When it comes to public relations, we consider it separate from our everyday social media activities. Is it though? We hardly realize it, but people in the media are also people just like you and me. They also have a social life, and more often than not, social media is the best way to engage with them. How?
We invited Sarah Evans, Social Media Strategist and founder of Sevens Digital PR agency, to help us decode the mysteries of using Twitter as a channel to grow our PR activities. Here’s a summary of our chat.
Guest: Sarah Evans
Topic: Using Twitter for PR
Format: Eight questions directed at the guest. Everyone’s welcome to share.
The Lists feature is one of the least appreciated for sure. It’s a great way to curate users—your target audience, influencers, competitors—and so much more. It’s the easiest way to bring all information together in one place.
A1.1 ??????? ?????. A wealth of information. Either find or create credible, highly curated lists. Why?
? CSV format for targeted Twitter ads
? Monitor in @tweetdeck type tools
? Group journs you're pitching
? Staff directory for your biz#TwitterSmarter— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
What’s more, you can also export your list as a .csv file for further analysis and promotions. If you manage the social media handle of a company, you can even create and maintain a list of all employees so that customers have a backup resource they can turn to.
Another great feature, as Gretchen pointed out, is Moments. For a long time now, Twitter has been trying to get people to use the feature more, and it’s slowly gaining the traction it deserves.
A1. I agree with all of these. I find Twitter Moments are the best way to recap a #TwitterChat. The formatting looks better than embedding; conversations can be grouped (hard to read those live).#TwitterSmarter https://t.co/DqRgc1pVPo
— #TMTweetChat (Gretchen Vaughn) (@TMTweetChat) February 20, 2020
Moments are also a good way to compile tweets to tell a story. While threads are for your own tweets, Moments can be a curation of tweets from anyone. That’s why it works so well for our #TwitterSmarter summaries. It’s such and easy way to consume overwhelming information.
Sarah also talked about Advanced Search. It’s a handy tool, not only for looking through old chats to create summary blogs, but also for research—like finding quotes and identifying journalists who covered a certain piece of news.
A1.2 ???????? ??????. If you're using Twitter to build your PR efforts, follow and revise terms that may serve you well, like:
?#source
?#media
?#news
? #journorequestHOW TO use advanced search: https://t.co/3QkzlMCq2h#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Of course you can, and we all knew that. What we didn’t know was how. Sarah told us that exactly. You can create a list for every story you want to pitch. For instance, if you’re pitching a product announcement, create a list of people who tweet about the industry or the pain point that the product directly caters to. Then create another list of people who usually respond to such questions about in industry. That way, not only do you get a range of ideas and content, but you also involve people from various backgrounds.
A2.1 YES YES YES!
One of the most important tactics we use:
Twitter list for every story or vertical we are pitching.
I monitor what they're sharing (pitch personalization), source requests (respond quickly) or general opportunities.#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Think about it this way: Lists can be a great starting point for conversation. For instance, as Rachel mentioned, when you create a list and add journalists and media personnel to your list, they get a notification as well. That’s a way for you to get them to notice you. Use that exposure to initiate discussions and widen your reach. Of course, you can also create a private list if you want to be discreet.
A2: On a micro level, people are notified when you add them to lists, so adding journalists or publications is one way for them to be aware of you. On a macro level, you can views others lists to see who you should include in yours. #TwitterSmarter
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) February 20, 2020
All that said, you still have to follow the rules of social media: engage genuinely. If you’re obviously trying to glean monetary success without offering value to your audience, you’re on your way to failure. Sarah put it well: practice servant leadership and gracious support.
A2.2 The more I can connect with journalists in a way that isn't self-serving, the strong the relationship is.
I try to practice ??????? ?????????? and ???????? ??????? in all of my interactions.
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Using lists is one way, and another way is to do basic social media right. Twitter is a source of news for so many people, and that’s why it’s important to make sure what you share is valuable and trustworthy.
Building relationships with the media is the same. Help them do their job without expecting anything in return. Focus on communication and developing a relationship. You can send them sources, appreciate their schedules, treat them like you would any member of your community, and genuinely show interest in what they do.
A3.2 Ways you can use Twitter to identify and build relationships with media:
1️⃣Send them sources, even when it isn't you or your client
2️⃣Remember the HUMAN behind the title or job
3️⃣Follow them, interact and share their stories
4️⃣Find the right people…#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
It’s also worth keeping in mind that for media personnel, no matter how active they are on social media, Twitter isn’t their primary job. They also have other deadlines they need to keep, and finding the middle ground in a story can be stressful. Understand what they’re going through and don’t be too pushy with your pitches.
