In a world that is constantly evolving in every regard, it is no surprise that the methods brands use to grow their presence change over time. In the past, brands predominantly relied on traditional PR to establish a strong foundation for business.

Then, with digital marketing, this reliance shifted more towards digital PR, where online sources were utilized to boost brand awareness and present a business to the world at large. Since this kind of PR proved to be way more effective than the traditional forms, it stuck around.

Today, digital PR is still one of the most potent ways for brands to shed light on who they are as a brand. However, it has one powerful competitor that brings the same (if not better) advantages to the table. It is none other than content marketing.

The battle of content marketing and public relations is a close one and deciding what does your business need may not be as easy as it seems.

So, if you’re truly curious to find out which one is the right fit for you between content marketing and public relations, keep reading!

Defining Content Marketing

Content marketing is possibly the latest, most modern form of marketing. It stems from the growing importance attached to great content and is, therefore, more or less the need of the time. Content is one of the most effective ways to promote a business (source).

The main idea behind content marketing is to use different pieces of content to reach out to your target audience and engage them with your brand. The various forms include blog posts, eBooks, influencers, videos, checklists, testimonials, infographics, case studies, customer reviews, trending visuals, memes, whitepapers, and user-generated content. A business can use all these forms or limit itself to two or three. Either way, these vehicles are fool-proof methods of engaging an audience.

Content marketing is essential for a brand because it can help you build connections with your audience, boost conversion, improve your SEO strategy, and generate some precious leads. A. good content marketing strategy does all of this very subtly. This means it does not force people into taking action and hence is perceived as a genuine marketing effort by the general public.

Defining Public Relations

Technically, Public Relations or PR is the communication process between your brand and the audience. PR professionals ensure that the public maintains a favorable opinion of the organization. PR agencies help in upkeeping the reputation of the brand.

Traditional PR, which is somewhat outdated in a digital corporate atmosphere, is related to television, radio, magazines, news sources, press releases etc. On the other hand, digital PR is associated with more “modern” sources such as social media, blogs, and websites. Email is another important form of digital PR – more than 293 billion emails are sent every day, which is expected to increase to more than 333 billion by 2022 (Source)!

In actuality, digital PR also retains some of the elements found in traditional PR and can be seen as somewhat of an amalgamation between the two.

PR teams are essential for a brand because it ensures that your clients and prospective clients maintain the desired perception. Through effective PR, you get to build the required trust and credibility you need for the success of your brand.

Choosing Between PR and Content Marketing

The best thing you can do for your business is to implement a strategy that upholds content marketing and public relations. A marketing approach that combines PR and Content can boost your brand presence, as you will essentially be getting a best-of-both-worlds situation!

However, what should be focusing on between content marketing and public relations is a choice depending on what you ultimately want to achieve. If you think the best thing for your business to establish interest in your brand and generate engagement, content marketing is the right option. If you want to define the public’s perception of your business actively, then you must focus on PR. A marketing campaign that uses both is like building mutually beneficial relationships.

Both content marketing and public relations are critical, so regardless of what you choose to concentrate on, make sure you’re not neglecting others.