If a public relations (PR) agency doesn’t buy ads and advertising, doesn’t draft stories for reporters, doesn’t put up billboards, doesn’t create catchy phrases to make people buy more products… Then what does it do? Although advertising agencies and public relations agencies share a goal: to promote clients to position themselves as successful, important, interesting, or relevant organizations, the paths, and activities to achieve this brand recognition are quite different. Most people understand that advertising, both in traditional and digital media, is paid for by the client and this causes it to be viewed with some skepticism. On the contrary, traditional, and digital public relations can support companies in all phases of their growth, promote them through editorial coverage, making their stories known on websites or social networks, which we know as earned media.
This presence in earned media, as well as the participation of corporate spokespersons in these media, has the advantage of granting third-party validation and in general, audiences view such content in a more organic and favorable way. The Public Relations Society of America defines public relations management as: anticipating, analyzing, and interpreting public opinion, attitudes, and issues that may affect, for better or worse, the organization’s operations and plans.
Functions of a Public Relations agency
- Create a public relations plan and implement efforts to influence the public’s perception of a brand, as well as create ambassadors or spokespersons through internal communication.
- Maximize the brand’s discoverability at the points of contact with its regular and potential customers, who during their purchase journey seek information according to their specific interests and motivations, and in the formats, they like to consume.
- Advise all levels of the organization regarding decisions on policies, lines of action, and communication, considering the public repercussions and social responsibility that the organization has with its stakeholders.
- Generate relevant, educational, entertaining, current, and SEO-optimized content with search keywords, for its different audiences, in order to create an emotional bond and engagement.
- Analyze the organization, find its key messages, and transform this information into relevant brand stories.
- Research, conduct, and continuously evaluate action and communication programs through actionable KPIs to achieve understanding of their audiences and ensure the success of an organization’s objectives: positioning, reputation building and positive image, crisis management, employee relations, community, organic influencers, among other programs.
- Expand business contacts through visibility opportunities or forums, networking, attendance, and/or event sponsorship.
Tactics performed by a Public Relations agency
- Traditional media – Traditional media have evolved in recent years, shifting toward digital formats. Most of them now operate websites, online TV, and/or radio, generating a significant portion of their revenue through online subscriptions, digital advertising, and sponsored online content.
These traditional media outlets also manage social media accounts where they share published content, and their journalists use these platforms to conduct live reporting and share materials. Furthermore, they add credibility and weight to shared content, making them an excellent opportunity for brands to build awareness through trusted third parties.
- Content marketing – generation and distribution of relevant, educational, entertaining, current, and optimized content to maximize discoverability throughout an integrated communication strategy, create an emotional bond and engagement. It can be a press release, articles and editorial collaborations about the company, the industry, and topics of interest to its markets, content for own or earned blogs, visual or audio content for social networks.
- Influencer marketing – it’s a type of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product mentions from influential people: individuals who have dedicated social media followers and are seen as experts in their niche. B2B influencers in the industry can be used, with the aim of building digital relationships and creating mutually beneficial plans to increase the brand’s digital identity and reputation.
- Face-to-face, digital, or hybrid events – create and execute special events designed for stakeholders. This provides the opportunity to expand business contacts through visibility by networking, attendance and/or event sponsorship, and drive website traffic, which increases potential customers and generates brand awareness on social media.
- Reputation management – define recovery and communication strategies in crisis situations, using online tools to monitor brand mentions and respond to criticism, comments, and positive or negative online conversations.
- Social listening / Industry monitoring – to discover opportunities to act on trending content and learn about brand-related conversations.
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Why hire an Integrated Public Relations and Marketing Agency?
In the current communication environment that includes traditional media, social media, influencer marketing, and other communication channels; a good public relations agency will help clients increase brand awareness, expand visibility among their audiences, and achieve the essential discovery for success in the digital world.
PR is a strategic investment that can provide a significant return by improving image and reputation, generating trust and credibility, managing crises and mitigating their negative impact, increasing visibility, lead generation, competitive differentiation, cost savings, and establishing solid relationships with various audiences, all of which can contribute to the success, increased sales/demand, and sustainable growth of a company.
Take advantage of public relations to generate and win spaces in the mind – positioning – and heart – commitment – of customers as indicated by one of my favorite quotes that have to do with the definition of public relations from Reader’s Digest, attributed to M. Booth and Associates about the circus in town.
If the circus comes to town and you paint a sign that says: ‘The circus is coming to town on Saturday’… that’s advertising. If you put the sign on the elephant’s back and walk it around town… that’s promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor’s garden… that’s free advertising. And if you can make the mayor smile about that event… that’s PUBLIC RELATIONS.”