A3.1 Building relationships with the media is inherently like any other relationship, except you have to remember:
?they're on deadline
?telling an unbiased story
?not an extension of your PR team
?may say no multiple times before a yes#TwitterSmarter— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Chris made another good point as well. If you’re sharing news articles or industry matters, make sure you credit the author and the people who worked on that piece. Not only is it the decent thing to do, but it also shows them how much you value their work and opens up a window for interaction.
A3: Nurture relationships by remembering to credit/mention the author of articles shared and maintaining constructive conversation streams with influencers #TwitterSmarter
— Chris Dack (@chrisgdack) February 20, 2020
Firstly, be practical. Media people don’t work the same way as conventional corporate offices. Their roles, targets, and hierarchy are all completely different. There also a lot of middle-persons involved in getting a story out to the public. Know who you’re talking to and who they’ll be talking to. If you want to effectively communicate with a media person, you need to understand how they work.
A4.1 Best practices for engaging with media personnel on Twitter:
?Know their roles?
For example, looking for ?????????? ???? ??????? and talent bookers versus someone who is not part of the "source" or "guest" process. #TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Also, don’t forget that even within media, they’re a various categories that follow various procedures. Contacting TV reporters isn’t the same as contacting newspaper editors, or even online publications. It’s worth spending time to study media procedures before you dive headfirst.
A4.2 Educating yourself on the media process is not only beneficial to you, but allows you to find the right people to pitch and/or connect with.
Hierarchy and workflow may be different in TV versus print versus digital.
For example: https://t.co/4ZfdgaRK8X#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
On a simpler note, there’re other things you can do to establish good relationships with the media. As Hannah suggested, share their work and thank them for the efforts, appreciate any previous coverage they’ve given your business, and respect them at all times, because they can also hurt your reputation. If you’d like to get in touch, follow proper protocol. Don’t send them an unwelcome direct message and expect a response right away. Enable them to initiate conversations and when they do, respect their time.
A4:
Do:
-Compliment their content
-Extend thanks for a good job on an article about your company or an article you like
-Be kind
Don't:
-Tag them in everything you post that you want them to cover
-DM them on twitter if you already have contacted them via email#TwitterSmarter— Hannah Richards (@actPRHannah) February 20, 2020
Twitter can become the backbone of many of your marketing and outreach activities. For example, it’s an ideal way to support your customer service team. So many people take to Twitter nowadays, just to complain about a brand. Use Twitter to respond to enraged customers and help them overcome issues.
A5.1 How does Twitter fit into a brand’s PR strategy?
Right now, in this day and age it's essential. Here's why:
☑️Amplification and distribution
☑️Customer service
☑️Myth and rumor management
☑️Engagement
☑️Media relationships
☑️Key stakeholder relationships#TwitterSmarter— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Like our guest pointed out, Twitter is also a good way to build up your relationships—whether it’s with the media, with your community, or with other business stakeholders.
Of course, just like with customer support, Twitter can also be highly effective in controlling rumours and unwanted attention. Because so many people discuss a myriad of topics on Twitter, it’s worth dipping your toes in, even if only for crisis management.
That’s what Joana also said. Some businesses don’t have a dedicated Twitter handle. And that’s fine if their audience is elsewhere. However, you’ll still come across people discussing your brand or your industry news on Twitter. You can listen to those conversations and analyze your strategy accordingly—without even being on Twitter.
a5 even if your brand doesn't have a tw profile: it can be mentioned here. so LISTEN to what people say about your brand and use that info to do better, to analyze sentiment, to change things, etc. #twittersmarter
— Joana Rita Sousa ? ?? (@JoanaRSSousa) February 20, 2020
Like with anything social, you Twitter PR strategy will also evolve with time. For instance, for some sorries, you might just share it a few times on your profile, but for other more important ones, you’ll want to compliment a story with paid promotion to amplify its reach.
A5.2 A brand's Twitter #PR strategy will change and evolve regularly. RE: media —
If you're pitching a story, you can seed visibility with hyper-targeted Twitter ads BEFORE reaching out.
Once a story runs, amplify & drive traffic through a paid ad campaign.#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Of course. Check out this article Sarah shared about a study conducted among small businesses to identify their use of video marketing.
A6.1 Can Twitter videos help with a brand’s PR activities?
This is a ?????????? YES.
