Frequently Asked Questions

Unlike advertising, public relations results are not immediate, although they are considered more valuable. Much like SEO, public relations is organic, and results build over time and momentum. The Buyer Group starts with a strategic and active approach to garner quick wins while creating a long-term strategic program. Results vary and may happen in the first 30 days or 90 days, depending on the type of industry and the Key Performance Indicators.

Lisa Buyer influences, directly and indirectly, the strategy of each client’s goals and objectives at The Buyer Group. She also offers her 1:1 calls by request, her DIY course Modern PR Secrets, and her book Social PR Secrets and the podcast to learn the latest digital PR and business trends.
The Buyer Group’s team of experts is certified with the credentials and mindset of Lisa Buyer’s exclusive and customized digital public relations programming.

No, geography is not a KPI for success. Although you might pay a premium for agencies located in metro areas, it is not an indication of better connections or better results.

Social PR is when brands leverage social media channels to report and share the news. It also allows brands to be the media with brand journalism. An example is hosting your brand show via Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or YouTube channel.

It is vital to have a dedicated primary contact who is available to respond to media inquiries quickly. When media opportunities come up, response time is crucial. For a successful relationship with the best outcomes, clients who engage and participate in research, strategy, and regular meetings will get the most ROI. PR is not  “plug and play” or an autopilot program.
 
Brands educated on the public relations process understand the path to success and have realistic expectations on the ebb and flow of a powerful and impactful public relations program.

Examples of digital public relations results include media mentions, interviews, Google search results, positive reviews, guest articles, Instagram Live, brand awareness, referral website traffic, social media mentions, Google News, branded search results, and authority links.

Public relations should be an always-on program. There is never an end. Whether your brand hires an agency like The Buyer Group, handles it in-house, or outsources public relations, there should always be an active media outreach program. The most successful brands such as Microsoft, Virgin Airways, and 1-800 Got Junk believed and invested in the power of public relations.

“If I was down to my last dollar, I'd spend it on public relations.” - Bill Gates.

The Buyer Group is not like a typical or traditional PR agency. If you are looking for typical and traditional, The Buyer Group may not be a good fit. We combine digital PR’s superpowers with SEO, social media, and the latest technology such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.

We are creative, strategic, and well-versed in all aspects of digital marketing.

We prefer to work collaboratively with all digital marketing teams, including SEO, PPC, and creative. We are known as “connectors” and “matchmakers” of opportunity.

Traditional public relations is not dead; it is only part of the public relations puzzle. There have never been more opportunities than today when it comes to digital public relations opportunities. When you are working with a team that understands your audience and how to reach them where they are, this could be a Facebook Group, or it could be the local Chamber of Commerce, or it could be a traditional outlet such as the local news.

Yes and no. We are all connectors. It is impossible to know everyone in the media, and an overstatement for any PR professional or agency to say “hire us because of our connections.” The most important aspect is to match the right news angle with the right media outlet and make sure this is a match for your brand’s audience. Journalists typically welcome story ideas and sources when pitched properly regardless if there is a past relationship.

Every PR program is different and will have different KPIs/outcomes. Typical ways to measure include using Google Analytics acquisition, social networks, brand mentions, interviews, reviews, speaking engagements, partnerships, and referring traffic are specific examples. We use a variety of social listening technology and intelligence to measure sentiment and outcomes.

100% of journalists surveyed report using Google searches to research stories using branded and non-branded keywords. Your audiences are also searching Google with intent. Showing up on page 1 of Google or Google News with your brand’s news or from a third-party media mention is good PR. If you are not showing up, your competition will.

It is not. What worked yesterday might not work today. Your PR agency or team must be well-versed in trends and match the best outcome and strategy with your brand. There are also different specialties ranging from industry to types of PR. It is essential to distinguish between pay-to-play opportunities and true organic PR. Both have their place. A pay-to-play article most likely will not have the level of organic influence of a true piece of editorial coverage in a top-tier media outlet or industry publication.

The biggest mistake brands make is spending hundreds of thousands a month in digital ads, including top-of-funnel and brand-awareness ads, yet they say they don’t have a budget for public relations. PR is part of your digital marketing budget. A best practice is to dedicate a percentage to public relations. An example formula is spending $100K a month in ad spend - commit 10% - 20% min to public relations, including influencer PR/, Paid PR/SEOPR.
If you are not spending anything on digital advertising, public relations can be a better long-term investment.

Your brand’s public relations and news content should be optimized to get the most reach, exposure, and visibility in search engines Sacha s Google and the social media channels your audience/personas are on. Your writing and PR team must be well-versed in SEO writing best practices and optimization best practices for each social media channel. The difference between no hashtag and the right hashtag means you either get found by your audience or don’t.

Paid public relations can mean various outcomes, including sponsorships, influencer marketing, paid content, paid distribution of a press release, or social advertising to amplify news to a media list or target audience.

While we use the typical research process, define strategy, goals and objectives, implementation, and measurement - what makes us different is we parallel the search phase with activation and immediately begin scouring for opportunity through our network of sources and media leads.