If you’re launching a new product and want to boost your brand within the growing technology industry, it’s key to have an effective strategy in place. With such a broad array of outlets and spaces available, an effective Tech PR strategy is one that shares a consistent goal across all touchpoints, from social media and press releases, to media quotes and company research.
This article uncovers three must-have elements to focus on whenever you develop or expand your strategy. These elements will ensure you deliver the right information, in the best way, to inspire action and traction.
Research and Whitepapers
In the tech world, research and whitepapers are proven mainstays within an effective strategy. They can be used by any business to bolster their industry presence and share unique findings associated with their specific business or brand. Two of the most popular ways that high quality research can be used are;
– to inspire action from a core target audience and establish your brand as an expert in a certain field or,
–to create small chunks of engaging content which can be shared across social media and blog posts.
Whether you’re sharing an opinion piece on a new technology, or heralding the success of your latest product release, research is key to establishing your expertise in the industry.
Here at Origin Comms, some of the most successful Tech PR strategies we have supported use high quality research content as a driving force for lead generation. This shows readers what they need and places the brand in question at the forefront of the solution. Our work with NTT Security in creating a Global Threat Intelligence report resulted in 163 pieces of coverage, including 77 cases of top tier coverage, and reader figures of around 7 billion globally in the first two weeks – all thanks to the creation and subsequent sharing of one key industry report.
Quality Content
It is no longer enough to gain a high following and then simply let it sit there as a vanity metric for your success stats. Nor is it enough to create an aesthetically pleasing and informative website and then leave it in the hopes that it will drive visitors all on its own.
Content has become the key to Tech PR, thanks to the increased customer and consumer demand for ever-evolving information, and an expanse of content touchpoints. It is now a vital part of an effective strategy.
Social media is a great example of taking PR and marketing into your own hands, using your own content and ideas to drive followers to engage with you, visit your website, and eventually convert into customers or service users. If, for example, your brand was launching a new product, you might find that a social media strategy is just as effective as a wider advertising campaign. It can help you reach out to followers who already know and recognise your brand, so are far more likely to engage and get involved.
Using social media means understanding the need for consistency across different platforms. It also means adapting content to suit the different audience preferences of each social space. LinkedIn, for example, is best for B2B– while Instagram is geared towards high quality visuals that support the content you post.
Other examples of quality content that contribute to an effective Tech PR campaign include:
–Video Interviews are great for getting your brand personality across and can help customer put a face to the company name.
– Blogs and News can establish your brand or business as leaders in your industry, with a mix of informative and engaging content designed to elicit reactions and actions.
–Infographics put industry findings into visual diagrams. These tend to encourage a higher rate of engagement than typed stats.
As part of our work with NTT Security, we implemented an effective social media plan for their technology business growth, which led to the following KPIs being met:
–LinkedIn grew from 6,000 followers to 30,000 followers, in less than four years.
–A range of business blogs and technical blogs supplied by guest bloggers in the industry, each earned thousands of reads and shares on a weekly basis.
NTT Security also saw a huge increase in high quality industry references to their content, from the likes of Enterprise Times and InfoSecurity Magazine.
Press Coverage for Senior Staff
As well as posting your own high-quality content and research, a highly effective Tech PR strategy also involves getting senior staff quoted by industry publications, news stories, and other businesses.
This is a proven way of growing awareness of your brand among readers who may not otherwise be aware of your business. It also provides you with further ‘thought leadership’ stature in the marketplace.
Industry press coverage is always highly valued when it comes to product launches. It can get the message out to a wider audience from a trusted media source, and ensure that as many actively interested readers as possible are able to see your brand in the right place. This is something we recommend to all our clients, as the more press coverage you can garner with a link back to your site, the higher the SEO value for your own website will be.
Next Steps
An effective PR strategy for your tech business is one which optimises your expertise, utilises each of your touchpoints and encourages action.
It’s vital to know your audience and understand where they spend their time online – so that you can implement and tailor your strategy in places where you will find each other. This is a concept that Origin researched into towards the end of last year amongst UK IT decision makers during the COVID-19 lockdown. You can embrace any opportunities presented by the industry in the form of media and content partnerships, with the support of a Technology PR agency.
For more information on how Origin Comms can support your business and its pr strategy, check out our services page, or contact our team today on 020 3814 2940 or team@origincomms.com.