In the past, public relations and marketing were two completely separate things. However, with the advent and increased use of the internet, these two areas are more closely linked than ever. In fact, it is a good idea to integrate these two facets of your business to get the most bang for your buck. Using digital marketing efforts to also beef up your PR is one way to make your business grow and succeed.
The Basics
The whole reason why PR and marketing are now integrated is because the natural nature of digital marketing makes it so easy to do. Digital marketing is about much more than just advertising deals and products. It is about connecting with customers and building relationships, which is PR’s usual gig. If digital marketing is done without making that connection, it can fall flat. However, many marketing professionals don’t have all the skills it takes to be able to perform that sort of job. This is where PR professionals can step in to help out and integrate PR and marketing to do double the work at one time.
Changes in the Digital Marketing
In the past, digital marketing mirrored the ways of traditional marketing. However, things have changed a lot in recent years. Social media has played a huge role in implementing these changes. While many companies still do the basic ads, it’s not enough anymore. Social media requires catchy and interesting posts where the company interacts with its customers. It isn’t enough to just fire back a canned response, either.
Companies that are doing really well with digital marketing understand that they have to have a dedicated social marketing team. This team is best if made up of both marketing and PR professionals. Aspects from both areas are needed to craft posts and responses.
The Right Workers
Of course, to implement a good union of PR and marketing, you have to hire the right people. When it comes to marketing professionals, you must make sure that they are trained in digital marketing methods. PR people should also have the training to meet your needs and work on social media platforms. You can learn more about PR in this article.
The Impact
By not being willing to combine PR and marketing efforts in the digital world can be a huge mistake for a company. It’s becoming expected that companies are available to consumers through social media, and not taking advantage of the huge audience available through digital marketing is a waste. It is actually becoming a very political area with companies now jumping onto causes and expressing their values. In addition, companies are trying to make changes, like those discussed by GW.
While public relations and marketing may have been separate in the past, that is no longer the way of things. It is becoming increasingly important that companies find a way to use PR and marketing together in their digital marketing efforts, especially when it comes to social media. Not doing this can be a big mistake that could cost a company dearly when it comes to matching up against the competition.
