Five Reasons Why Public Relations Matters in A Digital Content World

In today’s digital content marketing environment where a strong presence in Google search can influence how your business is perceived, businesses must work harder than ever to build awareness and credibility. The traditional methods of advertising and marketing are longer enough to stand out in a crowded and over communicated marketplace.

That’s where public relations comes in. Public relations, or PR, is the practice of building relationships with media outlets, influencers, and key industry players to gain coverage and establish your company as a thought leader in your field. Expand that to encompass the digital nature of content, and you enter the field of Digital Public Relations, which is the process of creating and sustaining an influential presence on the digital web.

Here are five reasons why public relations and digital public relations should be an essential part of your B2B company’s marketing strategy:

1. Thought Leadership

First, Public relations can help establish your company as a thought leader in your industry. By securing media coverage in industry publications through proactive media relations outreach, your company can become established as an expert in its field, gaining credibility with potential customers. For example, if your company specializes in developing software for the finance industry, securing coverage in a well-respected finance publication can help position your company as a leader in that space. This can help attract potential customers who are looking for a reputable and knowledgeable company to work with. This coverage could be a mention of your company in a roundup story, publishing of a press release on a new launch, interview with a key executive, etc. It’s all about reinforcing your company’s authority in a targeted way.

2. Raise Awareness

Second, Public relations can help you reach a larger audience. By securing coverage in major publications or highly trafficked websites, your company can reach a wider audience, at a much more efficient cost, than it would be able to through paid advertising alone. For example, if your company is featured in a popular business magazine or online outlet, this helps expose your company to an audience that may not have otherwise known or heard about your business. This can lead to more leads and ultimately more sales. And depending on how you have Google Analytics set up on your site, you can track the success of a PR mention by analyzing how many new visitors came to your site through the coverage.

3. Build Relationships

Third, Public relations can help you build relationships with key influencers in your industry  relationships that can continue to bring value to your company for years. By building relationships with journalists and industry thought leaders, your company can gain valuable insight into industry trends, leading to a stronger influence source in gaining potential new customers. For example, if your company is able to establish a good working relationship with a journalist who covers your industry, they may be more likely to feature your company in their stories over time, which can lead to more visibility for your company.

4. Reputation Management

Fourth, Public relations can help you manage your company’s reputation. In the digital era, it’s more important than ever to be able to control, or at least publicly steer, the public narrative about your company. By working with a public relations professional, you can ensure that your company is presenting itself in the best possible light. For example, if your company is facing a crisis, such as a product recall, a well-crafted PR strategy can help mitigate the damage to your company’s reputation by getting ahead of the story and controlling the narrative.

5. Competitive Advantage

Fifth, Public relations can help you stay ahead of the competition. By keeping an eye on industry trends and monitoring your competitors’ media coverage through digital tools such as BuzzSumo, your company can stay ahead of the curve and be prepared to respond to any challenges that may arise. For example, if your company is aware that a new competitor is entering the market, you can use PR to position your company as the established leader in the space, which can help mitigate any potential loss of market share.

That wraps up this blog post on five reasons why public relations matters in a digital content world. Overall, public relations is an essential tool for building awareness and credibility for B2B companies in the digital media era. By leveraging the power of media coverage and establishing relationships with key influencers, brands can reach a wider audience, establish themselves as thought leaders, and stay ahead of the competition. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your company to the next level, a well-crafted public relations strategy can help you achieve your business goals.