Snapchat vs. Facebook Live vs. paid Instagram

I just finished my last PR conference of the year. You know what conference organizers have found is the easiest way to sell conferences (and webinars and other PR information products)?

Tout whatever new tactic seems to have achieved critical mass. So Snapchat for the last little while, now Facebook Live. This is not some blunder or flaw on the part of the conference folks.

They do it because of their customers – PR people. You.

It used to be because people were searching for a silver bullet that would make everything easier. But now the clamor is clearly driven by something even less constructive: fear of missing out.

There’s nothing wrong with staying abreast of trends and new developments. It’s a requirement in this era of hyper-change. But as you do so, don’t watch through the lens of, “What’s the hot new thing?”

Instead, evaluate every new tactic and channel against this fundamental question:

What sources are most trusted by my key audiences?

Some of them – loyal customers, employees maybe – already trust YOU. And therefore owned channels work great with them – you can email them, or post on Instagram, or if you’re extra hip even do a Facebook Live video for them, and they’ll eat it up.

But lots of your other audiences – prospects, potential hires, regulators, just to name a few – don’t trust you yet. You do a Facebook Live video for them and it’s a ghost town. That’s why it’s valuable to reach these more wary crowds via credible third parties.

Maybe that’s a top-tier media outlet,  or maybe it’s a 19-year-old YouTuber – doesn’t matter. This is how Chief Marketing Officers think when they are deciding where to allocate resources.

And here is how you make this work for you and your career in media/influencer relations:

Your unique value comes when you frame your organization’s message in a way that appeals to the right influencers so that they share it with their audiences.

Every tool that’s been invented and will be invented is secondary to that. Focus your energy on developing this rare and valuable skill, and the opportunities and money will follow.