‘The importance of PR in 2020’ is a guest blog written for Pedddle by Martha Hollingsworth at PR Dispatch.
The importance of PR in 2020
So, now we’ve covered ‘what really is PR’, it’s also important to understand the benefits of PR and how it can really excel your business, basically, why do I need PR? There are many reasons why PR for small businesses is a crucial part of your strategy, and even more so for 2020.
In this digital age people are getting exposed to new brands, products and tons of marketing messages daily. Consumers are getting savvier and cutting through the noise is getting trickier. This means that it’s more important than ever to have your PR strategy in place and do it consistently. Here we explore why.
TRUST US, IT’S CREDIBLE
With consumers being bombarded with options every day, brand credibility is more important than ever. With such little control over what information is floating around online and with so much social noise, it’s press validation that people turn to and trust. PR’s main benefit is the ongoing awareness it provides for your brand. Being featured in the press, no matter the size of your business, is vital for getting noticed, reaching new audiences, gaining loyal customers and securing brand longevity.
Unlike advertising, product placement isn’t paid for and comes from a recommendation or a genuine liking of the product, increasing your brand credibility. All of this will help gain trust from your audience and a wider, potential audience as well as raising awareness of your brand. Your PR strategy will help you navigate to the right channels and create a positive image.
STAND OUT
It’s important to keep up with your competitors, you need to give people a reason to choose your brand over others, and if you’re continuously featured in the press, you will stay visible and relevant in a competitive and saturated landscape.
AWARENESS & HIGH RANKING
Consumer buying decisions are becoming more and more influenced by online reviews. How often do you find yourself googling ‘the top ten moisturisers’ before purchasing the highest rated one? Ever wondered how this happens? PR! If your products are featured in one of these write ups, you’re winning. Having your product featured on review-based websites too (IndyBest, ES Best) is not only a great way to build your reputation, it also drives continued traffic through, as the content is always available online, and helps to boost your SEO ranking.
STOCKISTS
The key to getting stockists begins by increasing your brand awareness and credibility. A brand does this through gaining coverage in the right spaces that target your key audience. This in turn will give you a solid foundation and confidence to reach out to stockists. The process of finding stockists can come through a variety of different avenues: you can reach out to local buyers, great if you’re based near a market or local boutique that caters to your clientele and you see a fit for your brand. You can add to your website a ‘wholesale’ tab so that when stockists come through to your website from your coverage, they can easily get in contact with you. You can also attend trade shows so that buyers can see the quality and personality of your brand that they’ve read about in the press, in real life.
DISCOVERY
You can increase your brand’s discovery by strengthening your marketing efforts. PR and marketing (including digital marketing) are closely linked and work towards the same goal, so make sure you align both strategies. For example if you have been featured in the press don’t forget to let your audience know and shout about it! Whether it’s through promoting it on your Instagram Stories, a paid ad, blog post, a mention on your website or inclusion in your email newsletter. This will enable you to extend the reach of your press coverage whilst simultaneously boosting your credibility further.
PRESS QUOTES
If you’re featured by the press, presumably they’ve got a few nice things to say about you, and this is where your press quotes come from. Press quotes can make such a difference to how your audience receives you and your product, if it’s been endorsed, the likelihood is you appear 10x more credible.
‘The importance of PR in 2020‘ was written by Martha Hollingsworth at PR Dispatch, a guest writer for Pedddle. To become a member or explore their memberships further visit their website.
Although this blog focuses on the importance of PR in 2020, PR is important at any time! Check out our Blogs section for updated PR information.
Want to know more about setting up your own business? Click the button below – we have plenty more Pedddle blogs on similar topics too!