We live in a time where publicity matters more than ever, as people across the globe have access to anything and everything at their fingertips. This could make or break your business, so it is crucially important to use this to your advantage and set up a publicity strategy that will help you reach your business’s goals.

Here are five ways businesses can use publicity to help their brand:

1. Focus on your image and reputation.

Everyone wants a good reputation, whether it’s in the business world or personal life, but building a strong public image for yourself could be the difference between achieving success or not. You can put all your efforts into other improvements, but you are at a loss without showing people you run a reputable business with a strong reputation. Building a strong image (and being able to back it up) typically has a better shelf life than some other techniques for success.

Over the years, I have found that the best way to begin building a strong public image is to experiment with tone, identify who you are as an individual or brand, and keep on top of opportunities. These things can be very fluid, but paying attention to them will help to boost your reputation greatly. Building a strong public image will not happen overnight, but when done effectively, it will be well worth the time and effort. Rather than just putting yourself out there with no direction, publicity allows you to earn people’s attention and, in turn, create a lasting image for yourself.

2. Bolster your social media presence.

PR can be used in conjunction with social media to amplify your business and extend your reach even further. People tend to go to social media first for information on a business, and you need to be in a position to educate and inform your target customers in order to build relationships with them.

Your social media strategy should be one of the most up to date ways for customers to access everything they need to know about you and your business.

Use social media as a publicity tool by networking with relevant influencers and collaborating with people who align with your target audience.

This can be a great way to promote yourself and, in hand, boost business success. If done right, social media can be a very powerful publicity tool to allow you to take your business to that next level.

3. Be transparent about your brand values.

Publicizing your brand values is more important in today’s world than ever. People want to give their business to brands that support the same things as them. Be transparent and advertise these things, as it builds awareness about your company.

If consumers are able to identify with you, they are more likely to not only remember your brand in the future but buy from you as opposed to your competitors.

Collaborate with other brands and relevant people to help boost the positive image you want to convey for your company while also optimizing the attention your business is receiving. If done thoroughly and thoughtfully, this can strengthen your relationship with the customer and ensure they keep coming back.

4. Build lasting relationships with the media.

Build positive relationships with as many media people within your industry as possible. Having a great press story mentioning yourself can be valuable to get your name out there, and if you build strong relationships with the press or work with a PR company that already has these strong relationships, these mentions will come naturally. The best way to build these relationships is to be consistent, network as much as possible, and be personable. The more relatable you are and the stronger the connection you create with people, the more likely journalists will be to remember you and want to help you in the future.

The media attention that typically comes with these relationships and connections can be a more long-term assurance of success for you and your business.

5. Increase brand visibility.

This one might feel obvious to some, but within the world of publicity, increasing brand visibility can make all the difference in achieving success. It allows you to reach your audience in a strategic way. Crafting press releases and pitching exclusive stories to the media can really help with getting your brand seen. The media coverage received can help to create a lasting relationship with the customer while you are building up trust with them. And trust is everything in the business world.

There are many things that go into a business, especially when reflecting on how to advance your success. PR is an important tool you can use to your advantage when looking to improve your business, whether you do it on your own or choose to hire a PR agency. When implemented into your strategy properly, PR could be the missing ingredient that takes your business to the next level now and into the future.

“Originally written by Adrian Falk for Forbes“