Social media can be a powerful way to reach everyday customers and prospects.

However, you can also show you a content with members of

traditional media to create additional buzz.

Public relations has been around for a long time. Its value is just as strong as today.

The first thing you might think of when you hear the term PR is writing press releases,

but don't assume because your company is just starting out that you don't need to create any.

Large or small, companies can benefit greatly from sharing

official corporate information to press releases.

Whether you have a new product announcement, business partnership,

or other significant achievement, publishing this content through official channels

means it can be shared by media sources across the web,

thereby, improving your SEO and overall findability.

Reaching out to members of the media in your industry can lead to opportunities

to share your work with them, or to perhaps be featured or reviewed in their publications.

There are a number of online services that provide details on editorial calendars.

They can tell you when certain media will be writing stories about specific subjects.

If you see one that matches what your company does,

this can be an opportunity to connect and get some exposure.

While you're at it, consider the value of reaching out to blogs and other

industry sites that featured guest posts from industry professionals.

If there's a site that features products and services similar to your own,

offer to write a guest blog post giving your take on an issue or sharing your expertise.

One great benefit of reaching out like this is connecting with their audience.

They would certainly be relevant to your desired target market.

So these opportunities can lead to many new leads.

Managing public relations is also about maintaining your reputation.

It's vital to monitor online content to know what people are saying about you

especially if anything negative comes up.

Be sure to thank supportive users, but you must also address concerns quickly

and honestly, providing as much information as possible while maintaining an official tone.

One way to monitor content about you and your company is to set up a system of alert.

For example, you can set up a Google alert to email you

whenever your company name is mentioned online.

You can also use various apps to monitor social platforms and set up automatic searches

to identify any content that includes references to you and your products.

The idea is not to stamp out anything negative about you--

it's to respond swiftly and honestly, and showing again that you're listening to the people.

Your public relations efforts can help you spread the word about your business

and improve your reputation with influential members of the online community.

So create content with these efforts in mind and be proactive

about promoting and protecting your brand.