May
20
In March Lyman PR had the fortune to begin working with new travel site GetGoing, and introduce their “Pick Two, Get One” product. Bringing a new product to a target market that’s accustomed to doing things a certain way is always a challenge. But in the case of GetGoing, a great product and aggressive PR approach netted big buzz.
GetGoing ‘Pick Two, Get One™’ Sizzle Reel from GetGoing on Vimeo.
Apr
18
When we’re not busy conducting PR activities, the LPR crew loves to travel. That makes us extra pleased to be working with new online site GetGoing.
GetGoing is making it easier and more affordable for flexible travelers to discover and book their next trip. With an average of one out of every five airline seats going unsold GetGoing enables flexible travelers to easily find and book those seats at a significant discount, while helping airlines profitably fill them.
We recently helped launch the company and announced it’s innovative Pick Two, Get One™ system, which was met with wide acclaim by the travel industry. You might even say they’re set to take off. Check them out at GetGoing.
Feb
27
Let’s face it: social media isn’t easy. We’ve touched on the difficulty of PR measurement, and truly understanding the effectiveness of social media efforts is an equally—if not more—daunting task.
We all want to know how a program moves the needle with our target audiences, be it increased brand awareness, revenue, customer satisfaction, and so on. But the inherent challenges of social media channels won’t always provide these insights, let alone surface an in-depth understanding of who we’re socializing with. As a result, instead of trying to always hit the bull’s eye, sometimes it’s about getting close.
Do You Really Know Who Your Social Audience Is?
We often think so, but how much do we really know? Twitter, for example, can identify originating IP addresses to see where, geographically, a follower is. But unless a user has a profile full of personal background, there’s no way of knowing things such as gender, marital status, education, occupation, etc. for a deeper sense of who we’re engaging with. We’re left making assumptions, and audience becomes a little fuzzy.
Facebook, on the other hand, can provide more insight into user demographics thanks to more comprehensive profiles– if made public. With increased privacy controls users are more encouraged to participate online, but it’s also more difficult to see “who” specifically is engaging. Because personal information isn’t always visible, an accurate and comprehensive view of audience and their actions can be elusive.
Beyond the Like: Gauging Content’s Broader Impact
Fortunately we at least have ways to monitor how an audience interacts with content, shedding light on the effectiveness of efforts. Tracking the number of Likes, ReTweets, Pins and comments on owned social properties will provide a pretty good idea of what content is hitting the mark. However, that’s not the whole story.
For example, take an industry article in Forbes touting a product or service as “best in class.” Posted on owned social media properties, it’s easy to gauge audience interaction. But readers can also “like” that article directly on Forbes.com, which needs to be accounted for to gauge it’s full impact. And how about forums, where the article might be mentioned within a post on a related topic?
In other words, there’s no single report or source of measurement; you have to gather information from multiple sources to get a complete picture.The time consuming and often manual process still won’t provide a precise accounting, but can develop a general sense of effectiveness.
Reaching Out
In addition to knowing audience and the effectiveness of content in creating interaction, social media measurement is incomplete without an understanding of reach. If a particular piece of content doesn’t drive high levels of engagement but reaches a lot of people, it still serves a purpose.
Revisiting the Forbes article, the greater the reach—regardless of engagement or interaction—the more people are exposed to the positive endorsement. It’s an important factor to take into account and may help drive content strategy. Are you seeking greater engagement? Greater reach? Both? Is a piece of content with above-average engagement and reach of 500 more effective than content with average interaction but a reach of 10,000? The answer depends on goals, but regardless it’s something to be thinking about.
In Closing…
Truth be told, this won’t make social media measurement much easier or more straightforward, but recalibrating how we think of measuring effectiveness can provide a better understanding of social media impact.
Feb
12
When it comes to social media, content is king, this we already know. A good strategy requires fresh, relevant content that engages your target audience, stimulates dialogue, drives action, and ultimately strengthens customer loyalty.
