The use of multimedia in public relations (PR) is growing rapidly. Since digital strategies are on the rise, PR efforts are taking on new forms. In our ever-changing world of social media and AI, PR strategies need to be adaptable.
On average, people spend seven hours a day online. It’s no surprise that PR is going digital to keep up with the audiences who get their news and entertainment via social media. Explore how you can mix multimedia in your PR content.
Types of Content
Images
The use of images and infographics for your PR efforts can elevate your strategy. If you’re trying to get a difficult concept across to your audience, a simple infographic might just solve that problem. In a digital world where almost everything is visual, images are essential for a PR campaign to stand out.
Videos
Platforms like TikTok and YouTube have become a primary source of entertainment for many. Since their conception, these platforms have housed viral content and elements of pop culture.
Now, video platforms function as search engines, providing searchers with in-depth tutorials or reviews of new products. Video has become so crucial to online news that a study done by the Reuters Institute found that short news videos were preferred by 66% of their sample, and longer video formats were preferred by about half of their sample. Creating video content for important announcements and thought leadership can be an easily digestible avenue for storytelling and engaging your audience.
Audio
The accessibility element of podcasts makes it an easy plug into your strategy. Podcasts are a great way to reach an audience that is short on time by giving them a quick snippet of your content. Podcasts are also a commonly reputable source, as 51% of new listeners find podcasts trustworthy, according to AdWeek.
Blogs
Written content is one form of multimedia that will never go out of style. Blogs can be used to promote thought leadership, drive traffic to a website, and establish trust with your audience. When creating blog posts, note how incorporating keywords can boost your SEO (search engine optimization) and increase your website ranking in search engines.
Interactive Content
Let’s not stop there. Take your PR strategy to the next level by incorporating interactive content. This could look like a video game that sums up your content, an interactive website, or a platform that directly interacts with your audience.
Best Practices
Be Authentic
If using multimedia in your strategy doesn’t make sense, don’t use it. Doing what makes sense for your client is the bottom line, so if making a YouTube channel or starting a podcast doesn’t align with the brand, choose another route.
Storytelling is Key
Building a compelling narrative is paramount to any PR strategy. When instilling multimedia in your PR strategy, keep in mind how it creates a larger story that supports your key messages.
Stay True to the Brand
When creating multimedia content for clients, keep brand elements in mind. If you’re creating a new brand asset for an organization, ensure all branding elements, like logo and brand colors, are represented correctly.
Keep Track
If a multimedia strategy works for a client, note it. Staying up to date with the results of multimedia content helps inform future strategies and allows you to create content confidently.
Multimedia content will change as social platforms advance and people’s media consumption shifts. An important aspect of PR to remember is to remain adaptable. In a modern world, it’s essential to adjust your strategy to fit the changing needs of your audience. The use of multimedia is just one way you can adapt and change your strategy for the better.