which would boost your site’s search engine ranking in turn. This would then increase the visibility of your site. A byproduct of this includes backlinks, which are links to your website from other – preferably reputable – sites. As long as you create good content, the results should speak for themselves.
Protect Your Brand
You’re going to have an issue at some point. Whether you’ve received a bad review, released a poor product, or gave incorrect information – it happens to the best of us. Online PR allows you to take control of an otherwise tricky situation. You can respond to bad reviews in order to make amends, or clarify a situation with a customer. Bad product? No problem, simply offer refunds through your social media platform or announce upgrades to your followers. Incorrect information is easily amended too, in the form of a press release, social media post, or blog update.
Overall – Create an Online Presence
If you take anything from this article, it should be that an online presence is definitely necessary in our modern, interconnected society. The internet travels with you wherever you go, as people use their mobiles to find the latest information, book tables at a restaurant, or ask questions to company representatives. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Our advice? Ensure that you have a defined marketing objective before you start a campaign. Set your budget, define your audience, and create good content. You could even hire an agency to do it all for you, which is where we come in. If you need advice or guidance, or if you want to enquire about our digital marketing services, give us a call.
