Let us start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start, particularly if you are Julie Andrews. PR over the years hasn’t really changed, nor has its lack of understanding. (We still have clients ask us why the journalist has changed the copy we submitted… That aside, there is no real reason for clients to fully understand the mechanics, that is our job.)
But there is a need for educating how PR has shifted to follow consumer behaviour. How we consume news and product information has dramatically changed, not to mention third party endorsement. PR in 2022 and beyond is all about communication and reaching audiences but through different methods.
So, is there still a place for the poor old press release in 2022 and beyond? For issuing to press, only those that hold a valuable story which are in property terms a launch, something new, a collaboration or something unusual. More importantly though, they are used as a great base of information which is client approved. This can then be divided and used for various pieces of content whether its feature pitching, blog writing or short sharp messages for social media.
Realistically though, a PR’s approach now must communicate across a multitude of channels to get to the right audience. This starts from acquiring land where you need to create, establish and engage with your community from day one and then continue communicating through regular channels.
Therefore, our PR strategy at Oracle covers a wide range of opportunities for consumers to see news including social media, blogs, events, digital media and traditional print press. Most importantly though is how we interact with a community through social media engagement. When done correctly, this can be PR gold.
To remain relevant in 2022, PR’s must go beyond what is the standard approach and provide a real service to enrich communities, environment and society. PR efforts must include all stakeholders and these aren’t just investors, this is anyone who may interact with a business or community.
As PRs our job is to engage with the artisans and communities the client brand works well with. Moving forwards, all PR strategies need a combined approach which is how we are developing our offering at Oracle. Here are some top tips…
1. Media is harder to win over. To get their attention you need to know the right journalists and what makes them tick. This is something that we pride ourselves on as we celebrate 11 years in property PR this year (although I have more than double that…. I started at 10)
2. Social media algorithms and users are making it harder for business to reach its audience. Therefore, you must find a way to resonate with users and optimise your website and content for search and social media. Also make sure your PR team is always on the lookout for trend changes.
3. You have heard this before but quality content is king. It’s essential to ensure this is part of your overall strategy.
4. Influencer PR is powerful if it is done correctly. This will be the case for a long time. In fact, over half of this planet’s population uses social media!
5. Custom-made social media promotion is essential. It’s not enough to just post your content on social media. PR’s must craft custom messages according to the target audience values. For this, you need insights to their needs and expectations which is why you should always integrate PR with social media.
6. Make it personal but authentic. The truth is humans share one intrinsic trait; they love to feel special. Personalisation is the key to crafting a bullet-proof PR strategy in 2022.