Inbound Marketing Blog

The public relations business is always changing and evolving.

Not that long ago, experienced PR firms focused their efforts on television and print media. Using websites to reach a broader audience was barely a thought when the Internet was in its infancy.

Things have changed dramatically. Print media is on a downward trend – although it’s still a valuable PR tool – and reaching a wider audience through social and digital media has taken off like a rocket.

Unfortunately, just having a website to promote your brand isn’t going to be enough. Across the world, there are millions of companies vying to gain online attention, and possibly thousands of companies directly competing against you in your industry or an adjacent one.

How do you turn your website into an effective PR tool?

In 1911, newspaper publisher William Randolph Hurst made an offer of $50,000 to the first person who could fly a plane from New York to LA in under 30 consecutive days. Calbraith "Cal" Perry Rogers took up the challenge.

Of course, Cal didn't have any money. He had the plane, but in the "good ole days" an airplane required a very large support crew. So, he started talking to businesses about possible sponsorship and was able to secure a sponsorship from Amour and Company for the 1911 Wright Flyer. The company had created a new grape soft drink and wanted to get the word out.

The Vin Fiz Flyer was born. Emblazoned with the logo for Vin Fiz and messages of "Drink Vin Fiz" and "Ideal Grape Drink," Cal began his journey across North America from Sheepshead Bay, New York on September 17, 1911. Not to be outdone, all of the support train cars, paid for by Armour and Company, also sported messages of "Drink Vin Fiz."

Of course, none of this changed the fact that the grape soda advertised as the "Sparkling Grape Drink" did not even come close to living up to its purported luster.

Sending an email to the wrong person, stumbling or fumbling your words during a sales pitch--these are all things that can send your business to an early grave. Kidding! We are all only human, after all. The mistakes addressed here are even more dangerous because you may not be aware you're committing them.

It doesn't feel like too long ago when Instagram was relatively unknown, and you could hear kids talking about this app where you can share photos with other people.

Just 9 months ago Instagram announced they had 200 million users; since then, they went up another 100 million. Instagram is growing, and it's a fantastic way to embrace the more visual part of branding and promoting.

You've finally done it; you finally have all the matching electronics from your beloved tech company. You've imagined this perfect world where your phone shares well with your tablet, laptop, and desktop. You think of the beautiful symmetry involved in seamlessly taking a document from your desktop to your phone while you are on the go and then dream of yourself laughing and smiling because nothing ever goes wrong with your technology.

At Tribute Media, you may have noticed that we have a slew of different authors writing blogs for us. I happen to write the Tuesday Tips, and so they have Tribute Media's brand with a little dash of Hannah. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

Robin:...the future is scary. But you can't just run back to the past because it's familiar...

Many companies think humor is unprofessional and shouldn't be used in the workplace or when dealing with customers. Clearly, we disagree. If you have ever been in a strategy meeting with the Tribute Media staff, you likely had some good laughs. But when is humor too much, and how should you use it?

Identifying your brand’s voice through your social media marketing fosters personal relationships with customers. You are creating a culture that your clients are interested in being a part of. They want to know your staff and your office quarks. If you aren’t using your social media platforms correctly you create a bad P.R. storm for your business. The algorithm to using social media to develop a consistent brand personality is a difficult one. Follow these steps to get on the right track to creating a brand voice that’s heard on every Internet platform.

Follow the Rules

When you sign up for a social media network, you’re joining a community that has its own culture. They each have their own set of rules that you need to adhere to. You have to be able to adapt your brand to make sure it comes across clear to your customers. You also need to pay attention on what content to post and how often to post per platform. The content depends on the platform, for example: content for LinkedIn tends to be more professional as opposed to Facebook that tends to be a more personable and casual. It is essential to understand the medium you’re speaking through to develop an effective brand voice.

Having a strong brand to back up your business is an essential tool in becoming recognizable, differentiated, and consistent as a company. Put simply, your company’s brand is the image and feelings you convey to your customers. It’s a way to tell potential customers all about your company, your culture, and how you go about accomplishing your goals. Some brands are highly recognizable and visible throughout the globe while other brands are more obscure and aren’t as well received by the community. Whatever the case is for your company, there are many different ways to communicate your brand to the world.