Developing Web Copy, Blog Posts During COVID-19 Outbreak

As officials across the U.S., and the globe, struggle to keep pace with the COVID-19 outbreak, “everyday” business as we know it has halted. Retail and service providers are effectively on standby, firms within architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) are adjusting to the “new normal,” and economic development groups are racing to disseminate resources helpful to business owners and displaced workers.

As communications professionals, it is our job to take a calm, measured approach to the crisis by offering sound advice to sustain vital brand messaging. As such, a previous Violet PR blog post relayed top tips for remaining active through the coronavirus scare. Featured prominently among those recommendations: Do not “go dark.”

Today, we expand upon that effort, offering ways you can develop relevant content for blogs as well as pertinent messaging for your website – a shift in focus that could yield a valuable resource “portal” for your stakeholders.

Sites and Forums

As a business or organization with a unique message, it is time to think about ways you can communicate crucial information to target demographics, residents and other stakeholders.

Your resources could become a go-to “forum” for your stakeholders. For example, Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD), the economic development group for Ithaca, N.Y., has turned its homepage into a vital “newsfeed” for local constituents who may be relying on assistance from state government. TCAD has steadily added information to its homepage, almost in real time, to reflect the changing tides of this outbreak. They’ve pointed readers to the state’s Rapid Response Team and tips on unemployment insurance, as well as disaster funding and medical/healthcare guidance.

On the private sector side, hyperlocal news platform, Patch.com, which is in 1,226 communities nationwide, has ramped up its efforts to serve its municipalities, pointing readers to the popular “Neighbor Posts” for near-real-time input from civic leaders. Patch also encourages readers to volunteer to help neighbors, provide news tips, share ways they’re keeping safe and post about local business.

A daily e-blast from the team notes, “We’ll continue working to keep you informed and connected… – Your friends at Patch.” This is an encouraging sign from a platform that’s capable of informing residents, city officials and businesses.

On the AEC side, firms are heeding the advice of the medical community, and are developing continuity strategies and working to avail themselves to employees, clients, partners and local officials. For example, Violet PR worked alongside Jersey City, N.J.-based land-use firm, Dresdner Robin, to develop web and social media copy that both acknowledges the outbreak/measures taken to mitigate the threat, and ensures clients that workflow will continue.

Overall, businesses can and should be thinking about ways they can assist their respective communities. With reporters craving COVID-19-related content, including uplifting or innovative approaches to conducting business, companies can consider highlighting ways in which they’re thinking “outside the box” or offering valuable resources. Both innovative thinking and readily available resources will prove helpful for the public and your business in a time of great uncertainty.

Targeted Content

These strategic and/or innovative approaches also translate nicely to longer-form posts or articles for a homepage, blog or “News” section on your website. In addition, business leaders have transitioned to blog tools like LinkedIn, where their messaging can be viewed by hundreds of readers (if not more!) in a newsfeed.

One suggestion Violet PR offers during this time is using anything your firm has employed to get out ahead of the COVID-19 spread (e.g., a unique approach, expanded resources or cooperation with the community) and “stretching” that into an article-length piece. This commentary would live on both social media and your company’s website and would be visible to journalists seeking sources.

With a target word count of about 450-800 words, these posts will show your business or organization is aware, diligent and able to “go the extra mile” for your stakeholders and communities. These posts should be shared with your target audiences and be cross promoted on multiple social media channels.

With a crowded news cycle, it’s hard to predict which content will truly “stick” or go viral, but your efforts will certainly be seen by those looking for information about your operation.

Again, it is Violet PR’s recommendation to stay active during this public health crisis. Your communications team, including the professionals at Violet PR, are here to help craft the message, edit the content or send to the pivotal voices of the press.

Please visit www.VioletPR.com for more information as this situation unfolds.

What Violet PR is Doing During COVID-19

As we continue to experience the global impact of COVID-19, the health and safety of our employees, their families, and our clients is our highest priority. We hope that you and your loved ones are remaining healthy and well during this difficult time.

At Violet PR, we are continuing to provide excellent service to our clients while complying with the current health and safety guidelines by working remotely. We will continue to work from home until it is clear that we can safely adjust back to typical work life without endangering anyone in our community who may be susceptible to complications from coronavirus.

We are fortunate to live in a time where our work can continue uninterrupted no matter where we are, and we will continue to provide unmatched service to our clients during these uncertain times. We are still learning what new challenges we will face in this changing world, but we are adaptable and enthusiastic in our pursuit of new ways of storytelling during an unprecedented time. It is more important than ever to communicate clearly and efficiently as the environment changes rapidly, and our team will be here for you to create effective, responsive messaging for your company. We are prepared to adapt as the COVID-19 situation evolves, and we will be ready to navigate whatever communication challenges that may arise.

Violet PR has been serving clients across the country from our Montclair, NJ headquarters for the past decade, and we are so grateful to be a part of this community through thick and thin. We will be continuing our work for you however this situation unfolds. We appreciate your continued partnership during this difficult time. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us via phone or email with any questions or concerns you may have.

For any questions or concerns, feel free to contact April Mason here:

646.586.3007
april@violetpr.com

4 PR Tips for Businesses During the Coronavirus Pandemic

In the last week, COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. In-person meetings and events are cancelled, offices and schools are shuttered, the future is uncertain, and it seems there is no “good” news to share.

So, what can professional services companies and economic development groups that aren’t directly fighting the disease do to communicate effectively during this uncertain time?

Here are four PR recommendations to keep in mind:

1. Don’t go dark!

Even though you may believe people are overwhelmed with messages right now, don’t stay silent. Your clients and potential clients are still working (albeit remotely) and will want to know what your company is doing – or can do – on their behalf. Even if you don’t know what will happen in your field because of the uncertainty, communicate what you do know, today. People are craving connections.

