Unsure whether to promote your business through marketing or public relations (PR)?
Give PR and marketing are closely related and work in tandem, it can be difficult to determine which is most likely to help you achieve your specific marketing objectives.
However, by learning a little more about the difference between PR and marketing, you can make a more informed decision when it comes to how you promote your business.
Is PR considered part of marketing?
Yes, PR is a core component of the marketing mix and is often integral in the strategies of many businesses – regardless of their size or the sector they operate in.
PR versus marketing: What are the differences?
As PR can be included in the broader category of marketing, telling them apart isn’t always easy.
Typically, they can be broken down as below:
Which is better, PR or marketing?
When it comes PR vs marketing, neither one is “better” than the other. Instead, they both play distinct roles in business promotion and are most effective when used together.
However, if you’re being pushed to decide between the two, it all comes down to suitability – as the right choice for your organisation depends heavily on your business stage, goals, and resources.
To make this decision easier, we’ve identified some of the different reasons and circumstances for choosing one over the other.
When to consider marketing
Focusing your efforts on marketing may be preferable if you want to:
Establish your business first
Many businesses might start out with key marketing activities to create a solid foundation for their business to flourish.
This can include a range of tried-and-true marketing efforts like SEO to build online visibility, paid advertising like PPC (Pay-Per-Click) to drive revenue, and email marketing to nurture leads.
Then, once the business becomes more profitable and can dedicate more of their budget to marketing efforts, PR can be a wise element to add into the existing mix to build greater trust and credibility.
Start driving sales and leads
Most businesses rely on those all-important sales and leads to keep them going in those first few months or even years. And while PR has many benefits, its main purpose isn’t to drive sales and conversions.
Other marketing activities, such as paid advertising, personalised email campaigns, and SEO, are far more effective in helping businesses to be achieve these aims, ensuring their products or services can be found and purchased by their target audience!
Target a specific audience
Every business has a particular audience in mind that’s more likely to buy their products or services. However, some organisations have incredibly niche audiences which require precise targeting based on their specific demographics, interests, or behaviour.
With paid advertising and email campaigns, it’s much easier to reach a particular audience (no matter how niche it might be!), subsequently increasing the chances of both engagement and conversions.
When to consider PR
Turning your attention to PR may be a more appropriate option if you want to:
Launch your company with a bang!
PR can also be incredibly from the offset if you want to drive anticipation and stir up a real buzz upon opening! Whether you’re launching a new restaurant or online store, PR is an effective way to spread awareness, drive demand, and get people talking about your business!
Become a thought leader
PR is a must-have marketing activity if you want to establish yourself a thought leader in your industry. This is because it helps to broadcast your expert opinions and insights across multiple, reputable publications.
Google’s more recent E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) algorithm changes also emphasise the importance of having expertise for increasing your online rankings, which means being a thought leader can boost your online visibility, too.
This is particularly important if you operate within the YMYL (“Your Money or Your Life) SEO categories where expertise is essential, such as the health, legal, and finance sectors.
Manage a PR crisis or negative publicity
If your business is facing (or likely to come up against!) scrutiny, PR can help you to manage the public perception of your organisation by tackling any negativity and fostering a more positive brand image.
Looking for digital marketing or PR help? Talk to Aqueous today!
If you’re still struggling to get your marketing mix right, don’t hesitate to speak to the digital marketing specialists at Aqueous!
We offer free, no-obligation consultations which include a full website review and audit, highlighting the areas where we believe we can add tangible value to your business.
Our wide range of digital marketing services include digital PR, SEO, and paid advertising, so you can rest assured that our in-house team will be able to tailor the right mix of channels to meet your specific business objectives.
To learn more about how Aqueous Digital can help improve your online visibility, build your brand recognition, and drive user engagement, simply reach out today using our online contact form!
You can also request your free, no-obligation consultation by:
Phone: 0800 285 1424
Or email: hello@aqueous-digital.co.uk
