Public relations is one of the most effective marketing tools to grow your company’s brand and meet business objectives. A great PR program builds relationships, enhances reputations and sets brands apart from the competition. Oh, and it can be much more cost effective than traditional advertising. And yet, many persistent myths about PR have reduced the power of this marketing tool. Antenna Group works every day with companies to maximize the value of PR in meeting business goals. Part of that work is informing our clients’ understanding of what makes for a good media campaign and dispelling some common myths about the mystic art known as public relations.
Our new e-Book de-bunks the top seven industry myths that we come across in our day-to-day PR work. Take a look below at the first myth and download the full e-book to learn the most prevalent misconceptions about PR.
Myth: “Buzzwords are the best way to get my company’s message across”
In cleantech and other innovative industries, it can be hard to avoid buzzwords. Hitching an announcement or a message to a buzzword can seem like the easiest way to describe a complex concept in the context of current trends. While these descriptors may resonate with some industry insiders, relying too heavily on buzzwords can make for unclear and imprecise messages.
It’s important to implement strong search engine optimization (SEO) and align your message with media trends when possible—two strategies that often involve buzzwords—but the best way to set your company and your message apart from the crowd is by specifying why you are unique. There’s also a big difference between using industry jargon that you’re defining for your audience and using a buzzword without fully understanding or explaining the meaning behind it.
Cryptocurrency advertising offers an example of the downside to over-using buzzwords. Facebook has banned all ads promoting cryptocurrency because the services and financial products are, “frequently associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices.” Beginning in June 2018, cryptocurrency companies will also be prohibited from serving ads through Google. The industry’s boom has resulted in scams and unpredictable market fluctuations, and even though there are legitimate cryptocurrency services, these tech giants are considering all companies untrustworthy because industry terms and buzzwords are still ill-defined, misused and misunderstood.
Today’s biggest cleantech buzzwords—blockchain, IoT, the cloud and AI, to name a few—can be valuable when used accurately. But you could be doing your company’s distinct offerings a disservice by using buzzwords that lump your products or services in with hundreds of others, rather than crafting a message that makes clear how you are unique and exciting.
Download the full e-Book to find out what other PR myths are common.