Read this entire SMB video study from @Promodotcom to see how people are creating, using and sharing videos: https://t.co/UJvDXiNd5B#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Madalyn is also a huge proponent of video on Twitter. Your videos can be up to 2:20 minutes and even though that doesn’t seem like much, you’ll need less than that to communicate your message. When you’re using Twitter videos in your marketing, use the Media Studio. As Madalyn pointed out, you can take an image from your video and set up a call to action (like the play button and a link) on it so that it looks more realistic for the viewer to click through.
Here's an example of how I use Twitter video to strengthen my brand. #TwitterSmarterhttps://t.co/6lNxvNJcCG
— Madalyn Sklar – Digital Marketing since 1996 (@MadalynSklar) February 20, 2020
And if you’re still not convinced about Twitter videos, here are some interesting stats Sarah shared. Twitter users watch 2 billion videos per day!
A6.2 FUN FACTS:
Twitter ads with video are 50% cheaper in cost-per-engagement https://t.co/9aJtgyKet5
People watch 2 billion videos on Twitter per dayhttps://t.co/6QTy0i6ewi
Watching video is the #3 reason people use Twitterhttps://t.co/NXZCnyeG4M#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Read like the world’s ending. The more articles you read across industries, the more easily you’ll identify the top writers and media reporters for that industry. Once you’ve identified the regulars, add them to a list or, like Sarah does, a mobile alert.
A7.1 Tips to identify top media personnel in an industry.
Read + follow + mobile alerts
I read a TON of news articles in every vertical. As soon as I discover a relevant journalists, I do 1 of 2 things:
1. add to a Twitter list; or
2. add to mobile alerts#TwitterSmarter— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
For instance, as an experienced PR person, Sarah regularly shares industry events, speaking opportunities, media queries, and several other PR-related news. She could be on your list.
A7.2 I also REGULARLY share urgent media queries and opportunities as a support role for several outlets.
Don't only look for journalists, but for PR, comms and others who help to source for stories.
[I also share speaking opps and more!]#TwitterSmarter— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
And like Jim said, combine that with consistent engagement with media personnel, you’ll soon find the largest influencers or though leaders in the industry.
A7 Use social listening — conveniently through Twitter lists — to see who says what and — more importantly — who's being quoted. With practice, you'll find the media thought leaders. #TwitterSmarter
— Jim Katzaman – Get Debt-Free One Family at a Time (@JKatzaman) February 20, 2020
And of course, you can also look up the top Twitter users in your industry and look through their lists! (Thanks for that clever tip, Madalyn!)
Well, if you haven’t already, take a look at Sarah’s #UltimateDigitalPRToolkit. It’s a dedicated list of tools for PR.
A8.1 I'm a tools fanatic. I even created a resource solely for PR and digital media tools called #UltimateDigitalPRToolkithttps://t.co/KHu6CuxnXp#TwitterSmarter
— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
But she did name a few. If you’re not sure where to start in the world of social media management tools, try Turbine Labs, Muck Rack, Agorapulse, or Lately.
A8.2 If I had to narrow down tools for managing social media communications, my list would include:
1. @TurbineLabs
2. @muckrack
3. @Agorapulse / @latermedia
4. @trylately
5. @googledrive
6. @Smartsheet #TwitterSmarter— Sarah Evans (@prsarahevans) February 20, 2020
Our friends at PCMA also shared some other tools like Sprout Social, SEMRush, Zoho Social, Hoosuite, and Sprinklr.
A8: @SproutSocial, @hootsuite, @semrush, @zohosocial, @Sprinklr — just make sure to review the tool. Don't overspend for unnecessary features, but don't underspend and put yourself at a disadvantage with limited data. #TwitterSmarter
— PCMA (@pcmahq) February 20, 2020
If you’re only starting out and feeling overwhelmed by these recommendations, take a deep breath. All of these tools are so popular and we’ve had multiple #TwitterSmarter users vouch for each of them. The truth is, there’s no one tool that works for everyone. Feel free to trial all of these suggestions and find out what works for you. Evaluation and trial are an unescapable part of choosing a reliable social media management tool.
Well, folks, that’s all from me this week. Thanks for reading and for more insights from our chat with Sarah, take a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana put together. And if you’ve got time on Thursday, join us for the next #TwitterSmarter chat at 1pm ET.
About me, Narmadhaa:
I’m a writer of all things—technical and marketing copy to fill the pocket; haiku and short stories to fill the soul. A social media enthusiast, I’m a member of the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and always happy to take on writing gigs.
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