2. Social media will continue to spike.

Continue to update your social media channels every week, as people are paying attention as never before. Your posts can be brief and simply let everyone know that you are up and running and how you are helping your clients. You can also highlight people in your business that are going “above and beyond,” as well as strategies for navigating this challenging period. For example, our client Biggins Lacy Shapiro shared insights on the immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on manufacturers via LinkedIn.

3. Pitch appropriate content to reporters.

Right now, the news is “all coronavirus, all the time,” so hold non-related news. That said, reporters are seeking sources as they cover all angles of the fallout—including new technology and media tools to help remote workers, companies seeing a surprising increase in sales, and economic development initiatives designed to spur local economies. This week, we’ve shared information with reporters about Topeka’s plans to move its vulnerable homeless population into empty hotel rooms, an Ithaca-based diagnostic company unveiling a new COVID-19 test, and record-breaking traffic on Patch.com.

4. Fill your pipeline of content.

Have you always wanted to blog about a topic related to your area of expertise? Do you have case studies developed highlighting recently completed projects?  How about
an updated bio and company profile on LinkedIn? Are there awards you can apply for based on your firm’s work last year? Now is the time to build your stable of content and plan for the rest of 2020. The crisis will dissipate; use your extra down time so that you are ready when it does.

In short, it can be challenging to manage PR and communications for your company or organization during this crisis. As we move forward – in uncharted territory – be sure you take time each day to communicate with your clients, stakeholders and community.

About April Mason

With a flair for developing captivating storylines, April brings over two decades of experience developing public relations campaigns for clients large and small. Whether it’s a business, community, association or entrepreneur, April generates maximum “buzz” and attention for her clients. She founded Violet PR in 2010 to shine a light on community leaders, developers and designers making a difference in the world.

An expert in economic and real estate development, April formerly served as Vice President for Development Counsellors International, where she managed destination marketing campaigns for clients ranging from Anchorage to Wyoming.

She is proud to have earned a national PRSA Silver Anvil Award for Tacoma, Washington’s “America’s #1 Wired City” campaign. Most meaningful is the opportunity that Violet PR affords April to represent underserved destinations and demographic sectors. She actively partners with women-owned / minority owned businesses and assembles blue-ribbon political / business leader groups to attend groundbreaking restorations of brownfield sites.

Before relocating to New York in 1999, April oversaw award-winning media / marketing campaigns for the Kansas City Area Development Council, an organization she continues to work with today. She holds a Masters’ degree in Journalism/Marketing Communications from the University of Kansas.

PR vs. Marketing: How is Public Relations Different from Marketing?

As companies seek to attract more clients and investors, a public relations or marketing company may be called upon to spearhead a campaign. What type of firm do you need?

Before reaching out to marketing or PR firms, you should understand the important differences between the two practices. Though PR is considered a subset of marketing, each field has a separate focus: PR concentrates on public perception, while marketing is charged with generating revenue.

4 Key Differences

Although both PR and marketing are campaign-driven and results-oriented, success is not measured the same way. Indicators of PR success could mean extensive news media coverage and social media discussions about your firm. Conversely, marketing success could equate to an increase in leads, prospects and revenues.

When you are deciding which service your brand needs, consider the differences between the two disciplines:

1. FOCUS

A fundamental difference between public relations and marketing is their respective focuses. As we’ve alluded to, marketing covers promotion and advertising of a product or company to generate sales. Public relations focuses on reputation management. The PR practice is about maximizing exposure and positioning a brand as an industry leader – by way of proactive conversations with, and placements in, the media.

2. AUDIENCE

Marketing seeks to reach customers and investors, while PR builds and nurtures relationships between a brand and its target audiences. Instead of pitching a product or service directly, a PR firm targets key audiences though education, brand awareness and thought leadership. Particularly for a business-to-business (B2B) company with limited resources, PR firms can help develop and sustain a relationship between a firm’s brand and its audiences.

3. SUCCESS

Measurement Both PR and marketing work can be based on campaigns, but each discipline has specific methods of measuring success. Traditionally, a marketing campaign’s success is measured directly through sales and revenue. Marketers work closely with a company’s sales team to identify which tactics drove revenue and adjust tactics accordingly.

Alternatively, PR success is measured by the strength of relationships built between a brand and its key audiences. Specifically, PR campaigns are often assessed by the number, quality and tone of news stories, number of “impressions” those stories generate (average monthly visitors or circulation), and corresponding traffic to a client’s website. Other ways to measure PR success are surveys and focus groups, conducted before and after large campaigns.

4. TACTICS

Another way to view the fundamental differences between the fields is to compare typical daily activities of marketers and public relations professionals:

B2B public relations activities include:

  • Reviewing past media coverage and researching target media
  • Writing press releases
  • Pitching company news and trend stories to media outlets
  • Coordinating speaking engagements for executives at industry events
  • Prepping company leaders with talking points and media training
  • Creating content for blog posts, bylined articles and websites; plus, practices to boost SEO and the way the company “indexes” on major search engines.

B2B marketing activities include:

  • Conducting market research
  • Designing a logo and tagline
  • Creating promotional materials such as websites, brochures or postcards
  • Creating paid digital and print advertising campaigns
  • Planning activities to promote the product or brand, such as trade show displays at important industry conferences, or sales missions to key markets

The Bottom Line

While both are vital to the operation of a business, PR and marketing serve unique roles. Before
beginning any new campaign, identify your company’s goals. From there, your PR and marketing teams can pursue their respective tasks, often working as a unit to reach new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

It’s important to understand what each practice provides, and it’s equally important to understand the interplay between the two. When public relations and marketing initiatives are coordinated effectively, incredible results can emerge for your brand.