At our Essex PR agency, we’ve seen our fair share of confusion when it comes to the practice of public relations. It is a vastly misunderstood beast, with many assuming it’s simply some form of advertising. Or else, a quick and easy way of turning brand exposure into direct sales. Even those who appreciate the benefits of securing coverage in national papers, magazines and various other outlets often don’t see much further than the initial exposure.
We won’t deny that securing press and online coverage is our PR team’s main remit, but their work certainly doesn’t end there. Here at VerriBerri, we explore the true, multi-faceted potential of PR, that extends far beyond coverage in magazines. We’ve put together this blog to provide you with a little more detail.
The Primary Function
Despite putting on a show of how diverse the world of PR is, we still think it’s worth going through its primary function. Let’s say you’re just setting sail into the world of business. Unless you’re already a huge name, there’s very little reason why anyone would know anything about your brand, no matter how positive your projections may be. This issue is particularly prevalent in certain industries; music and fashion are a couple of prime examples. Such saturated industries frequently result in newcomers finding themselves completely hidden amongst the overwhelming competition. By utilising a PR team, however, you’ll be shocked by how quickly the light starts to permeate the darkness you’ve found yourself in.
A dedicated PR team will immerse themselves in your brand; working with you to learn everything that will assist them in developing a continual selection of angles with which to approach relevant journalists and publications. These pitches will result in anything from your comments included in a national publication to a full article allowing you to demonstrate your professional expertise. Maybe even a speaking opportunity on a podcast, the radio or TV! It should be immediately clear how our Essex PR agency can benefit a budding brand as they start out. Well-established businesses or professionals have a lot to gain from investing in PR too, of course. Read on to discover what else public relations can do for you.
More Content = More Recognition
How many times have you seen an advert or announcement enthusiastically exclaiming that they can make you an overnight success? Quite a few times, we imagine. To be frank, they are lying to you. It’s as simple as that. Consider the age-old (or, more specifically, Rome-old) analogy that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Achieving sustainable long-term growth takes time. The promise of becoming an overnight success may as well translate to ‘pyramid scheme’, or else, an expensive advertising scheme. Whilst the latter will be effective enough, it will eat up a lot of your capital. The best, and most cost-effective, way of helping your business to flourish is by ensuring your brand’s name is dotted across a range of digital and print publications. This targeted approach will help your brand to stick in the mind of your target audience.
Improved SEO
You might or might not have heard of backlinks. They are simply a link to your website featured on the pages of another site. Regardless, in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) terms, they are worth their weight in digital gold. In the world of SEO, link equity is paramount. Backlinks are largely secured via online articles or by appearing as a guest blogger for another brand or online publication. Both of which can be secured by our Essex PR agency.
By improving your SEO, your brand’s website will feature further up the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), ultimately ensuring you are found and seen by more and more people. Whilst the acronym SERPs applies to a wide range of search engine’s, the main one you need to concern yourself with is Google. Despite their constant irritating algorithm changes, the value of backlinks remains strong in their eyes.
Connecting PR and Social Media
Even if you don’t use it, you’ll be aware of the immense effect social media has had on the world. For better or for worse, social media is here to stay and its various benefits shouldn’t be overlooked. It can be used by a PR team, for example, to organise collaborations with influencers and bloggers. By mentioning your brand in their posts and stories, your product or service will be seen by – depending on their renown – tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, potentially even millions of potential customers!
It’s been suggested, in fact, that exposure on social media is just as valuable as the more traditional means of PR described above. Some will go as far as saying it’s more valuable! Ultimately, both work excellently in tandem with one another, but it’s worth clarifying that those who aim to dispel the benefits of social media have no idea what they’re talking about.
An External Perspective
An external perspective can be a huge help in gaining a greater understanding of a number of different things. Many people, however, don’t really understand this. Consider your brand, for example. We’re sure you’re incredibly passionate about it; with an impressive knowledge of all the ins and outs, down to the most minor detail, and rightfully so! Having a thorough understanding of your own brand is more than ideal. In fact, we would question any business owner that doesn’t live and breathe their company. But this intense commitment does bring to light one noteworthy issue It’s a sheer impossibility to view your company objectively when you’re so heavily and passionately involved.
The team at our Essex PR agency, however, can. This objectivity is invaluable as we will not only function as a dedicated ally to your brand, but will also be able to evaluate it from a perspective that you can’t. The resultant fresh perspectives and constructive criticism will allow for a myriad of exciting angles and avenues to explore in order to take your brand to the next level. Should you feel your brand is lacking in ideas as of late, or simply stagnating, all the more reason to seek an outsiders perspective!
Contact Us!
PR should be seriously considered in any brand’s marketing strategy. No matter the size of the business, PR will offer something that can’t be replicated in-house. Further to this, smaller businesses, who are likely to struggle to establish a foothold within their specific industry, may simply need PR in order to get off the ground. Whilst the PR process can be a slow burn, the benefits cannot be underestimated.
Should you be interested in finding out more about our Essex PR agency, please get in touch! Contact VerriBerri today on 01376 386 850. We can’t wait to help you unlock new areas of growth within your business!