Getting involved in PR, especially when on a budget, can be daunting. There are lots of options to consider for managing your online PR on a budget, so we’ve written a guide suggesting five tools or platforms that every small business should consider using.
Hootsuite
Social media engagement is incredibly important in the PR world. By posting regularly on social media platforms that best fit your brand image you can increase awareness about your business and brand.
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that allows you the freedom of scheduling and releasing content on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. As well as its benefit of time-saving, it also allows you to track your analytics – making it easier to measure the impact of your content.
For those on a budget there are different plans to choose from too: ranging from a free basic plan to more customisable paid plans, so you’re able to choose plans that best fit your business.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts are another free tool that you can use to scan the web and get notifications about specific news, products or brand mentions. You can customise the notifications in a number of different ways including by region, types of sites and language.
Knowledge is vital when running a business so hearing news about products that your business focuses on, for example, is important if you are to build a level of trust between you and your target audience.
Another positive aspect of Google Alerts is that you can track both the positive and negative mentions you receive. This means that you can publicise your positive coverage and also deal with any negative mentions.
Trello
When running a successful business it’s crucial that you stay organised and manage your time effectively.
Trello is a free project management tool that allows you to keep track of details and organise tasks.
One great thing about Trello is that it can be used for team task management and also as a personal management tool. You are able to compile different lists, subcategorise lists with tasks that need to be done, add a description, and allow other members to view certain lists and comment on them.
Anewstip
When thinking about PR, media contacts are important. Coverage in the correct publications can help expose your business to your target audience.
Anewstip allows you to find journalists and influencers by using keywords. You are able to filter the results from Tweets, news articles, journalist profiles and the outlet profile.
There are different plans you can choose from, such as the basic free plan which still gives you access to media list contacts. However, if you want more information, such as having access to emails and contact numbers from media contacts, then purchasing a paid plan would be worthwhile.
JournoLink
One of the main concerns in getting involved with PR for many small businesses is the costing of hiring a PR representative. Your company can however manage your own PR on a budget and in doing so can be involved in the decisions that define your brand image.
Who knows your business better then you?
The advantage of JournoLink is that it encourages you to manage your PR and acts as a mentor in what steps need to be taken to successfully gain exposure. It allows you to write and distribute press releases, as well as to comment on stories and get in touch directly with journalist through editorial requests.
JournoLink also provides a box of tricks including a knowledgebase of FAQs and blog posts that can help you run your own PR, as well as a calendar of events that helps you plan and target what is relevant to your business when sending out news.
The cost is only £25 per month, which is perfect for SMEs and businesses on a budget as it barely breaks the bank in comparison to the price of a PR representative. An annual subscription costs just £200, the equivalent of almost £17 per month.
Further reading on online PR
