Today, PR encompasses much more than media relations. It has evolved into a unified discipline aimed at creating the right message for the right audience in the right way. It serves as a key component of an integrated communication strategy, including earned, shared, owned, and paid media.
Here are some of the most relevant functions a PR plan offers companies:
1. Supporting brand discovery
The search for products and services on the web has increased.
Did you know?
- 64% of users report discovering new brands through digital channels (Global Web Index).
In this scenario, PR plays an increasingly important role as part of integrated marketing communication to maximize the discoverability of brand content at the right digital touchpoints, with the right content, at the right time.
2. Maintaining Two-Way communication online
By maintaining a two-way conversation between your brand and its customers, lasting relationships are built, humanizing the brand, and fostering loyalty, interest, and engagement. In this sense, social media, blogs, and content platforms have reshaped the media landscape. They have become more than platforms for marketing, design, and promoting products, services, and personal brands. They now allow businesses to connect directly with their consumers and other stakeholders.
60% of PR professionals expect marketing and advertising teams to be key allies in the future.
3. Collaborating on integrated marketing communication strategies
The collaboration between PR and digital marketing strengthens actions within integrated communication strategies through the Combined Media Model (paid, earned, shared, and owned media). This approach ensures broader and more solid reach in digital media while measuring results that help businesses grow. Aligning the message and distributing valuable and relevant content is essential to reaching the target audience and ensuring success.
4. Corporate Reputation: Key to attracting and retaining clients
Managing corporate reputation involves targeted efforts and campaigns to promote content that positively highlights an organization’s image. PR plays a critical role in delivering the right message to the right people in the right place. This leads to a stronger brand reputation, opening new opportunities and increasing brand awareness.
5. Nurturing relationships with stakeholders
Empathy with stakeholders and effective relationship management are essential. Consumer trust and client relationships are vital. Communication specialists must understand what motivates their customers and teams, leveraging that knowledge to support employee needs and create cohesive and inspiring communications.
6. Collaborating with the C-Suite
To attract new markets, collaboration between the C-suite and teams must adopt an innovative and profitable collective work vision. Consistently offering innovative ideas ensures stakeholders remain engaged and transforms brands or leaders into authoritative figures. Through comprehensive training and practical simulations, executives can confidently deliver key brand messages and address audience concerns.
7. Demonstrating the value of PR for businesses
Today, a variety of digital listening and analysis tools exist to set benchmarks and measure the success of PR strategies with actionable KPIs. These tools also demonstrate how PR contributes to achieving business objectives.
In the words of English writer C. S. Lewis: “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” We are at a critical moment where transformation and teamwork are crucial to keeping brands relevant in the face of customers who have changed how they interact with them. Leverage the benefits PR can bring to your business.