A good PR strategy is essential for any business, but you don’t have to have customers visit you. In the age of COVID, here are a few ways to create an online PR strategy to grow your business.
Grow your reach
One of the biggest ways an online PR strategy can help your company now is that you can grow your reach. When people are at home more, they aren’t out shopping as much. Instead, they’re on their computers and their cell phones. You can use digital tools to promote yourself, and a good PR strategy can help. A PR firm can help you focus on digital marketing and the right tips and tricks to use. You can use the strategy to reach new customers even if they hardly leave their homes. That way, you don’t have to wait until things go back to normal before you start marketing again.
Rebuild your reputation
On the internet, news spreads like wildfire. Once someone shares a new story, their friends will see it and can share it. After that happens a few times, hundreds of people can see the news. This happens when the story is good or bad, and you can use good PR to your advantage. If you recently had a scandal, such as a customer data breach, you can use PR to show how you’ll improve in the future. Perhaps you’re focusing more on network security or you’ve tightened up restrictions on who can access what information. Either way, you can use the internet to promote your new policies.
Target relevant publications
You can use this time to target online publications in your industry, so you can get some free advertising. A PR firm can help you find these publications, and you can pitch your idea to the editor. If you don’t have anyone who can write a story on your business, you can have your PR company do that. They can write the news or magazine article, and you can get it up for people to read. While it can be great to get a feature in a big magazine, target those in your field to get targeted exposure.
Work with influencers
Another way to utilize digital PR during COVID is to work with influencers. These are people with a decent following on some sort of online platform. They make and post content regularly, and they have a loyal audience. Influencers can post on blogs, Instagram or YouTube among other places. Depending on your audience, you can look for influencers on various social networks. When you find an influencer who might like your product, you can contact them about a partnership. Then, they’ll create content that you can approve of, and they’ll share it with their audience.
Focus on social media
If you can’t find an influencer who will post about your business, you can do it yourself. You can create an account on Facebook or Instagram and you can start sharing things. Posts can focus on new products or services, and you can share behind-the-scenes looks at new stuff. You can share tips and tricks on how to use your product or service, and you can use hashtags and engagement to grow your following. But start with one or two social networks so that you can get a feel for things. You don’t need to be everywhere, but you do need to be where your ideal customers are to actually make sales.
Build an email list
If you have a lot of people visiting your website, you can use an email list to help with PR. You can offer a coupon code or some other incentive to get people to sign up. Then, you can use your emails to share new deals, and you can include exclusive tips and resources for your customers. That will keep people interested in receiving your emails, and they can think of you when they need something you offer. An online PR strategy is crucial when people are spending time at home and not at the mall. Keep these things in mind now and in the future.
