Mobile technologies in general, and social media in particular have totally changed the way B2B and B2C companies communicate with their customers. PR campaigns have become more interactive thanks to mobile phones and smart devices.
The rise of the mobile Internet has altered the way people get and access to their information, and the way they communicate with one another. People now have their mobiles on 24/7. So, the big question for your business is; “How has the spread of mobile technologies changed PR?”
The advantages mobile technologies brought to PR:
1) Speed. Several years ago you needed to make a call, or to send an email, or to retell some information, today all you need to do is to make two clicks – “Like” and “Share”. That’s why information sharing has become instantaneous.
2) Easy contact with journalists. Previously, we had to wait till journalists read our email or press release form their desks, but now they can check the mail on the go or even get informed about new releases via SMS.
3) Targeting. Today PR specialists have got an opportunity to send their messages to the people who need this very piece of information. The information about customers’ age, sex, habits, and even geo location, etc. is known and can be used to make a PR campaign successful.
Thanks to mobile technologies, PR has become more effective and diverse. Here are some new mobile tools which communicators can use to be even more effective:
– Use social media resources such as Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Instagram to reach your mobile audience. All popular social networks have mobile apps, so mobile users (the ones you target) may get your message the very moment it is posted.
– Your PR campaign should be launched from a mobile website. With the development of tablet and smartphone technologies, the number of users who surf the Net using these mobile gadgets is growing rapidly. So, you should do everything possible to make your site browsing convenient for them.
– If you present a company, it is trendy to develop an app for it. Various companies and organizations worldwide have chosen this way of promotion and haven’t miscalculated. Enterprise mobile app is a truly great way to stay in touch with your customers, real and potential, as only those who are interested in the services your company provides will download and install it.
– It is very effectual to use QR codes to promote your services and products on mobile devices if you are a retailer. QR codes can be used to help people to make a certain move: to send a text message, to make a call, or to visit your website. Place them on the packaging or billboard or any other place where people may see it.
– Text Reminders. SMS is a fast, convenient and cheap way to stay in touch with your clients informing them about the news of your company. Such industries as banking and retails have been using text messaging effectively for quite a time already.
Something to remember…
Due to the speed of information sharing, when a business goes astray (in customer service, product development or any other sphere), it is modern technologies to blame for rising dissatisfaction of people. The truth is that social media and mobile technologies make it important to stay connected with current and prospective clients all the time and discuss any problem with them openly and fast.
Another thing to remember is that the mobile phone is a personal thing. So, you should be careful and not to become invasive or obtrusive. So, be careful and follow two simple rules: 1) don’t make a message long as it is hard to read on a smart and 2) send sms only if people agree to receive them subscribing to the distribution.
Sometimes, PR specialists make one great mistake using mobile technologies – they write a fit-for-all massage and later get surprised why the campaign didn’t work. Don’t make a mass production of your messages. Now it is the era of one-to-one communication, so take into account who you are writing to. Remember that people usually look for advantageous deals and freebies on their smartphones. If they need a costly service or product, they will do a research, and your main aim in this case is to provide the necessary information.
In conclusion
This isn’t a full list of all potentialities which mobile technologies bring to PR sphere. Their range is much wider. And it will be growing in the following years. So, don’t fall behind and open the world of mobile PR today!