http://prezi.com/-f4izt5uu8fe/why-social-media-is-important-in-pr/

Watch our presentation if you’re not convinced that your brand needs a presence on social networking sites!

Does anyone need more convincing that social media is necessary for any brand or company? The newest social media platform will convince you differently if you’re still on the fence. This online pin-board has generated more users in its infancy than Facebook did. Users are now reaching over 4 million.

You might be asking yourself, what is Pinterest?

It’s a new social network site where you can upload pictures of things you like to share with your followers. You can see what your followers are posting and “re-pin” the images onto your page. In short, it’s a collage of your interests. You can make different groups or categories. People even use Pinterest to plan their weddings!

Traffic increased overprescribing than 400% between September and December. Brands like Nordstrom and HGTV have more than 6,000 followers on their pinboards. It is also the fifth largest social network site to drive referral traffic.

There are endless possibilities for brands using Pinterest. For instance, you can promote a lifestyle for your brand. Give your company some personality and share it with the world. Illustrate your company’s culture with pictures that represent what you stand for. Employees can post pictures of their favorite hobbies, a beautiful vacation spot, a modern home design. The possibilities are endless! By doing this, you can connect with your consumers. They get to know you and feel the water, before stepping in. Consumers will be more likely to trust you and remember you if they follow your pin-board.

Because there is such a huge audience to reach on Pinterest, you could use it as a platform for a new product launch or company news. It’s the newest place to generate word of mouth for your product or service. You can reach thousands just by posting one picture.

Use it to get to know your consumers. You can treat it like a focus group, to get to know their interests and to create a niche market for your PR campaign. You could also host contests. It will actively engage your consumers as well as spread the word about your company.

Feel free to post information about your company through videos or links. You should also engage your employees and motivate them so they share your company’s culture to their followers.

With more than 11 million visits to the site in December alone, imagine what just a percentage of that could do for your company. But what is the best thing about this newest medium? It’s fun! You’ll find yourself lost in pictures.

    Social media is becoming a necessary component of any public relations campaign. Public relations departments need to be prepared and know how to effectively use this networking tool to engage their audiences and not turn them away.     There are a number of social media “sins” that any brand should avoid. These mistakes can be deadly for your brand image regardless of which medium you use.

1. Avoid constant specials. The more specials you run, the less appealing your brand becomes to a consumer. Think of what would happen if a prestigious brand like Cartier decided to run specials through social media. Their high quality brand would be diluted because the product would no longer be as desirable.
2. Don’t wait for people to come to you. Engage them in conversation and look for your target audience. If you simply set up your social network and wait for an audience to appear, your brand will fail in gaining awareness.
3. Don’t run contests and games all the time. This can also dilute your brand, because these types of posts will lose their appeal if overdone.
4. Allow your site to have negative feedback. Think of our past blog post with the example of Papa John’s and their crisis management via social media. Because they have accepted their mistake and made it known to their network, they received positive recognition for their apology and the way they handled the issue.
5. Keep things short and interesting. Don’t post a press release through your social media site. If you want to share a story or video clip simply leave a link. Remember, you need to catch consumers in the first few words.
6. Respond as soon as possible. If you wait a day or more to respond to your consumer it will perceived negatively. The point of social media is to engage in conversation. Make it fluid and timely.
7. Don’t stop networking once you reach your goal. Social media is a growing part of the public relations world. Therefore, you have to grow along with it. Remember a consumer can always “unlike” or “unfollow” if they are not satisfied.
8. “Likes” are not the epitome of success. A brand is better off talking WITH a small segment of consumers, rather than talking AT at a large group of consumers. Although numbers may be important, the interaction is what makes people interested in what you’re selling.
9. Start your social presence NOW! Waiting will only hurt your brand. Social media is here to stay and is not just a “fad.” Grow with your audience before another brand gains their appreciation.
10. Have a plan. Jumping into social media and posting random “stuff” to fill your page will not generate an audience. Make your posts relevant and targeted to your specific market segment.

    Don’t believe that social media is something you need? This video will convince you otherwise. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eUeL3n7fDs&feature=related

Sources: http://mashable.com/2012/01/26/common-social-media-mistakes-by-brands/ http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2140729/biggest-mistakes-businesses-social-media-marketing-avoid