In a fast paced, digitally focused world, every brand is jumping on the social media train, flooding our feeds and news sites with a constant stream of content. This creates great challenges for those in the busiest sectors as countless firms attempt to compete for the same customer base.
You’ve most likely done the basics – regular social media posts, building relationships with media contacts and sharing press releases – but in highly competitive industries such as housing, law, or hospitality, simply being present isn’t enough to put you on top.
What you really need are unique strategies which separate you from your competition and give you the edge. With over 2 decades of experience in the communications industry, leading experts at PR agency, Holyrood PR, have helped countless brands achieve visibility through unique, memorable campaigns, leading to tangible business results.
We’ve compiled a list of the top 5 approaches you can adopt in your next PR campaign to ensure your business is standing out from the crowd.
- Find the right balance
In the digital age social media isn’t a nice “add on” anymore and is now an essential part of any business strategy.
Yet all too often, we stumble across neglected business Instagrams looking more like a ghost town than an engaging brand presence.
On the other hand, many businesses feel inclined to post every day – or even multiple times a day – overwhelming their followers with constant updates.
To create true visibility, it is crucial that your social media follows a tight schedule and is strategically planned out. Not posting enough and you risk being lost in the noise. Posting too much could result in your followers feeling bombarded with content, causing them to scroll right past it without a second thought.
Digital communications strategies require a highly strategic approach, striking the perfect balance of consistency and quality.
To stand out in a busy sector, it’s not just about how often you post, but when you post. Analysing your audience’s behaviour and scheduling content to appear at peak engagement times can dramatically increase visibility without increasing volume. Timing your updates to align with when your audience is most active ensures your posts don’t just add to the noise but rise above it.
- Know your audience
The other vital element to ensure your digital presence truly resonates is having a clear understanding of who you’re speaking to, what they care about, and how they prefer to engage with content.
With short form content like TikTok and YouTube shorts skyrocketing brands to viral success overnight, everyone wants to jump on the trend. And it’s easy to see why, platforms like TikTok can quickly boost viewers and enjoyment at a speed traditional channels can’t match.
But that doesn’t mean it is always the best choice for your campaign. If you are targeting women in their early twenties then perhaps short form content is the best approach to produce business results, however, if your audience is more middle-aged dads or London shareholders than teens on TikTok then you may have to think slightly more strategically about where your audience are likely to be.
For business-to-business firms, looking to sell products and services to other businesses rather than directly to individual consumers, platforms where other business owners are likely to be active – such as LinkedIn – should form the backbone of your social media strategy.
Similarly, if you are targeting groups with a specific interest such as mothers then interest specific sites such as mums net may be a better option for reaching the right audience.
The key is to carefully define your target audience and work out where you’re most likely to find them. Whilst this may not bring you thousands of views in 15 seconds, it will put your product in front of the customers who are much more likely to make a purchase, leading to a digital strategy, which translates to real business success.
- Create unique stories
As every brand hops on the social media trends our feeds become bombarded with repetitive content. This makes it harder for audiences to tell one business apart from another, leaving even well-crafted posts to blur into the background noise.
There’s been more “day in the life of an intern” videos than most audiences could ever watch, and while the format once felt fresh, it’s now become predictable. To truly stand out, brands need to move beyond copycat content and focus on sharing perspectives or stories that only they can tell.
More engaging content often comes from authentic stories that showcase your brand’s personality. This could mean spotlighting your team’s expertise through short explainers, sharing behind-the-scenes insights that reveal how your business really works, or highlighting the impact your product or service has on real customers. You can also lean into storytelling formats such as case studies, myth-busting content, or tackling common industry misconceptions – all of which position your brand as both credible and relatable.
With over 20 years of experience executing award-winning PR campaigns, we’ve found that unique content, highlighting the people behind your business, is what builds trust, sparks engagement, and ultimately sets you apart in a crowded marketplace.
- Prioritise your website
Many studies show that social media significantly affects brand attitudes, awareness, social proof, and engagement.
But that doesn’t necessarily translate into the final conversion decision. In many buyer journeys, social media is earlier in the funnel: people see your presence there but then move to your website or search to validate, compare, or act.
That is why it is so crucial to ensure you are investing in a website that is clear, credible, and easy to navigate – a place where potential customers can quickly find the information they need, build trust in your brand, and take the next step with confidence.
One key element of website management that can set you apart from the crowd is a proper understanding of Search engine optimisation (SEO). SEO is the practice of improving a website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results to attract more organic (unpaid) traffic. By optimizing content and technical aspects, SEO helps search engines understand and trust a website, leading to higher placements in search results for relevant queries, which in turn can increase brand awareness, generate leads, and boost conversions.
This lesser-known approach to boosting online visibility goes beyond flashy content and ensures that your business is discoverable at the exact moment potential customers are actively searching for your services.
- Don’t underestimate the power of traditional media
In a world dominated by social media, it’s easy to forget the influence of traditional media outlets – but they still play a crucial role in building authority and reaching audiences who matter. Coverage in respected newspapers, trade journals, or regional broadcasters not only extends your visibility but also adds credibility that digital channels alone can’t replicate.
Securing earned media requires more than sending out a press release. It means developing strong relationships with journalists, offering valuable insights or commentary, and positioning your brand as a trusted source of expertise. When combined with your digital activity, traditional media coverage acts as a powerful endorsement, reinforcing your reputation and ensuring your brand stands out across multiple channels.
Conclusion
Standing out in a competitive industry isn’t always a case of who can shout the loudest or who can post the most on their feeds.
By thinking outside the box and creating a strategic posting strategy that understands your target audience, whilst improving your website and SEO, you can ensure your brand is both visible and credible. Add in authentic storytelling and selective use of traditional media, and you have a PR approach that not only captures attention but also converts it into lasting business success.
