By Susan Dyer, PRSA Kansas PR Chair

During our last PRSA chapter meeting, we watched a webinar about Snapchat, PR in a Snap (PRSA log in required to view the webinar), one of the latest shiny objects to hit the social media landscape.

During the webinar, the presenters mentioned key takeaways for using Snapchat. Among the ones they discussed, here are three of them.

  • Be human.
  • Provide content that engaging, entertaining and educational.
  • Remember who your audience is.

Aren’t those the key to any great content? It shouldn’t matter what platform or channel you are using…your brand should always be human and provide valuable content to a relevant audience.

Be Human.

In this Strategies + Tactics article, “6 Ways to Create Brand Stories That Connect With Audiences,” author Malayna Evans says, “Write in a real, human, sharing-a-beer voice. Stay away from jargon such as abbreviations, acronyms and buzzwords. Remember that gray, boring corporate-speak is a turnoff to readers and listeners.”

The goal of any writing should be to make the reader feel smart, not to make you sound smart. If you use simple terms and sound like a person, you’ll connect with your audience and build trust.

Engage, Entertain, Educate.

Your content should inspire your audience, provide entertainment or offer advice or information. If it doesn’t, why are you writing it?

Remember who your audience is.

If your audience is teenagers, your content will sound different than if you are reaching retirees, and your communication channels will differ too. Gifs, memes and Snapchat might catch a teen’s attention, while an email with a link to a simple infographic might be best for retirees.

Whether you’re writing an op-ed, creating a video, or posting on social, your messaging should connect with your readers (or viewers), sound like an actual person and offer some kind of value.


Contact Susan at:  sdyer@heartlandcua.org | Twitter | LinkedIn