The Essential Function of Content Marketing in Public Relations Strategy w/ Gabriella Layne
It’s the question that never gets old: What is the difference between public relations and marketing?
The focus on differentiating these two essential practices has been so overanalyzed that it’s led them to often be misinterpreted as two completely separate communication strategies. But the truth of the matter is that they may not be twins, but they are DEFINITELY sisters.
Wait Gabby — wth does that even mean?
Public relations and marketing have deep-rooted codependency that makes them far more impactful when they are strategically combined. And as a matter of fact, I strongly believe that in the future Public Relations may need to rely on the power of content marketing, even more, to maintain its impact as a key communications tool for brands.
But before I tell you why, let’s go back to the basics for a moment, shall we? Here’s a quick refresher on your Public Relations 101 course:
Public relations is a communication tool used to manage relationships and build trust between a brand and its ‘publics.’
Content Marketing is a communication strategy used to increase demand and interest in a brand and its offerings through engagement and interaction on its branded channels.
Okay duh, you know that. But are you seeing a pattern here?
Both public relations and marketing are forms of communication that rely on storytelling.
At the center of all of this storytelling is the opportunity for brands to claim next level authority among their target audiences. And as communication professionals, how can we say no to that?
As promising as this strategy sounds, it’s not really an option anymore — it’s become a high stakes necessity. Media is an essential tool that we use as P.R. Professionals, but lately, it’s seriously been losing its edge. According to Social Media Today, the trust factor of media among consumers was at a mere 10% in 2017. Yikes. And the media isn’t the only industry that’s tanking in the trust department; this same report indicated that the trust factor among marketing & advertising was only at 4%.
The plummeting trust factor for both Public Relations and Marketing is a huge indicator of how rapidly these industries are shifting — and how important it is that P.R. professionals find a way to shift with it quickly.
Need more proof? Here’s a breakdown of how these low trust factors have caused a major shift in the P.R. and Marketing industries:
Press releases aren't nearly as important as they once were. According to a study conducted by Muck Rack, 53% of journalists don't use press releases to find story ideas.
Social media matters to journalists more than ever. 41 % of journalists said they consider a story’s potential for social media sharing when considering if they should write about it. Going 'viral' on social media has also now become newsworthy
Marketing jargon & salesy promotions are no longer enough.Conversational language and brands 'speaking from the heart' have become the new standard for connecting with audiences by reflecting what they want and believe in words their customers actually use.
Brands are becoming their own media companies. Brands are beginning to create content marketing strategies that are formulated as editorial calendars; tapping into relevant news/social topics and aligned interests of their audiences to create content that engages beyond selling. This turns brands into sources for information and community.
What this all means is that the key defining factor of social relevance has become storytelling through social media.
It's not so much about creating new buzz and talking to your audience anymore as it is about understanding what the buzz is and figuring out how to align with it organically by talking with your audience — not at them. It’s a simple yet transformative shift that has the potential to revive the trust factor and positive impact of both of these industries.
The benefits of using content marketing as a key driver of Public Relations don’t end there. Centering storytelling through content marketing in P.R strategies can also help practitioners:
Break through the clutter of full inboxes and focus on building genuine connections with Editors & Journalists on social media
Use social media as a media kit by chronicling newsworthy moments and using them to create captivating, shareable content that might land on the right set of eyes at a media company
Position your brand/client as an industry authority, opening the door for opportunities for featured interviews or requests for quotes about socially relevant topics
Use insights to provide perspective on what is peaking interests and apply those same concepts to story pitches for media
Good stuff right? But to reap all of these benefits, P.R. professionals need to start becoming a much bigger part of the content marketing conversation.
P.R. Practitioners are on the pulse of what is happening in the media, what conversations people care about, and how to connect brands to those conversations. They need to be in the room when content strategies are being created so that the brand's marketing efforts can support its P.R. efforts.
These responsibilities may not align with the traditional role of a P.R. practitioner, but there’s a huge mutual benefit to this approach. Many P.R. pitches can also make for incredible content marketing campaigns. Just because it's used for one, doesn't mean it can't be used for the other.
Your client gets tons of amazing shareable content ideas and you get an incredible list of pitches to share with the media. Sounds like a win win in my book, what about you?
So what’s the verdict: Have I sold you on the reasons why content marketing should be used as an essential function P.R. strategy?
If so, here a few tips on how to use content marketing as a driver of PR strategy:
Focus less on telling & more on doing by creating experiences, tapping into relevant conversations, and providing value. This provides more content AND more angles for PR pitches.
Use social media as social proof of your brand's relevance and impact.
Become a community for connectivity and conversation by paying attention to what's being covered by targeted outlets and aligning your content marketing strategy with relevant topics & pop culture
In other words, sometimes the most newsworthy moments come from minding your business and creating dope content.
The future of Public Relations relies on using social media and other content marketing platforms to craft authentic narratives that can translate into newsworthy stories. By combining these two powerful communication strategies, brands can expect to see much stronger results from their efforts that go beyond generating sales and lead to establishing strong authority among their core audience.
