A lot of talk has happened online on Public Relations and the impact the Internet has had on it. PR agencies have to be commended in adopting the basic nuances of the web like emails and websites. However, it is about time the wide majority that hasn’t yet seen it see that the web extends beyond websites and emails.

Okay, maybe that is a crude judgment to pass, maybe most agencies know the existing tools available to manage their client’s image online. Yet knowing a tool and knowing how to use it are two different ball games, and the least is one can do as an agency is to avoid the following 5 mistakes working online:

1. Mass mailing Press Releases

Ever since the PR agent found the power a comma has when it comes to emailing people, there has been no dearth of non personalised, multi-recipient, one way boasts of how their client is changing the world. The comma might still remain but perhaps the mass mailing shouldn’t. Fail.

Target the top 3 or 5 websites in the client’s niche, and mail them individually, the other’s will take the story up from them. Exclusivity strengthens a brand, so make even its news pieces exclusive. I suggest this article for further reading on a good PR pitch.

2. Not Building and maintaining relations with influential bloggers

While blogging has moved on from a daily chart of activities to a highly influential channel for thought leaders, yet the influence it has is often undermined in the mainstream. And the worst thing you can do is send a random press release suddenly to all top bloggers that you know. They can shred your client’s or yours for that matter to pieces. And worse still, the good old search engines will have a merry day picking up and putting that story right on top of searches.

Build relations with bloggers. Read their blogs, see what kind of content they cover and what type of products their audience would wants to know about. And pitch relevant news based on this. Bloggers are the hungry kind waiting for breaking news, make that to work to your advantage. Here is another great post from Chris Brogan on pitching to bloggers and how it differs from mainstream media

3. Not take Social Media into consideration

Social Media and Public Relations are intertwined in more ways than one, in fact one can even suggest that social media is the new PR. One even has a Social Media Release Template.. what more can you ask for? Moreover, it gives you so many more options to get the message across. As a PR person it is important to realize that releases are just a channel and not an end in itself, look at the other options the neo web has to provide. This post on Social Media PR can answer a lot of questions on the social media front. Also read, “is your PR is social media savvy?“

4. Not track client’s reputation online

If there is anything that comes close to leaving money on the table as a PR agency it is not tracking your client online. The opportunities that arise for a good PR campaign, the opportunity for crisis management or dispel an existing myth circulating online is huge. PR as a function is evolved and relates to understanding the client’s brand objectives and know the changing environment of their industry. Can you suggest me a better tool than the Internet to execute this idea?

Andy Beal’s post on ORM is a good place to start if you are new to this.

5. Not Measuring the Impact of a Campaign Online

If you do measure the campaign activity and the impact it has had online, the above four will follow on their own. For you will know what efforts are succeeding and generating enough buzz and prune away the ones that don’t. Measure impact in terms of how many people beyond your circle of reach are talking about your client’s brand or product. Measure impact in terms of how they view the campaign itself. There is no better market research opportunity than this.

This list like any other (and all the other that I have written) is not exhaustive. However, these are the least that you can do as a PR agent to give the best client management service and consultation.

Beautiful Image courtesy: artzy.viva

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