1.) Transparency

Authenticity is first and foremost, one of the most important practices a public relations professional should be undertaking. Publics have proven that their trust in the media  and online information is at an all-time low, so having to weave through press releases and information coming from specific companies themselves is a daunting task in and of itself when one already feels as though a strong bias is present. It is important to be sincere in your messaging and ensure your information is both credible and with no ill intent. It is a good idea to always present sources, data, and strategies behind a statement you are making to ensure the reader is able to check if your statement is valid.

2.) Utilize Social Media

Social media is arguably one of the most important elements a business can have. It allows a company to have a voice and write their own story instead of allowing others to write one for them. One bad Yelp review can spiral into a large mess for any business if they are not there to give background a mediate the situation. For example, if a local= sushi restaurant relies on word of mouth consumers and one customer feels as though they have a negative experience and decide to put a review online, that may be the first thing anyone sees when they look up “nearest sushi restaurant” on their phone. People are likely to not go somewhere with a bad review and no way to see good reviews or see that everyone else in the area loves to eat there. If this business had a personal website, that would likely be the first thing to pop up in a google search and could allow you to have a voice in sharing positive testimonials and photos capturing happiness of customers. This could make or break new customers visiting your location. Social media also allows others to interact with your business in personal ways and spread the word. A good example of a business using social media to help their brand is Wendy’s. (http://twitter.com/wendys ) They are able to perfectly advertise their menu items and deals, while also providing a comical element that many young adults and teenagers engage with.

3.) Video Content

Video content is said to be one of the most important elements of utilizing your company’s online footprint. People are more likely than ever to engage with creative videos rather than reading articles or releases or any other form of written content. It allows users to stay engaged and interested rather than be distracted or overwhelmed, and when used correctly, could allow you to impact a large audience. For some great ideas on how to better utilize video content, refer to this article https://www.singlegrain.com/video-marketing/10-useful-types-of-video- content-viewers love/ .

4.) Humanize Your Brand

Consumers do not want to feel as though their favorite brand is ran by robots. Try to avoid sounding canned or emotionless when producing content for the public to see. Use emotion, provoke thought, allow empathy to be a frontrunning emotion in your mind when speaking to the public. Nike is an example of a brand that does this extremely well. Whether or not one agrees with their stances or messaging, it is inarguable to state that no matter what emotion it is, you are feeling something after one of their campaigns is ran. There are ways to do this without eliciting controversy, but keep in mind that people want to WANT to connect to you. They must feel as though there is a two-way communication rather than simply a computer speaking to them.

References:
http://www.knbcomm.com/blog/8-best-practices-pr
https://b2bprblog.marxcommunications.com/b2bpr/social-media-and-public-relations-tactics