Always-on always delivers: Keep brands humming without the big headlines
Sustainable PR isn’t about saving the planet – it’s about saving your brand from going silent. At DarkMatter, we call this the ‘hum’ of the brand: a proactive, always-on strategy that maintains momentum and ensures your brand’s name stays active even between big announcements. It’s an essential method often overlooked by brands.
Why sustainable PR matters
Many brands only consider hiring a public relations expert for major ‘tentpole’ events like product launches, big partnerships or leadership changes. While these moments generate valuable buzz, they’re short-lived and leave brands with gaps in visibility and engagement. Sustainable PR, on the other hand, fills these gaps by using an ongoing storytelling model. It ensures a consistent presence, keeping the brand connected to its audience even during quieter periods.
Without a sustainable approach, brands experience bursts of attention that don’t translate into long-term awareness or loyalty. In contrast, an always-on strategy continuously showcases the brand’s personality, strengths and insights, even when there’s no headline news. This ongoing engagement proves especially valuable for startups and growing businesses that may not have a constant stream of major announcements.
Key components of sustainable PR
Developing a strong brand narrative
The backbone of sustainable PR is a compelling and cohesive brand story. This isn’t just a mission statement – it’s a well-defined narrative that highlights the brand’s unique value. A PR messaging matrix can help distil this story into concise, media-friendly language. This narrative then becomes the basis for continuous and meaningful content creation.
Maintaining an always-on approach
Once the brand narrative is established, sustainable PR ensures content keeps flowing. From thought leadership articles and industry insights to behind-the-scenes glimpses, this ongoing engagement builds credibility and trust. Repurposing content across multiple platforms extends its reach and strengthens the brand’s visibility.
Building media relationships and thought leadership
Unlike transactional interactions, sustainable PR focuses on building genuine relationships with journalists and influencers. By providing valuable insights regularly, brands can position themselves as go-to industry experts. This approach fosters long-term media relationships and ensures continuous coverage, independent of major news events.
Integrating PR with digital platforms
Sustainable PR should extend beyond earned media to owned channels including social media, newsletters, blogs and the brand’s website. This integration amplifies reach, reinforces messages and boosts SEO. A cohesive digital strategy ensures the brand’s message resonates across all platforms, maximising its impact.
Leveraging data and insights
Ongoing evaluation is crucial for understanding audience engagement. By analysing social media data, website traffic and press coverage, PR teams can identify successful topics and refine their strategies. This data-driven approach allows for continuous improvement and adaptation to emerging trends.
Agility for impact
A key advantage of sustainable PR is agility. Brands can quickly align with cultural or industry trends, sharing timely perspectives that keep them relevant. This flexibility demonstrates the brand’s awareness and responsiveness to audience interests, further strengthening its public image.
The power of sustainable PR
By embracing a sustainable PR approach, brands build a resilient and adaptable public image, ensuring they remain visible and impactful – even without headline-grabbing news. For brands seeking a cost-effective, high-impact addition to their marketing mix, sustainable PR delivers maximum value by keeping the conversation going.
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining a continuous brand presence isn’t just beneficial – it’s essential. Sustainable PR ensures your brand stays top of mind, seamlessly integrating your messaging and making your marketing efforts more effective.
Caroline Hillary
Marketing Director
Image credit: Freepik