However, brand social channels should not be viewed as a random outlet, shout box, or blatant self-promotion tool, but rather a strategically managed process in alignment with the company’s broader communication objectives. This requires thinking beyond today’s post or tweet, and building a pipeline of relevant and useful content delivered over time in a consistent and engaging manner.
For starters, what outcome would you like content to achieve? Content curation should be driven by information that matters to your audience. Do they want to be informed of your company, brand, and products or services? Are they looking for support or usage tips? Are they seeking deals or promotions? Do they want to provide feedback or engage in dialogue with your company? Do they want to be entertained?
Perhaps it’s all of the above. Understanding what the audience is seeking provides the basis for a balanced and creative approach to content development, for example:
Going a step further, think through the best delivery format for each topic and related content, such as:
Of course, the type of content you post will partly will be dictated by the channel you’re using, be it Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instragram, or other. Diversity in your content also will appeal to your users’ unique styles and preferences for consuming information.
All totalled, there’s a lot to think about for one product/brand let alone multiple. One practice that we like to utilize is content calendars to plan ahead and stay organized. This can be as simple an Excel spreadsheet or a sophisticated social media management application. Whether it’s a weekly, monthly, or quarterly calendar, you can incorporate the type and frequency of each content post—again, in support of your audience interests and needs.
Jan
16
Companies are more challenged than ever to express their voices and be heard in today’s highly competitive and noisy marketplace. Though it’s a crowded space in its own right—full of posts, tweets, pins, and the like—social media presents a unique opportunity for brands to break through the clutter with effective communication that engages readers.
Pay More than Lip Service
The goal of social media is, well, to be social. Having a Facebook page or Twitter account does no good if you’re not engaging with and driving two-way dialogue with your target audience. Many brands treat social media as an advertising platform, simply pushing out messages and hoping for a “like” or “follow.” That’s great if you just want to get your company name, news, and brand out there, and wanting to say you use social media.
But truth is, social media offers a much greater and more valuable opportunity to reach and interact with your various audiences, including customers, prospects, partners, employee candidates, etc. With any social media strategy, the goal is to acquire fans and followers, engage your audiences, and amplify your messages to increase brand awareness and sales—and ultimately your marketing return on investment.
Here are some tips to help you move beyond an occasional post and truly be social:
Put the “ME” in Social Media
Another critical success factor for social media is to define and express a voice and personality that best resonates with your audience. Social media is about conversation and memorable impressions. Imagine being in a room with thousands of other people. How will you distinguish yourself among the crowd? The same applies with social media. Those highly intelligent, humorous, or refreshingly honest—in short, people with dynamic personalities—are the ones that stand out and are remembered.
As a company or brand, what can you do to share your personality to gain the attention of a consumer with a thousand suitors? For starters:
Leverage New Currencies for Storytelling
Social media has accelerated the editorial evolution by enabling more multimedia-rich formats versus traditional text-based stories. Driven by today’s digital technology, and the fact that more people are consuming information online, PR and marketing professionals are increasingly integrating audio, video, graphics, and animation into their social media content.
These new communication “currencies” enable brands to create stronger, more emotional connections with their readers, while supporting a whole new generation of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices. This is particularly true for consumer lifestyle brands, where the traditional “hard news” pitch is being complimented, and in some cases replaced, by a more dynamic story.
In fact, using multimedia for storytelling is perhaps one of the most impactful tactics to share messages and content that engages your audiences. And that’s being social, right?
Nov
07
Several weeks ago, we posted on “Five Tips to Boost PR Productivity,” which also appeared on PRDaily.com. Two of tips centered on planning. Just as planning is essential for daily productivity, it’s equally to the success of any broader PR program.
Working day-to-day is not the recipe for getting and staying ahead. Rather, we believe it’s wise to think and plan beyond next week, and even next month. Better yet, consider the next quarter.
