Seasoned real estate PR pro on how traditional and social media can work together - by Harry Zlokower

Public relations (PR) has always been key to real estate brands and services. While before we spent much time in pitching and ghosting articles for traditional New York and national business, consumer and trade media, particularly print, TV and radio, today these powerful traditional outlets have their own category — earned media — and  compete with digital and social media, also recognized conduits to renters, owners, buyers and other users of commercial real estate.

Some real estate PR firms push both, but others like Grant PR, Inc., favor “earned media” as best and most credible to promote messages of New York and national commercial real estate firms.

“Of course, social media has become a very significant force in the world — often in ways very beneficial indeed,” David Grant, himself a former newspaperman, told O’Dwyer’s PR News, a bible for public relations professionals. “But, at the same time, more and more people are becoming disenchanted with the blather to be found on social media.

“That creates an opportunity for anyone eager to be quoted in traditional media,” commented Grant, “people who realize that a highly regarded medium provides the kind of remarkable credibility that can rarely (if ever) be achieved via social media.

“And once your name appears in the publication of your dreams (be it The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times or whichever publication will do your client best,) you will be wise to link that article to your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts,” Grant says. “In short: by all means, become more engaged with social media. But when you do, do it wisely. Be sure that it captures what is being said about you by reputable journalists.”

Harry Zlokower is a real estate public relations consultant based in New York.