The Shifting PR + Marketing Landscape: How To Promote Your Business in 2019

ONE OF MARKETING + PR’S MOST HARD-EARNED LESSONS IS THAT YOU NEED TO STAY AHEAD OF THE TREND. THIS IS WHY IT’S DESTRUCTIVE TO NOT CONSTANTLY ASK “WHAT’S NEXT?” FOR THE NEEDS OF YOUR AUDIENCE. SINCE CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGES YEAR-BY-YEAR, PLATFORM-BY-PLATFORM, IT’S NOT PRODUCTIVE TO GET STUCK ON WHAT’S WORKED IN THE PAST — AND WHAT YOU THINK WILL WORK IN THE FUTURE.

This may be surprising, but marketing + PR is about basic human connection and needs, which do not change as rapidly as the landscape. It’s simply a matter of meeting buyers where they are.

The leading PR strategy prior to new social was a mixture of reputation management and promotion, as we’ve come to know marketing as well. Although similar in action, marketing’s goal is to drive conversions and sales instead of boosting brand reputation.

This has surely changed: we have digital agencies fighting it out with PR for community management and content creation, advertising pitching PR ideas, and marketers who write press releases and thought leadership pieces.

Despite the shift in the landscape — we all fight for the same thing: the minds and hearts of the consumer. And where is the mind and heart of today’s consumer? Social media.

Since social media is the top news source for 2/3 adults, there’s much to be said on how it influences the marketing + PR space. Big story breaks no longer happen in print or on the 5 o’clock news. It happens in real-time on social platforms and rapidly pushes editors and reporters into areas they cannot control.

The last change of landscape stated the media is your customer. But it’s not — the customer is now your media. The overlap between marketing + pr happens here. PR’s big business was building relationships. Now, marketing is in the business of relationship building, brand awareness, and consumer sentiment.

So what does that mean for you?

HOW CONTENT MARKETING HAS CHANGED MEDIA

The trend is clear: content marketing is the new PR.

Of course, PR has its place in business because it’s based on 3 things: conversation, communication, and connection, and media contacts are a valuable asset. Still, there’s no questioning the bigger picture: content marketing pushed the limits of what marketing could be.

This is good news because brand awareness and impressions are traditionally in PR’s wheelhouse — alongside a hefty price tag. 67% of in-house communications leaders report that comms is now part of their marketing function — not separate. So it’s not that brands are turning away from PR, but a shift in who manages communications for the best value.

Medium, LinkedIn Pulse, Quora, Twitter — new marketing channels continue open the door to free and accessible outlets for brand communication. Think about what that means.

You have the power to build your own narrative. No longer are brands reliant on media to tell their stories for them (and do it accurately!). Strategically creating your own voice gives you a competitive advantage over brands who use the same tried-and-true templates. Think Wendy’s reimagined personality, and how it grew the company’s market share, changed consumer perception, and now influences it’s own television ads.

You have the power to shape a particular industry. Word-of-mouth is still the most powerful marketing tactic. In fact, 92% of consumers trust earned media, or recommendations from friends and family, over traditional advertising. Now, executive leadership can be done in a more direct and human manner rather than through new outlets. Executive business leaders, such as SexTech revolution leader Cindy Gallop, have realized the power of self-promotion on social.

Your readers now influence media. Traditional PR tactics relied on media connections and publicity. Plus, the hope that PR lands your article in front of many targeted eyes. The media today flock to social networks and forums to curate the content they need — the customer is now your media. Q & A site Quora is notorious for attracting the likes of major publications including Forbes, TIME, Business Insider, Inc., and more.

You’ve probably come across articles similar to the ones below.

HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM THE SHIFT

The most successful brand promotion campaigns have a clear purpose. Because of the shifting landscape, you can’t focus on one type of media — campaigns need to flow between paid and unpaid media.

Before you commit to any promotional activity, you need to define the conversations you want to lead and be laser-focused in your approach to content marketing + PR. If not, you risk decoupling lead generation, reputation management, and sales.

Below are some ways to handle your business in this shifting landscape:

1. Become your own publisher. For years you’d hope that media outlets will pick up your story, but now you control distribution. Evolving social and digital channels let brands exchange information, promote, and talk directly with customers. Now, brands can tell their own story, grow influence, and share content — all on their own terms.
2. Endorse both in-house and third-party influencers. Credentialed journalists are slowly losing authority. Instead, buyers are turning to direct relationships with influencers and the brands who support them. And as it turns out, content shared from and created by influencers provided 11x ROI compared to traditional paid banner ads.
3. Measure everything from vanity to engagement metrics. 54% of senior comm leaders place analytics and reporting among the top three most important activities for brands — a 9% uptick from 2017. Because content marketing + PR are now tightly coupled, the crossover of data can be leveraged to better learn, engage, and connect with your audiences.
4. Speak up on social. People want to read stories, be inspired, and know that someone is listening to them. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion (as long as it’s compliant with legal, of course). Not only does a strong story create buzz in your community, it also attracts media to you instead of the other way around.
5. Invest in video. Actively create visual collateral for promotion — whether it’s an animated explainer, scripted production, or live stream. Video assets prove extremely high engagement rates for consumers, as well as attract producers in certain media groups.

SOME FINAL WORDS

Understanding the changing landscape is critical to success. Collaborate with your colleagues and build communications campaigns that look at all aspects of marketing + PR.