Whether they heard your radio spot, saw your social media post, or viewed your Google ad, consumers need a lot of touchpoints to remember your business. These touchpoints, called impressions, are essential for building a relationship with consumers over time and, hopefully, converting them into loyal buyers.
There's just one problem: the digital space is pretty crowded. A near-infinite number of platforms means you must work harder to get just a fraction of your audience's attention. With more competitors entering the space yearly, earning more impressions has never been more important.
In this guide, we'll explain why impressions matter in 2024 and provide examples of how brands turn to public relations (PR) to boost impressions in a crowded market.
The Importance — and Growing Rarity — of Meaningful Impressions
Attention is valuable in an age of always-on entertainment and content. The buyer's journey used to be pretty linear and predictable, but the digital era fragmented that process. Now, consumers have a wealth of information at their fingertips, allowing them to do all the research they need before interacting with a salesperson.
In many cases, buyers are 70% of the way through their journey before they engage with your sales team. That means your early impressions have to be useful and engaging right out of the gate — or you risk turning off potential customers.
So, how many impressions does it take to truly make an impression? The "Rule of Seven" is a good rule of thumb that says consumers must encounter your brand at least seven times before taking action. Keep in mind that this number varies based on many factors and could require more touchpoints in a digital-first campaign.
Brands that focus attention on authentic, engaging content resonate with their audiences and, thus, grow meaningful impressions. Consistency in delivering valuable and relevant information builds trust and establishes a lasting and impactful online presence.
The Role of PR in Impression Frequency
Consumers need to see messages repeatedly before the message sticks. But even then, they might wait to contact your sales team. Instead, most shoppers prefer to scour the internet for their own research. This new way of shopping disrupts the traditional lead generation process, so you need a new approach in 2024 and beyond.
Public relations plays a crucial role in increasing the frequency and quality of impressions for your brand. Consumers are inundated with paid ads, but PR offers a distinct (and usually more effective) way to capture their attention and create memorable impressions.
That isn't to say you shouldn't invest in digital marketing, but a complementary PR campaign maximizes impressions and conversions. Brands invest in PR to see benefits like:
- Greater credibility and brand image
- Cost-effective promotions (ads are expensive, after all!)
- Longer content shelf life
- More targeted outreach
Effective PR strategies contribute to increased visibility, positive media coverage, and strategic communication, ultimately enhancing the frequency and quality of impressions the target audience receives.
Boosting Impressions With PR
Paid social media ads and billboards will net a few impressions but can be cost-prohibitive. Instead, more and more businesses are using PR strategies to come out ahead in the tug-of-war for impressions, whether they handle this internally or outsource to a PR agency with connections with influencers and media relevant to your industry.
If boosting impressions is your primary goal, look for these three ways to build your PR presence.
Managing Media Relations
An effective PR campaign means managing media relations with a well-established network of journalists and media outlets with whom you've cultivated a relationship. This takes time but is among the best ways for your brand to get into outlets you've only dreamed about. A savvy PR team on staff dedicated to forging this kind of relationship with the media is paramount to your success. Hiring a PR agency to help is also advisable when the interest and workload become overwhelming. Either way, your brand will ideally become front and center for media mentions and a reliable source for content.
PR efforts get you into outlets you've only dreamed about. They work diligently to find newsworthy angles, write press releases, and thoughtfully distribute them to the right outlets and journalists. Over time, that amounts to more organic press about you and your business, ultimately boosting impressions and sales.
Through media coverage, positive relationships, and effective communication, PR amplifies brand visibility, supporting a broader reach for a brand.
Establishing Influencer Partnerships
Influencer marketing is a hot social media trend that's here to stay. But not all influencers are worth the money. Brands must make time to connect with potential prospects and vet potential influencers to endorse their authenticity to followers. It is time well spent and a growing component of most PR campaigns today. This is one of the best ways to target a specific audience with non-sales-oriented content that generates impressions and brand trust.
Brands adopting a PR strategy with influencers can repurpose their content for channels as user-generated content (UGC). They can use it as organic social media content, paid ads, or website testimonials to make a bigger splash.
Creating Thought Leadership
Making a name for yourself in your industry is one of the best (and hardest) ways to generate interest for your business or product. When designing an effective PR campaign, ensure it includes collaborating with you to hear your thoughts, creating excellent content, and distributing it thoughtfully.
Instead of simply pumping out content on LinkedIn, your team can strategically place content where your industry peers and customers will see it. You'll score op-eds, speaking engagements, panel discussions, podcast interviews, and other high-visibility engagements to boost your professional persona and business impressions.
Form Lasting Impressions With Public Relations
The digital marketplace is crowded today, so brands must become increasingly creative to stand out. Instead of vying for impressions with expensive ads, brands are embracing PR more than ever to generate authentic, organic touchpoints that matter more to consumers.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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