7 Tips to Get on Brand PR Lists

Social media has reshaped many things in society, and marketing is one of them. Today brands use social media influencers to showcase themselves as leaders in the industry and use something known as PR lists to do this.

Now, you’re probably here because you want to know about PR lists for brands and how you can get on them, right? Well, this article will help you out there!

What are PR lists?

For those who don’t already know, PR is short for public relations. This is the process of managing relations and getting information from a brand or individual out to the public. The key aim of PR is to create and maintain the ideal brand image.

PR lists usually consist of public figures, celebrities, and influencers who brands contact if they want help with their PR or marketing. A great example of PR lists in action is when brands send out new products to influencers to test in YouTube videos.

PR lists are usually created using invites, but some brands may allow some members of the public to give them their details in the hopes of making it onto a list. This depends entirely on the scale of the company! A company may also have tiers in their PR lists, which outline how many products they send to certain influencers.

What are PR packages?

A PR package is a careful selection of a brand’s products sent to specific people on its PR list. Unlike a brand deal, there’s no obligation for people to use these products, but the aim is to see products on social media channels like Instagram and TikTok, as well as YouTube.

Why PR lists and packages matter

The simple answer is that everyone is using PR lists nowadays, especially make-up and beauty companies. If you’re a brand, it’s a no-brainer. And for influencers and content creators, it’s an awesome perk that can also help grow your following.

PR unboxing is a popular trend among influencers on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. I mean, it’s a win-win-win, right? Influencers get free products and get relatively low-cost & easy content out of sitting down and unboxing them. Viewers love it because they get to see what new stuff is coming out soon and what it looks like. And of course, it’s no wonder that companies love this trend, as it not only promotes their product organically but also creates brand awareness.

Being on a PR list is more than just receiving free products – it means influencers have a consistent source of fresh, exciting content.

How to make an effective PR package

If you have a company and want to use PR samples to advertise products, make sure your PR package is tailored to your target influencer and their followers.

Brands should also include personalized notes for influencers. Notes in PR packages are an easy way of building a relationship with an influencer that could be used for years to come.

Maintaining a good working relationship with influencers after sending a PR package is what makes or breaks a PR campaign. Keep in touch with them – a follow-up message showing support for their content or saying thanks for posting about the products is always a great idea!

Hiring a PR team or PR manager is really helpful when creating and growing relationships with influencers or others on a PR list.

7 tips on how to get on brand PR lists

If you’re a budding influencer who doesn’t quite know how to maximize their potential, this is the part you’ve been waiting for – everything you need to know about making it onto a brand’s PR list.

Here are some tips that you can use to get on a PR list:

1. Build a good following

Building your following is the best place to start. While you usually don’t need to have the best online presence to produce social media content, you do need a relatively strong presence to get a brand’s attention.

What brands truly want nowadays is someone who gets good engagement, as engagement means a higher chance of people seeing and remembering the brand.

To build a good following, you need to establish and maintain a personality on your page, particularly if you’re in a niche that’s already saturated! Establishing a strong profile means showing your knowledge and finding a unique approach for your content to make it fun, engaging and memorable.

2. Show brand loyalty

One of the easiest ways to receive PR packages is to show your brand loyalty.

If a brand browses through your social media posts and sees that you talk about them organically, they’ll have an easier time trusting you & knowing that you’ll be aligned. While this might take more effort, it’s an easy way to build a relationship with a brand. And, usually you’d only rave about a brand or product if you actually loved it and used it regularly so just make sure you voice that to your audience and you could win a deal with a brand you LOVE.

Targeting the brands you use is an important part of getting on a PR list. As well as sliding into their PR list, using this approach can make your content more visible. For example, if you use skincare products, tag your favorite brand every time you use their products.

3. Approach small businesses

People often make the same mistake over and over again when it comes to trying to get on a PR list: they only approach well-established brands. For most, heading for the top brands first doesn’t always work. It’s hard to capture a big brand’s attention, as they will already be working with influencers or have their sights set on creators with a massive following.

