What is Public Relations? - Earned Media vs. Paid Ads
Public relations (or PR for short) is considered ‘earned media’, and differs from marketing strategies or paid advertisements. However, they are all part of the same ‘ecosystem’ of spreading information, while attempting to change public perception of your brand, driving traffic to your website and converting sales. Let’s break it down…
Marketing is mailing lists, social media channels, and hand-to-hand promotion. Those are all forms of marketing. It is a great strategy to implement when directly targeting the subscribers, customers, or followers you already have.
Advertising is directly paying for the space (a billboard, magazine page, radio announcement, etc.) to share the exact message you craft to reach your end customer. It’s basically pay-to-play.
Public Relations is the third-party validation from the press, media outlets, and content creators. It is ‘planting seeds’ of opportunity that can blossom into a front-page story in the NY Times. It is listening to the current news cycle and seeing where there is an opportunity for your story to be shared and amplified. Public relations is connecting with the right people at the right time. It is being patient and persistent while advocating for what you believe in. PR is the sentiment and tone of how you are being presented to the public, and it can be a powerful tool to use in your marketing strategies.
These three things, Marketing, Advertising, and PR, often mix together in the form of advertorials, paid sponsorships, tabling at events, speaking on a panel, or boosting a post on Facebook. Knowing how they all work together and compliment each other will get you to the next level in your career and business, amplify your story to a wider audience, or lead to new partnerships and investors.
Why Public Relations is Beneficial – Earned Media vs. Paid Advertisement
Public Relations builds relationships and brand awareness. It creates an emotional connection to your business or brand, while marketing and ads focus on making sales and driving traffic to your business.
Scenario One: You’re scrolling through Facebook and you see an ad for a local diner down the street. It reads, “Best Burger in Town”. The vibrant picture of the burger caught your eye, but the “Sponsored Ad” branding the corner of the image makes you question its integrity. It also makes you think, doesn’t everyone claim they have the “Best Burger in Town?”
Scenario Two: You’re scrolling through Facebook, and you see your friend share a blog post titled, “Best Diners in the City,” so you click on it. While scrolling through the article, you see the same diner from scenario one, but instead of instantly writing it off as an ad, you consider what the article has to say. After all, it’s a review from an actual person, who is probably an expert in that subject.
If you haven’t guessed yet, scenario two is earned media. Instead of being under the harsh light of an “AD,” earned media allows people to appreciate a business in a more genuine light because the information didn’t come directly from the business, but from a third-party source. If a known blogger writes “Best Diner in the City,” then people are more inclined to think that it must be a good diner. If you walked by a billboard that says, “Best Diner in Town,” you’re more likely to shrug it off.
How Can PR Benefit Me?
You can build a loyal following by establishing a relationship with your audience through storytelling and authenticity.
Yes, you make some sales through Facebook ads, but where are your loyal fans? If you’re not making any sales, we think it’s time you get started on making a buzz about your business in the news.
Generate business leads.
Effective public relations can improve business outcomes by generating new leads. When your company is in the news, your current fans and community cheer you on! It gets people excited about your company and will encourage people to share that news too. You’ll also be able to reach people that may have never heard of you before, generating new interest in your brand.
Position yourself as an expert in your field.
PR plays a central role in showing people that you’re amazing at what you do and have something to offer them. You are seen as someone with wisdom, ideas, and insight that is valuable to other people. Being seen as an expert elevates your platform and allows you the opportunity to give back and share your experiences and knowledge while gaining the trust of potential customers.
This campaign positioned Anthem Salgado as an expert in his field as a business coach to the Filipina entrepreneur community.
Ready to learn more?
The PapaLoDown team at the 10th-anniversary celebration of the company. They were presented with a certificate of Commendation from the city of Daly City for their work in the community, amplifying women of color-owned businesses.
Schedule a complimentary call where we can answer your questions about how PR can help you or your business. You can also email us your questions at paloma@papalodown.com.
Whether you're looking for a long-term partner to manage your brand image, want to focus on a specific campaign that positions you as an expert in your field, or planning a milestone event, our team is here to amplify your story.