The Public Relations Blog

Learn what an SSL certificate is and why it’s so important for a website to have one

What is an SSL certificate?

A Secure Sockets Layer certificate, or SSL certificate, enables a kind of encryption called SSL/TLS encryption for a website and contains verifying information, such as the domain the certificate is for and who owns the certificate.

Sites with an SSL certificate will have HTTPS enabled. 

Web browsers, such as Google Chrome, put a padlock icon by the URL in the browser’s address box to identify a site with an SSL certificate. For sites with some, but not all content secured, and sites without an SSL certificate, the icon depends on the browser.

Active listening can boost PR efforts and help you on a daily basis

Listening and broadcasting are two of the most fundamental elements of communication. However, in the world of public relations, it’s easy for PR beginners to simply broadcast over and over, never listening to what’s going on around them. PR pros know that listening is not only important, but there’s a specific kind of listening you should be doing for PR success: active listening.

Transform a group of employees into a cohesive unit

Building a successful company is downright difficult. From finding your niche to developing a successful product to building up contacts and relationships in order to help your company grow, success in the business world takes a lot of effort. Fostering a productive and happy workforce is a necessary part of getting there. So how do you help your employees be productive, happy, and successful?

Remembering contacts’ personal information can lead to powerful friendships

In today’s world of constant stimulation and zero down time, it’s easy to get caught up in your work because of how much needs to be done to keep things running smoothly. When you have so much on your plate, thinking about other people becomes more difficult. However, you should make a point to cultivate personal relationships with the people you know—it’s a springboard to building lasting partnerships and friendships.

A strong and diverse skill set is needed for today’s public relations industry

In the field of public relations, simply being “good at PR” no longer cuts it. Public relations pros need to have a number of skills and be able to adapt to many kinds of situations and roles in order to truly succeed in the world of PR. Vertical integration is becoming the standard for public relations, not the exception.

Boost your PR by sharing new ideas

You’ve started your own business. Things are going smoothly, but you’re not growing at the rate you want. What should you do?

If your company’s growth isn’t what you want, you should examine your views on the industry you’re working in. Are you ignoring trends, following them, or are you breaking out of the mold to set your own? If you want your company to really grow, you need to develop unique viewpoints regarding your industry that are different from everyone else’s.

Spice things up with some GIFs

Whether they are used for social media or to improve press releases, images are a very handy tool in public relations. You can even use them to directly improve your website’s SEO! But, have you been using GIFs?

For those who are unfamiliar, GIFs are simply animated images. GIFs can originate from anywhere, including TV shows, movies, or other media. They can have captions or just show someone doing something.

Strong communication is crucial to achieving success

No matter what industry your company is in, you’re going to be facing a lot of competition. With so many competitors, it is easy for a company to get lost in the mix, even if they provide stellar products or services, unless it effectively communicates with consumers.

The value of communication should not be understated. Frequent communication is one of the best ways to motivate and resonate with your target audience. 

Make sure the people creating your company’s public relations have background information to inform their strategies

Public relations plans influence a company’s success. Integrating public relations plans into your company’s strategic planning is essential. However, do the people handling your public relations know how your company makes money?

Make your social media strategy more efficient by focusing on social media platforms that work for your company

According to DataReportal, 17 social media platforms have more than 300 million active users each month as of April 2021. This figure does not include many smaller social media platforms that still have large active user counts. With countless ways to connect with audiences at your fingertips, your company’s online public relations can reach the world through multiple platforms.

At first glance, it can be tempting to make company accounts on as many platforms as possible. The more the merrier, right? However, companies weaken their social media plans when they are overzealous.