Interview with Natasha Koifman of NKPR

nkpr-public-relationsAs social media has become an increasingly important part of public relations, most of the best firms out there have learned to adjust. NKPR is no exception, and that’s probably why they landed at number 15 on our list of the top PR firms on social media this year. We asked Natasha Koifman and her team at NKPR to let us hear how they do social media, and what sets them apart as a brand.

For your clients, which social networks have been the most effective for PR?

At NKPR, we develop tailored strategies for each client that we represent from lifestyle to non-profit and corporate sectors. Based on their objectives and target audience, we recommend the social networks and programs that can best move their brand forward and tell their stories!

With that in mind, some of the best social tools out there right now include:

Twitter: We love Twitter because it allows us to create ongoing conversations with consumers, media and influencers alike. With daily trending topics, brands have the opportunity to form a lifestyle portal, contributing to discussions that are authentic to who they are and what they represent. The best brand messages are short, sweet and to the point and Twitter challenges us to stay true to that in 140 characters.

Facebook: With 1.5 billion users, Facebook still remains the social outlet with the largest audience and potential brand reach! For large-scale campaigns, Facebook offers an extensive range of customizable apps and advertising opportunities to really make a strong impact.

Instagram: With high engagement and a strong visual component, brands with a younger target demographic can build buzz and gain a strong following on Instagram. The mobile platform has been growing rapidly and shows no signs of slowing down, especially now with the introduction of video content.

How do you go about handling a social media PR campaign?

At NKPR, we have a unique approach. We always start off by asking our clients “What does success look like?”. Based on this, we build our social strategy and recommendations to align with those measures.

We provide a variety of social media services for our clients from social media audits that help to guide and evaluate their internal campaigns to full-scale community management and campaign development.

What advice would you give when it comes to using social media for a public relations campaign?

  • Take a 360-approach to the campaign, always looking at how social can push the envelope further
  • Know your audience and target them accordingly with the right message and social platform
  • Content is king and well-thought out creative campaigns will make a stronger impact then content for the sake of content
  • Establish an authentic brand voice, your social accounts should be a lifestyle portal and not overly promotional. Stay consistent

How would you recommend that a client handles a screw up on social media?

  • Be honest and forthcoming
  • Acknowledge the issue and present a solution
  • Make a quick and genuine apology, taking responsibility for the error
  • Address what went wrong and the steps your brand will take to ensure it doesn’t happen again

Do you have any social media success stories you’d like to share?

NKPR integrated a digital division ahead of the curve. We saw the PR landscape changing rapidly with the introduction of social networks like Facebook and Twitter and we wanted to be at the forefront for our clients.

We love that social media gives us the chance to connect with the public directly, something that happened primarily through media relations in the past. As a PR agency, we have built a following of 9000+ highly engaged users on Twitter and many more on our NKPR blog, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and more.

As an agency, we’ve established a strong and authentic brand voice on social media. Many of our new business now comes to us from social referrals and when we tweet or post about a product we love, our followers take notice. As a PR agency, we are now our own media outlet .

What do you think sets your company apart from your competitors?

  • Authenticity – Our brand voice and personality is at the core of everything we do and who we are as agency. When we say something on social, It is always authentic to our brand voice
  • Engagement – We have built a loyal following online over the years and engagement is very high. This means our posts can have a strong impact for our clients