What you should do to start off is target small businesses. Small-scale businesses or businesses just getting started rarely have the funds to hire a full PR team, yet most companies fully understand the importance of good PR.

Many small companies see sending out free samples as a cost-effective way to increase their industry presence. Influencers who approach small businesses should always target ones in their niche, understand the company’s objectives, use their products, and use engagement rates to highlight potential benefits.

4. Do your research

Once you’ve found a brand that interests you, do extensive research before you approach them. Find influencers and other individuals who tag the brand you’re interested in and see what they have in common.

Pay close attention to the quality of the photos or videos they post, how often they post about the brand, their follower size, content and how much engagement they have.

It’s also worth making a note of similar brands you can approach, just in case your target brand doesn’t bite.

5. Produce exciting content

Social media platforms are full of people who are all trying to do the same thing, and what sets influencers apart is the quality of their content. Quality is a massive aspect of PR! If your social media page churns out sub-standard content, brands will be significantly less likely to want you on their PR list and send you products.

For instance, if you’re looking to cover products that largely rely on the way they look to sell, then you need to create quality photos that make products look just as they do in real life.But it isn’t all about photos and videos – content needs to be high quality too. Try to focus on content that is entertaining, fun, unique and informative.

It also helps to use music that’s popular and memorable – why not try out some mainstream music from famous artists? Oh no don’t worry, copyright claims aren’t something to worry about when using copyrighted music anymore – Lickd can help you with music for videos. From high-quality, fresh stock tracks to hit songs from Lizzo, Bruno Mars, Sam Smith & more. Grow your following, make your content more engaging and ultimately win over both brands and viewers when you become known for using great tunes!

6. Approach the PR team

Most businesses have dedicated PR teams and managers to do all the heavy lifting in this area. Approaching the PR team is another way of getting on a brand’s PR list, but make sure you do this carefully.

If you have the necessary resources and expertise, reach out to companies and PR agencies to propose a PR listing. When using this method, do your best not to come across as too intense or assume that you’re doing the brand a favor, as this can be extremely off-putting.

PR teams generally know all the ins and outs of social media and know exactly how to weigh up the return on investment of using influencers. Show them your engagement data, and outline your social media strategy and how it can benefit them.

7. Keep your content relevant

If your content doesn’t relate or isn’t relevant to a brand’s products and vision, they won’t see how a working relationship with you would be beneficial.

Stay on top of the brand’s latest products and emerging industry trends. If you’re posting items from last year’s collection, be sure you’re adding value and using an angle that makes it relevant, such as comparing last year’s collection with the current one.

FAQs

When should you post about PR samples?

Posting PR samples largely depends on one of two things – your arrangement with a brand and your social media initiatives. If you have a brand deal, they may outline specific posting instructions. But if you’ve been sent PR samples, you aren’t obligated to post about them.

If you receive PR items without requesting them, you can post them alongside your general schedule. But if the product is yet to come out or has been released recently, it’s in your best interests to post as soon as possible so you can capitalize on the potential buzz!

What do PR agencies do?

PR agencies use a mix of communication tools to manage a brand’s reputation. People often mistake PR agencies for advertising agencies, but they aren’t the same. PR agencies focus on a brand’s reputation, and advertising agencies create initiatives to increase sales.

What is a media list?

Media lists, known as press lists or media contact lists, are very similar to PR lists. It’s a list of media contacts, journalists, bloggers, and influencers.

The difference between media lists and PR lists is that media lists are generally used to have a list of relevant people who a company can send a press release or story.

How many followers do I need to receive a PR package?

There is no definite answer on how many followers you need to receive a PR package, as different brands have different criteria. Typically it depends on your niche, the size of your niche, and other influencers within your niche.

You should always have a minimum of 1,000 followers to qualify as a micro-influencer. But this varies from niche to niche. Always conduct niche-specific research before looking to get on a PR list!

Discover licensed music for your content with Lickd

Want to create showstopping content on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok that’ll grab a brand’s attention? Lickd is here to help you create the perfect soundtrack for your content.

Our music for YouTube videos helps you stand out above other influencers – think of music from the biggest and best artists in the world!

I want better music!