Smart cities need smart PR
Smart cities are already providing unprecedented efficiencies and economic opportunities for businesses, with technology changing the nature and economics of infrastructure, reducing the cost of gathering information - and with an unprecedented volume of data - allowing companies to find new ways of optimising their existing systems. A great opportunity, too, for partnering with a PR and content marketing agency that understands the technology sector and routes to market.
Smart cities rely on data gathered via millions of RTUs (Remote Terminal Unit) and other sensors, which provide insights into how to better manage assets, resources and services more efficiently. That means cost and efficiency benefits for a wide range of businesses that serve Smart cities and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), although the key to getting these benefits across is an integrated PR and content creation / organic SEO programme.
As a marketing communications agency that specialises in technology, which includes the advanced manufacturing sector, we are regularly contacted by clients looking for help with technology PR and organic SEO. Demand for our PR and content marketing services have grown significantly in the last few months, as innovations such as Smart Cities, Internet of Things, Industrial Internet of Things, wireless connectivity and 5G are rolled out.
In fact, what is going on in the sector at the moment is a revolution on a similar scale to the industrial revolution. Instead of heavy mechanisation however, the 21st Century involves technology that will transform how people live and work, similar to how it did in the 18th and 19th century. An exciting area to be involved in.
We have recently begun working for a new client that operates in the technology sector and which was looking for an integrated online and offline PR strategy. The manufacturer produces remote telemetry units and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that can collect data on behalf of facilities which is then used by managers to oversee assets, resources and services more efficiently. The company operates in a number of sectors ranging from smart cities to oil & gas and industry
Our role is to position the client at the forefront of this technological revolution by communicating in trade journals and online how its remote telemetry systems, PLCs and SCADA systems form the foundations for successful roll out of Smart Cities and Smart Businesses. The RTU’s ability to collect data from built assets – Smart Cities – and a wide range of industrial assets means that they are leading the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) as well, which means we can use our specialist skills of PR and content creation in the manufacturing and industrial sectors to position them as the leader in this field.
We are able to develop integrated PR and content marketing strategies for companies that operate in the IoT, IIoT, wireless and 5G networks. Our approach is to take what appears to be a quite technical subject and present it in an understandable format, clearly demonstrating end user benefits. So, for example, our client might be a technological leader in remote telemetry, PLCs and SCADA systems, yet the real benefit, in terms of engaging with customers and generating sales leads from PR, is the fact that it can prevent a pump in an industrial setting from breaking down. Simple, really. It does this by the RTU and other sensors monitoring heat and vibration, and then transmitting and tracking this data so that when there is an anomaly from agreed parameters the nominated person is alerted via their smart phone before failure or machine breakdown occurs.
Transport is another area where IoT and Smart City technology can make a real difference. Whether travellers are sitting at traffic lights, journeying via train, driving through an underpass or tunnel or entering the city from a main road, it is likely that the trip will be made easier by deployment of one of our client’s technologies. It can range from commuter information systems, control of pedestrian crossing lighting, traffic light optimisation, through to street light monitoring and tunnel lighting and ventilation control.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that cities that go down the route of congestion charging will rely on smart technology, and this is an area that we are involved in terms of PR, content creation and digital marketing. The technology itself allows authorities to monitoring congestion, traffic management, pollution and environmental systems as well as access and toll systems.
The technological revolution is already happening and as a PR and digital marketing agency we like to think that we are ahead of the game. We’re already working with a number of clients to communicate the benefits of their systems, and ultimately, making sure that they too are part of the seismic changes occurring.
To find out more about our PR and digital marketing services for the technology sector, call: 0114 349 5344, or email: hello@dragonflypr.co.uk.