From the bygone era of intimate, in-person pitches to the concise tweets of today, the landscape of Public Relations (PR) has seen a major transformation. With this shift to a more digitized domain, many are left pondering: “Online PR: Where to Next?”
The Dynamic Role of PR Professionals
First up in this discussion was Beth Harte, a Community Manager at MarketingProfs. She underscored that PR is not solely about press releases and visibility, but rather involves a variety of activities. These include advertising, issues management, public affairs, lobbying, and investor relations. At the core of these activities lies the essence of PR, “Real public relations is relationships,” Harte explained.
Embracing Social Media Tools
Harte went on to discuss the inevitable changes in social media tools. However, she emphasized that the fundamental social behavior of people would remain constant. She proposed an action plan for PR professionals to thrive: “Listen, communicate, partner, tell your story, and get people talking.”
Intersection of PR and SEO
Building on Harte’s insights, Marty Weintraub, President of aimClear, threw light on the intersection of PR and SEO. He encouraged PR professionals to harness the potential of SEO-savvy press releases and guest blogging. Weintraub underlined the importance of generating reasons for people to amplify your name. His advice was simple yet profound, “Give and give and give some more.”
Power of Online Video in PR
Duncan Alney, President and Social Media Strategist at Firebelly Marketing, highlighted the growing significance of visual content in PR. “Online video is used more than all major TV networks,” Alney remarked, indicating a potential for continued growth. As video content becomes increasingly shareable, Alney urged PR professionals to start refining their strategy and accumulating experience.
Technology and Future of Online PR
Wrapping up the session was Andy Beal, CEO of Trackur. He emphasized the importance of leveraging technology to monitor industry trends, competitors’ buzzwords, your own reach, and potential allies. Regarding the future, Beal predicted dynamic content in press releases, cross-platform link tracking, performance-based press release pricing, and RFID for content.
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