By Rachel Peck

In the age of holistic public relations and marketing strategies, many organizations are still confused as to the main purpose of PR. Some might envision antiquated ideas of PR professionals crafting press releases daily, constantly pitching clients and products. While press release writing and pitches remain an important part of our daily practice, in the age of social media and content marketing, PR has transcended beyond those traditional functions. Here are a few ways PR is more than just product announcements:

Good public relations tells your story
The scope of public relations has grown exponentially in the last few years, like many aspects of the communications professions, to now lean heavily into content creation. PR agencies can no longer offer just valuable media connections, they have to offer a comprehensive list of other content creation services to clients. Public relations is about telling the story of a brand, person or business and this can be achieved through content creation, social media management, website development and much more. By weaving a consistent narrative and developing crucial relationships with an audience, PR goes above and beyond press releases.

Public relations is sustainable
Especially right now, planning for your business’ future should be top of mind. When you experience unprecedented circumstances and your organization is forced to put product announcements on hold, the question of how to stay relevant and part of the conversation is an important one.. This is where a good PR strategy can assist. Public relations is a marathon. It’s all about playing the long-game, which is why the work you’re doing today should be setting the stage  for future successes. Building a sustainable PR strategy includes increasing touch points with the media and your audience through social media channels, blogs, videos and other forms of owned media. With all these elements working in tandem with your marketing, you’ll no longer have to rely solely on product or news releases for exposure.

Public relations is all about relationships
This is one of the most obvious elements of PR, however it’s often overlooked. PR should involve creating and maintaining relationships with industry media, as well as between a brand and their audience. It shouldn’t be salesy, or promotional. Instead, it should focus on enhancing the mission and  accessibility of a brand, and establishing company spokespeople as experts in their field. Increasing the focus to include brand authenticity and transparency will only increase the trust of your audience  – something that has become paramount to consumers in recent years. 

These are only a few examples of how public relations exceeds simply creating and distributing press releases. At the end of the day, PR is multi-faceted and if utilized properly, will enhance your brand.

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