Real-time PR isn’t off-the-cuff PR. You can’t simply tell the social media manager or intern to monitor trends and events on Twitter and respond to them. You have to have a plan.
Real-time PR, like the revered Oreo moment, is steeped in data and processes. To be successful with it, consider these four tips:
Team up with data. Data is the best asset for your real-time PR team. With data, you can quickly change course when a tactic isn’t performing well.
Prepare real-time campaigns in advance. If you know a holiday or event is coming, prepare content in advance. Follow HBO’s footsteps – during an annual awards ceremony, the cable network prepared content for all the predicted winners. Once the actual winner was announced, HBO released the appropriate content.
Have a process in place. Real time only works if you have a team empowered to act and respond. Make sure you’ve set up processes so that time-sensitive content doesn’t get lost in a quagmire of approvals.
Use technology to your advantage. You don’t have to be “on” all the time, but your tech should be. Let it be the constant hum in the background of your PR efforts. Institute rules so that you receive alerts when a possible real-time opportunity arises.
Real time only appears to happen in real time. The truth is that practicing PR in real time requires preparation, data and process.
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