Wasn’t there a time when all marketers need to do is buy a chunk of airtime on television, produce a catch commercial jingle, and watch the sales come in? Oh, those were the good old times. Even Lakeland public relations companies have it easier back in the days.
Do you realize that it was just less than two decades ago? Everything changed when we began learning how to use social media and the internet to do business. Now, everything is online and because of this, PR companies must look into the power of influencer marketing.
Public Relations
In a nutshell, these two strategies are very different. Public relations is a continued communication process that works to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between a brand and a bunch of media outlets.
PR is not paid advertising. PR experts work to improve a brand’s relationship with journalists and media organizations. They aim for these organizations to talk about their brands without needing to pay them as they would advertising agencies.
Why does this matter for brands? Because people trust the media more. They trust what they see on the media. If the media said a particular brand is “okay,” then people will start knocking on your door.
Influencer Marketing
But the advent of social media brought about another change in the form of influencer marketing. These influencers are all social media. Whether you want to target a small market or a bigger market, you will find an influencer who fits what you need.
Reaching out to specific influencers means reaching out to their vast number of followers. You will ask them to promote your products in a certain way.
This comes with a price and an expensive one at that. Influencers charge between $500 to $100,000 per sponsored ad. Why should you do it? Because you can reach a large and engaged audience who need to know about your products/services.
Working Together
PR companies need to tap influencers because these influencers will bring their message to the forefront of their target audience’s consciousness.
While it is still worthwhile to invest in a brand’s relationship with media outlets (this is critical during crises), you should give thoughts into partnering with influencers to reach your target audience.
This is the most innovative way to reach out to an audience that’s increasingly on social media channels, platforms, and apps. Lakeland public relations can use influencer marketing to raise awareness about the brand that they represent.
