Public relations (PR)

Public relations is a phrase enriched in history, existing far before the days of marketing as we know it today.

Before the internet, almost everything marketing teams did could arguably be classified as a public relations (PR) exercise. Prior to the 2000s, when digital marketing arguably started to take off, marketers were forced to take more proactive actions to ensure that their brands and campaigns got the attention and coverage that was required.

Newspaper ads and press releases were core marketing tactics, and without them, your campaign would probably fall flat on its face. 

But what is PR?

PR means public relations. The art of trying to paint your brand in a positive light. We carry out PR activities to improve our image. That can be to take a brand from a neutral stance to a positive one, or from a negative stance into a neutral or even positive stance.

Arguably, PR is coming full circle, and more and more brands see the value in it. This is partly driven by the need for credible, high-quality backlinks for SEO purposes. But it also helps to raise awareness of a brand among a targeted audience. 

PR includes a range of tactics, such as:

• Press release creation & distribution (Visit our "how to write a press release" article for more.)
• Crisis communications
• Thought leadership articles
• Advertorials
• Digital PR & backlinks
• Influencer management

PR vs. digital marketing: which is better?

There is no right or wrong answer here. It depends on what you are trying to achieve and who you are trying to talk to.

For example, senior B2B decision-makers are more likely to be influenced by PR activities due to their authentic nature. I.e., they may read a thought leadership article written by a leader within a B2B brand. On the other hand, they are unlikely to engage with paid social media advertisements.

B2C engagement and sales, on the other hand, are much more easily driven by paid advertising. Consumers have a known need or desire and PPC ads help them to make that decision. It's much easier to instil an emotion in a low-cost manner for a B2C customer than it is for a B2B one.

It's important to note that whilst these observations are informed through years of marketing execution experience, it is entirely possible to convert a B2C customer through thought leadership or press release activities, and to convert a B2B customer through paid ads. 

In an ideal world, opt for an integrated marketing approach that includes both PR and digital marketing tactics.