The role of PR in a social media dominated world
By Elinor Tyler,
Head of Consumer Division, Storm Communications
In today’s digital-first world, food and drink brands often question how public relations fits into the marketing mix. If they have a solid presence on social media, does that suffice? Is there any merit in courting the traditional media for editorial mentions if newspapers and magazines are increasingly taking a backseat when it comes to consumers’ media appetites?
The answer isn’t straightforward and for every FMCG brand the answer differs because of many nuanced factors. However, there are some truths that can help food and drink brands navigate whether PR should be a key player in their comms strategy.
Firstly, don’t forget that having a brand presence on social media is a form of PR. You may be the ‘journalist’, videographer, photographer, and publisher, but the content that you post is still working as a public relations tool. And journalists will often refer to social media channels when writing about your brand: there is a symbiosis in place that cannot be ignored. Read any article on an online media outlet about a food trend or product consumers are going crazy for, and you will see that journalists use quotes from the public that have posted on social media.
The reality is that having a presence on social media is considered a hygiene factor nowadays for consumer-facing brands. And although it is a PR tool, there are many reasons that social media alone cannot fully maximise a brand’s PR potential.
Be assured that traditional media is also very much alive and kicking! While readership of hard copies of newspapers and magazines is in decline, collectively they are still read by millions of consumers. Add to that the fact that their online editions are read by millions more readers still, they offer an excellent platform to get your story out there. And no brand is going to say no to PR coverage on a prime-time TV programme or radio show – they continue to be worth their weight in gold.
It is also worth bearing in mind that off-page SEO, delivered via a compelling PR story placed in national digital news outlets, has the ability to rocket power traffic to a website and engage consumers in a way that advertising or a proprietary social media channel rarely does.
When brands consider their audience, it may be that traditional PR – namely media relations to generate editorial mentions – remains the best route to PR the brand or product. A general rule of thumb is that the older the audience, the less valid social media is, and the more important media relations is. Again though, depending on the brand, there can be subtleties that can turn this rule on its head.
The truth is that for most food and drink brands, to maximise their PR potential it is crucial to implement social media marketing and a more traditional PR strategy. The bias towards these disciplines will change depending on the products and audience, and the tactics employed for each will differ markedly because of these factors, but doing both will ensure a more robust and effective marketing approach.
To speak with someone about the right PR strategy for your brand, contact hello@stormcom.co.uk.