PR Is Not…

There’s an old saying: “Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.”

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In today’s post, we’re exploring what PR is not.

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And straight off the bat, dear readers, PR is *not* advertising.

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PR is defined as ‘earned media’, which is arguably the most trusted and credible form of content for a brand. In other words, earned media is ‘king’.

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You can pay for all the advertising your budget will allow, but when it comes to influencing buyer behaviour, a well-placed article in a magazine, newspaper or popular blog is where the high conversions really happen.

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“If I was down to the last dollar of my marketing budget, I’d spend it on PR!” – Bill Gates

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Earned media has both reach and staying power. And compared with traditional paid advertising, it is a highly cost-effective solution for brands wishing to gain influence within their target markets. Let’s look at the stats:

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• A 2014 study from Nielsen concluded that PR is almost 90% more effective than advertising.
• Up to 92% of consumers trust word-of -mouth recommendations, but only 24% trust online ads.
• 25% to 40% of all traffic and lead generation comes from earned media.
• 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads (Content Marketing Institute).
• Pagefair’s ‘Ad Blocking Report’ shows 420 million people(and counting!) are using ad blockers online
• According to research conducted by Ragan, 86% of people skip TV advertisements and 44% of direct mail is never opened.
• And 32% of marketers say that traditional paid advertising (print, outdoor, broadcast) is the most overrated marketing tactic (Source: State of Inbound, 2017.)

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Earned media – coverage gained in print, online and broadcast media – should absolutely form part of your marketing strategy in 2018 and beyond.

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A well thought-out PR strategy is cost effective, measurable and will continue to benefit your brand in the months and years to come.

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So to influence your consumers, elevate your reputation and position your brand as an expert in its niche, contact us for a confidential consultation today.

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To your product PR success!