Traditionally, a publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, or for a work such as a book or movie. Publicists usually work at large companies handling multiple clients. Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public’s perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people (for example, politicians and performing artists), goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.
The goal of new media publicity is the same, but the strategy is radically different. Brand promotion is the goal, but online brand promotion requires online advocacy, blogger relations, online outreach, and a high-level of understanding on what is and is not appropriate. Abraham PR has over a decade of experience in online community outreach and engagement.
Internet marketing not only requires engagement in the conversation that is already happening online, but it also requires engaging with the people having these online conversations.
To paraphrase The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the Internet is big. Really big. You just won’t believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist, but that’s just peanuts to the Internet.
The Internet is neither a place nor a destination. One cannot broadcast to the Internet and there is very little correlation between throwing money at advertising and building brand equity.
To quote the Cluetrain Manifesto, “markets are conversations,??? and marketing to the Internet not only requires engagement in the conversation that is already happening online, but it also requires engaging with the people having these online conversations.
Obviously, there is no way there can be a one-to-one conversation with everyone on the Internet. The ultimate goal of online marketing and online brand promotion is to accurately target your marketing message directly to the people who want and need what you have to sell.
The most efficient way to reach these consumers is to identify and influence the influencers – the men and women of every online community who are popularly understood to be the most credible and reliable members.
To reach the influencers one must break the Internet down into communities and conversations, then breaking it down further into influencers and opinion leaders, and then delivering a marketing message that is appealing enough to persuade these influencers to tell their friends, co-workers, and families.
The more people who are talking about you online, the more readily you, your product and services will be found.
It’s easy to figure out which blogs, portals, and forums are highly popular and highly influential; it’s harder to figure out which of these communities may be receptive to your marketing efforts.
The primary goal is to build a relationship between other bloggers and your company’s community. The secondary goal is to have the community blog about your company organically on their own; saying whatever it is they want to say.
Via Abraham PR
