Communications firms – like Eagle Marketing & Design – often offer both public relations and marketing services. And the lines between the two practices can look blurry for those outside the field. The overall goal is similar when it comes to both public relations and marketing: to increase exposure and improve attitudes surrounding a product or client. However, their audiences, tools and measures of success are different. Here’s a breakdown of what sets marketing and PR apart.
Public Relations Focuses on Reputation Management
Mark Twain once wrote: “The public is the only critic whose judgment is worth anything at all.”
This idea encapsulates why companies should take public relations seriously. Public relations focuses on maintaining or improving a company’s reputation and keeping it in the public eye. PR practitioners communicate with all different types of stakeholders – not just customers and potential customers.
Crisis communications and media relations typically fall under the umbrella of public relations. A PR professional might help clients:
- Write and distribute press releases
- Manage social media accounts
- Conduct market research
- Track media mentions
- Respond to press inquiries
- Reply to online reviews
- React to emergency situations
- Manage internal communications and more…
Public relations practitioners are usually responsible for earning media attention. They must build relationships with reporters and editors, issue statements, organize interviews and press conferences and communicate with internal audiences, like employees and board members.
Marketing Links More Directly to the Bottom Line
On the other hand, marketers are most interested in connecting with customers and increasing sales. They typically focus on promoting a business or product through paid and owned media. There are many different types of marketing these days, including traditional methods like print or television advertising, and newer forms, like influencer campaigns. Marketers might be responsible for:
- Social media advertising
- Search engine marketing
- Brand sponsorships
- Content marketing
- Print and broadcast advertising
- Physical collateral and more…
Marketing & PR Work Hand-in-Hand
After looking at the differences between marketing and PR, it’s probably no surprise that the fields usually measure success differently too. When evaluating a public relations campaign, practitioners may look at media mentions, social media interactions or website traffic. However, a marketing campaign is more likely to be measured by revenue or leads generated.
Another difference: The immediate payoff may be clearer for marketing than public relations. Marketing can have a direct impact on an organization’s bottom line. But marketers rely on PR practitioners to maintain a company’s good standing, which is essential for long-term success. For example, a 2020 study shows consumers are four times more likely to purchase something from a company that has a strong purpose. It would typically fall under the purview of public relations to help convey that purpose to consumers.
Therefore, a successful communications strategy should include both marketing and public relations initiatives, and there are times – especially for small businesses – when public relations and marketing overlap. Small businesses with limited budgets can benefit from choosing a communications partner with expertise in both fields.
We can employ best practices from both marketing and public relations to give your message wings.
