Mobile technology today is all the rage, there's no question about it. We're all glued to our iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy's and our various tablet devices. The convenience of mobile technology alone makes it incredibly hard for other technologies to even stack up against it. As a whole, we as a franchise public relations firm and social media consultants, have to make some adjustments to how we do our jobs due to the rise in the popularity of mobile technology. So how do mobile technology and public relations fit together and really, how has mobile technology changed the face of public relations?
Reaching the Mobile Consumer
The mindset of mobile technology users is incredibly different. With more and more people turning to mobile devices to attain information, public relations experts must be able to reach consumers where they are spending their time. Mobile technology, mainly smartphones, apps and the mobile-web have been a big factor in speeding up the news cycle. Breaking news is broadcasted over Twitter now and this is something that doesn't surprise any of us since we are so used to it. Mobile technology undoubtedly affects communications professionals as they are now expected to produce content specifically made for mobile and must interact with customers keeping mobile constantly in mind.
Understand this audience
As a franchise public relations firm we know how vital it is for our firm to stay on the cutting edge of technology. While mobile technology may have complicated things a bit, it has also opened up the door to new opportunities for communications professionals. Mobile has created new opportunities to take digital and social campaigns a few steps further. For any PR professional or franchise public relations firm the key to success when working with mobile consumers is to start with a solid understanding of the consumer, their mobile capabilities, and their motivation for mobile engagement. As a public relations firm, there are a few questions to ask yourself in regards to these consumers to ensure you will have a good chance at successfully reaching them:
1- What devices does your target consumer typically use?: If you are in any of the communications's disciplines you must fully assess your target consumer and start by figuring out what devices your target audience uses most frequently. Say you find out they prefer viewing information via a tablet device, great! That gives you some direction as to where you can reach them, which is probably the first thing you should figure out before you start attempts to reach them.
2- What makes your target consumers reach for their mobile device?: Whether you are a public relations firm or a marketing company, you must figure out makes your target consumers tick. Find out what motivates or makes your target audience reach for their mobile device. Perhaps a "pin and win" contest is just something they can't help but enter themselves in. That kind of information is important to know since that will help you shape your PR campaigns or marketing campaigns around their interests.
3- Which mobile apps and social platforms do they use?: Figuring out what mobile apps and what social platforms they use is another way of helping you assess your target consumer's preferences. Knowing what mobile apps and social platforms they enjoy using is another way of helping you understand how and where you can expect to be able to connect with your target audience.
4- What do they want from brands in your industry when it comes to mobile engagement? For franchise public relations firms or marketing companies, it is absolutely essential to figure out what consumers are looking for when they content to a brand through mobile engagement. If you don't know what they are looking for then how can you expect to connect with them? It would be impossible. You have to give them what they want in order to succeed.
What are your thoughts on mobile technology and its effect on public relations? Comments are welcome below or you may contact us.
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