On 18 March, Euractiv invited logos to its Yellow Academy to share tips and tricks on building a lasting influence through media engagement.

Delia Voica, our Communications Practice Leader, and Margaux Demeyer, PR Consultant, discussed media relations, social media strategy, digital influence, quality engagement, and why they all matter more than ever, as our lives have turned digital.

In case you missed our Euractiv session or you want to share our experts’ advice, we captured our top five essential items to stand out on digital presence for you:

Personalised interactions

Customised communications are a prerequisite for your target audience to develop social connections and trust. Whether with journalists or on social media, it is advisable not to send your messages out of the blue if you can help it.

A good start is to listen to a list of targeted journalists, understand their needs and priorities. Then, catch their attention by engaging with them, such as following them, liking and commenting and sharing content. Adjusted digital communications will allow you to reach out to your media and social communities.

Long-term media relationship is a long building process

Did you build your relationships based on trust in three minutes? It is unlikely, and the same holds true for digital relations. Building relationships of trust is all about combining several ingredients during the process. Think the way your target audience does, be selective, keep your contacts list up-to-date, collaborate with them, and provide informative and exclusive content.

Reinforce your presence on existing social media platforms, and look beyond

In today’s digital world, organisations need to communicate online. It is no secret, especially now that everything is taking place electronically.

Algorithms have already proved we should not take anything for granted. Ensure your digital strategy is set on your existing platforms and take the time to rethink and fine-tune it. Also, as the digital landscape is evolving swiftly, keep up with the new trends to influence your field. Finally, assess the possibility of using new platforms and leverage their novelty to differentiate your organisation and get ahead of your competitors.

Pick the right influencer for your campaign

When running a digital campaign, working with influencers leverages your reach and adds value to engagement. However, make sure to pick the right influencers that are relevant to your field of activity to succeed. Rather than casting a broad net, tapping into a niche will have more impact on your campaign. How do you choose them? Explore their interests, background and audience, analyse their content and tone, and finally, evaluate the potential resonance.

Be more social in building your community

In general, communication is the best way to connect with people. Organisations have to ensure a real-life scenario in a virtual environment, requiring more empathy and dialogue. Be creative when you communicate, provide answers and do not hesitate to discuss with your social communities. You will have a better chance to cut through the noise.

Want to learn more? Check out our Communications and Digital engagement related
case studies.