Online Communication
When you think of online PR, you might think of submitting press releases digitally. But online PR has evolved into much more than that. In some ways, it is very similar to traditional PR in the sense that it’s about influencing people rather than buying placement for brand content. The influence could result in a story in a magazine, newspaper or blog. It could also result in other online pick-up, including by social media influencers.
But online PR also includes a wide range of activities that help your brand or business reach a wider audience digitally, activities that don’t require a big book of traditional press contacts. It requires asking new questions like, how does your business rank in Google? Are you publishing thought leadership regularly across your website and other channels — in the form of different literature that can be repurposed and repackaged easily online?
Website communication
Your website will be the first source of information about you for many people outside your project, so it needs to contain the right information in a clear and accessible design and structure.
Design
The success of any website entirely depends on how its web design is. Your nicely-designed site which includes usability and utility determines the success and not the visual design. Since your site is the face of your business and most potential customers will visit your site before they ever look in on your store, it becomes inevitable to get your website designed cautiously. Lacking in any aspect could end up demolishing your brand impression.
So, How to Design a Good Website?
Simple Is the Best
The over-designed website may not work. Simplicity always works in an effective web page design. Keep your design as simple as possible so that the visitors can feel it easy-to-use and can find their ways easily.
Consistency
Consistency in website design matter a lot. Give your attention to match design elements throughout each of the pages. It's better if your fonts, sizes, headings, sub-headings, and button styles are the same throughout the website.
Typography & Readability
No matter how good your design is text still rules the website as it provides users the desired information. You should keep your typography visually appealing and readable for visitors, along with the tricky use of keywords, meta-data, and other SEO-sensitive elements.
Mobile Compatibility
Keeping in mind the ever-growing usage of smartphones, tablets, and phablets, web design must be effective for various screens. If your website design doesn’t support all screen sizes, the chance is that you’ll lose the battle to your competitors.
Color Palette and Imagery
A perfect color combination attracts users while a poor combination can lead to distraction. This necessitates you to pick a perfect color palette for your website which can create a pleasing atmosphere, thus leaving a good impact on visitors.
Easy Loading
No one likes the website that takes too much time to load. So take care of it by optimizing image sizes, combing code into a central CSS or JavaScript file as it reduces HTTP requests. Also, compress HTML, JavaScript, and CSS for enhanced loading speed.
Communication
The ultimate purpose of the visitors is to get information, and if your website is able to communicate your visitors efficiently, most probably they would spend more time on your website.
Structure
Good websites have a system of links among the pages that is intuitive, straightforward, and reflected in a clear navigation facility that makes it obvious to users where in the site they are, and how to get to wherever else they want to go.
The easier it is to use, the longer users will stay at the site and the more they will see. Links to all key pages or sections of the site should be displayed on the front page, and every page should contain a standard set of links to other key pages or sections since not all users will arrive at the front page.
Make your structure hierarchical and as shallow as possible: no page should be more than two clicks away from the home page.
Content
Research has shown that people read text very differently on websites from the way they read on paper. On paper, people read sentences fairly predictably from left to right, and persist through long sections. On screen, people’s eyes scan around unpredictably and settle on interesting keywords. On paper, people are more likely to read to the bottom of the page. On screen, people lose interest more quickly and many people do not bother to scroll down.
Break up your text with sections and bullet points
Highlight key words in bold
Be concise. Avoid long texts that require users to scroll down
New media
Blogs
Blogs are an easily created and regularly updated website that works a bit like an online diary, discussion board and news forum. A blog can contain personal or project information and facts or opinions on any topic. An author will usually write about something topical and allow other users to post comments or rebuttals to the person’s comments.
Creating a blog is a great way to showcase a project, and can be a way to get people involved dynamically in its development. Your blog can be hosted on your website’s server or you can set one up for free or a very small charge with a blog hosting service.
If you create a blog for your project, make sure to update it regularly and encourage other people in your project to participate.
Social media
Back in the day, public relations professionals would give a statement on air, release it in print, or publish it online. Social media has disrupted the field, making public relations a faster-paced and more delicate matter.
How Public Relations Professionals Use Social Media
Social media can help public relations professionals meet their goals or it can hinder the reputation management process, depending on the situation. Some of the most common ways public relations teams use social media include:
To find influencers - Influencers give brands a voice they could never use on their own. Social media influencers have massive digital followings that brands can tap into to promote offerings and protect reputations. When public relations professionals create relationships between brands and influencers, they're really adding another line of both promotion and defense the brand can use to its advantage.
To identify brand threats - Social listening gives professionals the power to understand the public's opinion before it turns into a trending topic. They can proactively find and address online threats and possibly prevent a major brand reputation crisis. To think like a public relations expert, consider using one of the dozens of social listening tools out there to understand what social media users really think.
To influence journalist's stories - The public can actually see PR professionals on social media when they address a crisis, but many work behind the scenes to shape a brand's image. When a trending topic arises, journalists often put their ear to social media to see what people are saying. Public relations professionals will often join that online discussion in order to influence journalists to present a certain angle. PR pros may not always end up seeing the published story they'd like, but they can still use social media as a tool to keep their angle in the public eye.
To swiftly react to negative press - Social media is one of the first places people look for a brand's reaction to a negative claim. Public relations professionals may use a company account to craft and publish an immediate response and to direct the public to another medium for more information. Social media gives public relations professionals immediate access to a large, attentive audience.
To make announcements - Word travels fast on Twitter, so public relations professionals often use the platform to announce awards, product launches, and company updates. With captivating short snippets and links, professionals can reach a much wider audience via social media than traditional forums.
Social media is a natural fit for public relations and one of many tools businesses can use to protect and promote their reputations. When public relations teams combine their efforts on social media, brands often enjoy immediate positive results.