In our experience, the clients that benefit most from a PR agency are those that consistently keep in mind their company strategy and marketing vision even if their roadmap has lots of twists and turns. So when the map changes, which is inevitable, we can combine their longer-term vision with some general strategic, short-term planning to help them be most successful in the end.
Some questions to consider in a shorter-term planning process include:
PR planning does not have to be a complex, cumbersome, or lengthy process. Sometimes it’s as simple as making sure you’re on course. Is the plan you set for the future still intact, even if the timing has shifted? If not, adjust course now, not a month before the event.
Simply put, effective PR planning comes down to thinking ahead. You won’t always get it right, but planning in advance affords you the opportunity to shift course sooner than later when changes occur, rather than reacting at the last moment.
Oct
16
In my previous post, I addressed ways to leverage social media for greater reach and impact. This week I was reminded that social media doesn’t have to be “rocket science”—that you can actual derive value from very simple posts. Consider these two examples:
A smiling little girl—in pink, no less—on a bicycle. Who doesn’t love that? Nice touch by Hincapie Sportswear (cycling apparel) in emotionally connecting with their audience.
And how about this post by Rhapsody? A simple quote speaks right to the heart of its service (streaming music) and, again, taps into consumers’ emotion.
Successful social media doesn’t always have to be complicated. As these examples show, a simple message that resonates with the audience can be quite impactful and engaging.
Try something similar with your next post. Really, it’s simple!
Oct
01
When it comes to social media, having a Facebook page or sending out an occasional “tweet” is one thing. Engaging with and driving two-way dialogue with your target audience is a whole ‘nother story.
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed how a lot of brands treat social media as an advertising medium, simply pushing out messages and hoping for a “like” or “follow.” That’s great, if you’re just seeking to get your company name, news, and brand out there—and wanting to say you use social media.
But truth is, social media offers a much greater and more valuable opportunity to reach and interact with your various audiences, including customers, prospects, partners, employee candidates, etc. Even for companies already with sophisticated and well-planned social media strategies.
From getting fans to engaging them. Credit Agam Panwar
Whether you have an existing presence or just getting started in this arena, here are some key guidelines to help you execute and optimize your social media efforts:
With any social media strategy, the goal is to acquire fans, engage your audiences, and amplify your messages to increase brand awareness, sales (or desired action), and ultimately your marketing return on investment.
So, what’s stopping you? Go be social!
Sep
21
Yes, it’s only September, but if you haven’t already started implementing your holiday PR strategy—or at least thinking about it—you’re behind. In just a few weeks, turkeys and stuffing will fill grocery store aisles, followed by tinsel, lights, and menorahs on retail shelves around the world. In PR land, the end-of-year holidays started in July.
The most savvy PR pros begin shopping their story ideas months before consumers hit the stores for deals and gifts. And for good reason. The long lead magazines—those shiny pubs that draw attention throughout the year—start finalizing their “holiday guides” in summer. So if you’re looking to get a new product or advertisement in front of the shopping masses, we suggest calling your favorite editor(s) today.
If you’ve missed that boat, er holiday train, there’s still hope. Many magazines have online versions, not to mention the various media outlets and blog sites, that are still seeking content for the holiday season. Start contacting those outlets to see what they’re looking for, and of course discuss how your product or service is “can’t miss” content for their readers.
More than ever, the practice of matching your pitch to the intended audience plays true here. The holidays offer many opportunities and angles to reach a desired group—whether it’s the technologist seeking the latest handheld device, the homemaker looking for half-priced clothing and appliances, or the teenager demanding the hot new media player.
In addition to personalizing your pitches—versus mail mergers and media blasts, which we don’t recommend any time of year—also leverage the art of storytelling through use of audio, video, photos, and other multimedia. This tactic has proven to be effective with today’s digital media, especially with consumer lifestyle. Also, it’s important to wrap your product or service offering into a cohesive pitch that the media can easily lift from and place, versus doing a heavy re-write, and be sure to include or offer an impactful visual (e.g., photo).