It seems that almost every day a new consultancy dedicated to social media pops up, under-cutting agency prices and claiming to offer a better service than traditional PR professionals.

While many agencies have been slow to diversify, and the desire to reduce costs is always a considerable factor, having a fully integrated PR structure is essential to the success of any campaign, as outlined below

Managing the mix

PR professionals have spent years honing their messages, their manner and learning about a wide range of B2B and B2C audiences. They know how to position a brand or a product and are there to consult at every step to provide the best business outcomes.

By keeping social media management with your PR provider, you can be assured of a fully joined-up approach that considers every angle and creates a consistency in messages and tone of voice. This is integral in creating brand recognition and customer loyalty.

A good PR professional will incorporate social media as part of a fully integrated PR campaign, blurring the lines between media relations, events, internal communications and social media. This will provide you with the best return on your investment and avoid a disconnect between various agencies.

A social crisis

Crisis PR is where keeping social media with your PR provider comes into its own. Having a coherent, joined-up approach to PR is never more apparent or exposed than when things go wrong.

Developing a considered and refined plan for crisis PR is essential both off and online. However, with the speed at which things can develop in the socialsphere, swift action is a must. Both the client and PR staff should know who is responsible for what, the tone and manner in which to respond and who should be kept informed about developments.

By keeping social media with your PR provider will save valuable time, ensure a consistency in message and tone, and will ultimately avoid further crises.

Made to measure

Social media has redefined how the impact of PR can be measured. It offers near instant analysis and feedback on a campaign, promotes engagement in a way traditional PR doesn’t, and allows for rapid market research.

By keeping your campaign integrated, with social media managed by your PR provider, you can track the direct effect of PR on your business. Whether you want to increase sales, raising awareness of your brand or product, or see how people are talking about you, you can track it at every step of the way.

Effective PR will enable your business to grow and keeping everything in one package offers the best chance of this. Keep it simple, keep it transparent and keep it connected. Keep it with your dedicated PR professionals.