What is PR? Breaking It Down To Basics.
In this article we will strip PR back to its basics by exploring the meaning of and different types of PR, as well as the benefits that positive PR can have on your business. Learning these basics will leave you in a better position to score the PR coverage that your business deserves! So, let’s break it down…
PR, standing for Public Relations, is used by companies to create and maintain a positive brand identity in the eyes of consumers. The IPRA (International Public Relations Association) defines PR as “a decision-making management practice tasked with building relationships and interests between organisations and their publics based on the delivery of information through trusted and ethical communication methods”. Simply put, PR is the process of building relationships and communication between a business, brand or organisation and its audience (or public).
“Earned” Advertisement
A big part of PR is the promotion of a business without the use of paid ads. This form of promotion is often seen by consumers to be more authentic and trustworthy, having been “earned” through the company’s merit and promoted from an external source. Examples of this can include positive coverage from both the press and influencers, as the journalist or influencer’s recommendation is seen to hold a much higher value than a paid-for-press ad.
As a PR agency, we work with clients to reach their PR goals and improve their brand awareness, trust, and growth. Since working with our client “Into The Wylde”, we have helped them to achieve increased attention from the press, being featured by the Daily Star and independent journalists, as well as scoring coverage from top influencers relevant to their brand and target audience. This kind of coverage is invaluable for businesses as it helps in improving the reputation of a brand, building trust with consumers and opening communication between the brand and its public – something that paid-for ads cannot do!
Podcasts
As well as press and influencer attention, PR can also include coverage like podcast appearances. Podcasts are rapidly growing in popularity and are a new media source to embrace when creating a PR strategy. Podcast appearances help businesses by targeting consumers who may otherwise be too busy to consume other acquired press coverage (as, according to Edison Research, over half of podcast listeners multitask while listening) as well as aiding in the improvement of a website’s SEO ranking.
Guest Posting
Another type of PR, which also holds the added benefit of improving SEO ranking is guest posting. A guest post is something a brand can post to an external website, relevant to their field and target audience, and is a PR tactic used to attract online traffic to the guest poster. Content marketing like this can often be used alongside PR campaigns to maximise success when aiming to achieve the intended goals of improving brand awareness, trust and growth, cementing a brand’s audience and place within its industry.
To Summarise
To summarise, Public Relations is the process of building relationships and communication between a business and its public. This can be done in many different ways, including but not limited to press coverage, influencer coverage, podcast appearances and guest posting. It can increase the brand awareness, brand trust and brand growth of a business, ultimately also leading to an increase in profits. PR can also help to improve or build a positive brand reputation, aiding in gaining the trust of targeted consumers.
Abbie is a PR & Content Marketing Intern at Unearth PR
Instagram ~ @abbiemarks.portfolio