PR is a profession that dates back to the early 1900s, the art of persuading, influencing public opinion and maintaining a positive public image. Since then, the world of PR has grown and developed and continues to do so. Modern technology and the Pandemic have both had a huge impact on the way that PR is done today.

One debate, however, that isn’t going out of fashion, is whether Traditional or Digital PR is best. To evaluate this, we must first understand the differences. 

 

What is Traditional PR?

Traditional PR uses conventional news channels – magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, podcasts – to increase brand awareness. This is done through press days, sending out press releases and building up strong relationships with journalists. 

As well as this, traditional PR plays a big role in crisis management within a company, dealing with any negative press and maintaining a positive public opinion of the brand.

 

What is Digital PR?

Digital PR aims to boost the presence and visibility of a brand online through online press coverage, blogs and websites. This is done by using creative content, research and data that drives clicks to the brand’s website.

Whilst link building is a huge plus in digital PR, it is important that the emphasis remains on the story. The focus should be on relevance and storytelling, rather than on the link itself. This results in high quality links from high DA websites, which will be well rewarded by Google. 

One benefit of digital PR is that it is far easier to track success through open rates, Google Analytics and coverage stats. 

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What does my business need?

The short answer – both. 

Gone are the days where a press release is sent to journalists by post and PR professionals spend an afternoon in a wine bar building in person relationships with journalists. All forms of PR now have a digital element, from press releases being sent via email to almost all major publications now having a major online presence. 

However, traditional PR is far from dead. A report carried out by Ofcom in July 2021 found that 79% of news was still consumed through TV, making it the most used platform for news. 

The most important factor to consider is, where does your target audience hang out? If you’re targeting Gen Z, then a more digital approach with a big emphasis on social media will be needed. For an older audience, a more traditional approach may be required. A combination of the two will, of course, lead to a wider audience coverage.

To find out more about PR and how your company can benefit, get in touch with Posh Cockney today.