Doing digital PR in architecture can be a very time-consuming and energy-consuming practice. However, the alternative to incorporating this activity within your team is to rely on an external communication agency, which in turn represents an option that not all studios can still afford economically.
Suppose your time is minimal, and you already know that there will be no person who will be able to dedicate themselves to digital pr or to try to have your studio’s projects published. Then, I suggest you check on one of these leading communication agencies related to the world of architecture and design can be for you.
On the other hand, if you intend to organize yourself and commit yourself personally on this front as well. Then Marketing for Architects is undoubtedly one of the best places to go. Especially this post.
Speaking of valuable posts, I would like to point out another preparatory reading: “Get a project published on blogs and magazines in 6 simple steps” – always written by me on Mfa.
If you are here, you probably already know it. Communication certainly does not work miracles, especially in the short term. Still, it can certainly bring you concrete and practical advantages over time regarding visibility, image, and acquisition of new business and network contacts.
Let’s start.
Please note that this article originally appeared (in Italian) on our partner site Marketing For Architects. From the same author.
Digital PR in architecture in a proactive way
Before listing some tips, I would like to remind you that public relations are nothing more than those activities that develop the credibility of a company or a person. That is the image and reputation. In addition, they serve to create benevolence around something (or someone) when the customer does not know us.
The brand is not what it is said but what people have in mind.
If you have already read the article on how to get published by blogs and magazines, you will already know the best practices to increase the chances of being noticed and establishing winning contacts.
Other best practices are here below:
Make “guest posts” on other publications
A “guest post” literally means a guest post – in the sense that a site (blog or magazine) agrees to host an article or content signed by you on its newspaper. This way, the site owner has more range to offer to his readers, and at the same time, you can make yourself known to his audience. Often this terminology is used among bloggers who guest post each other to help and make themselves available to each other. However, in the case of architectural or design firms, this practice could commonly be to send their media kits in the hope of being published.
For example, we could publish one of our projects, complete with descriptions and images, on the ArchDaily site simply by sending it to the editorial team via this page. This mode is familiar to many other sites. You can find them all in the digital PR Kit for Architects.
Contact blogs
Contacting blogs is the fastest and most immediate way to build your network. In these cases, it is essential to present yourself at your best and speak in an authentic and personal way. I recommend that you avoid sending the same email to dozens and dozens of newsrooms.
From experience (from Objects. And Archiobjects), I know that online journals receive many requests for publications. Therefore, in addition to quality, which is always and in any case the most crucial aspect, it is also helpful to know how to present oneself and perhaps show oneself genuinely interested in the site or the person with whom we are trying to establish a relationship.
You can start with the Digital PR Kit for architects concerning contacts.
Contact the influencers
As with blogs, magazines and reference sites in your industry, you can certainly try to contact influencers directly.
We are talking mainly about influencers on Instagram. Still, We don’t forget that a lot of content dedicated to design and architecture is produced every day on YouTube.
Build your mailing list
A solid mailing with high open rates and a good number of subscribers is probably an essential communication tool you will ever have.
From here, it follows that you will have to immediately take care of organizing and collecting your email contacts and perhaps rely on newsletter management and sending service.
Through this communication channel, you will be able to have a direct and specific point of contact with your network as long as you can create it and feed it over time.
Invest in communication
Even the best jobs sometimes need a little push to stand out from the web or print crowd.
We are not just talking about advertising or social media ads. Among the investments you could make, there is also that of external consultancy (agencies or professionals) or perhaps even simple online tools to support you in your daily business and communication activities. Here you will find a collection for entrepreneur architects, while here, you will find those I can’t help but without.
Attend events or trade fairs
The last point of this shortlist relates to the offline world: the events held in physical places and persons. It does not necessarily have to be important international fairs such as the Salone del Mobile, Mapic and so on – but also all those collateral and contextual events that can occur, especially in big cities. For example, the splendid events that Towant organizes, Perspective, the annual meeting scheduled by The Plan, or even the conferences of organizations and institutions in the sector.
All moments in which you may have the opportunity to interact with colleagues and professionals and perhaps give rise to some possibility of contact.
Doing digital PR in architecture is not as simple as in all other fields. The problem is that, once again, there are no shortcuts to making everything faster and more effective right away. Ads can undoubtedly help in this sense, but the most important thing is knowing how to move and dose your resources. I hope this post can help direct you to the best.
