Should You Choose Public Relations Or Content Marketing For Your Business

18 Nov 2022
by A. S. Hassan

The world is evolving with every passing second. The same methods brands used to grow their presence a few years back may not work. In the past, brands have relied heavily on public relations to create a strong foundation for their businesses. However, with the advent of social media, brands have had to move to digital strategies to create a positive image and boost brand awareness.

Content marketing is relatively new compared to PR but shares many similarities with PR. First, PR and content marketing both use writing and communication to communicate a specific message to the audience. Second, both aim to make the audience take action, such as visiting a website, buying a product and so on.So, which should you choose for your business: PR or content marketing?

So, which should you choose for your business: PR or content marketing?

Public Relations

According to the Public Relations Society of America

Public relations are a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

Securing news coverage online, in print or on television is a commonly used PR tactic for generating publicity. Public relations professionals are often required to anticipate, analyze and interpret public opinion, issues and attitudes. These may have a positive or negative impact on the image of an organization, which they need to handle efficiently and effectively.

PR professionals are also responsible for crisis management. They must be prepared to respond to negative news about the company and mitigate the ill effects. PR professionals are also responsible for securing public speaking opportunities for key executives to create more positive buzz around the brand.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is about using content, such as blogs, podcasts, videos and info graphics, to reach out to the target audience and generate interest in the brand. The idea is to engage the audience and create more brand awareness.

Content marketing teams work to consistently produce high-quality content that is both timely and relevant with the hopes of reaching a wider audience. It can be an extremely effective form of marketing if you wish to generate new leads and engage with your audience.

Which One To Use

Besides the tactics used, a key difference between PR and content marketing is the audience they cater to. PR focuses on reaching the media and the organization’s existing customer base. The aim is often to build credibility with your existing audience. Content marketing generally focuses on building customer loyalty and reaching a wider audience. Creating valuable content that ranks high in search engine results allows you to reach a new audience that may have been unfamiliar with your business.

Both PR and content marketing may use writing to communicate a message. However, PR communications aim to secure press coverage or build strong media relationships. The communications may also be for damage control to minimize the effects of negative news about the company. Content marketing, on the other hand, works on building customer loyalty and reaching a new audience. The aim is to generate leads, boost sales or increase web traffic by creating brand awareness.

The success of content marketing is measured by the conversion rates, engagement metrics or web traffic generated by a piece of content. For PR, it may be the number of viewer impressions or media placements. PR may also rely on sentiment analysis to determine the success of its efforts.

I believe that combining PR and content marketing works best for all businesses. Believe it or not, both are two sides of the same coin. PR and content marketing focus on creating valuable information for different audiences.

By combining the two approaches, you can:

Find new channels to widen your reach and impact.
Use content created by PR teams with the infographics your content marketing team develops to broaden your reach.
Use PR and content marketing to highlight your accomplishments and create a positive brand image.
Help drive engagement through feedback and comments, which you can use to design future campaigns.
When PR and content marketing work hand in hand, you can prevent outdated information from making it to the news, ensuring that new campaigns are more coordinated.

Conclusion

PR and content marketing are a dynamic duo. Combining the two can help you make the most of your marketing efforts in the real and virtual worlds.