Effective branding and communications smartly relies on paid content, but SEO gold is found in the digital value of earned media.
Top brands and emerging enterprises alike put time, effort and dollars behind strategic paid marketing tactics. The objective? To connect with prospect, partner and customer alike, ensuring these key audiences get to know, trust and purchase from the company.
There is, however, one extraordinarily effective tool in the marketing strategy kit that is markedly different from its paid content brethren: public relations, otherwise known as earned media in recognition of its status as relvant content written and published by independent media without compensation.
Educational or news-focused in nature, it delivers crediblity, trust and educational authority to its readers and viewers in the marketplace precisely because it is published by independent media and broadcast outlets.
Because of this, consumers trust earned media. Search engines in turn seek to earn with their users, so they emphasize the power of earned medias as relevant, ranked content in their search engine indexes.
Paid content is remarkably focused on reaching the consumer - however, the content is only shared for the duration of the brand’s available budget. In a quick utilities-focused metaphor, when the bill isn’t paid, the content “lights” turn off. Because this is paid content under the direction of the advertiser, it does not enjoy the same attention from the search engines - indeed, frequently it will not rank at all.
Earned media, the result of public relations strategy, doesn’t go away as it is not determined by budget, only by the interest of qualified journalists. Once published, it is available for consumer consumption for as long as that publication or broadcast outlet is in existence. Public relations is your company’s 24/7 brand ambassador, reaching your market audience and creating credible relationships day and night, with no additional dollars required.
Public relations is your company’s 24/7 brand ambassador, reaching your market audience and creating credible relationships day and night.
So, what is the drawback? Why isn’t every enterprise throwing every dollar they have behind PR?
Often it’s because the advertiser fears loss of control, or doesn’t fully understand the sometimes arcane rules and needs of the media world. Yet, although time consuming and often out of your hands, public relations is very much worth the effort for the value, credibility and trust it can deliver.
Public relations is similar to a key ingredient in a recipe; it’s part of the marketing ensemble providing powerful success (ok, flavor) to the campaign you are creating. On it’s own, it is very effective. However, paired with the targeted precision of paid content campaigns and the amplification of social media, it’s ability to reach wider audiences across various channels is unsurpassed.
In brief, keep a constant drumbeat of public relations effort going on behalf of your enterprise, organization or service. As an award-winning, top tech PR agency, we’ve partnered with enterprises from early-stage start-up to acquisition success - with public relations playing an essential role every step of the way.
Not only will your company see a boost to the success of your paid programs, your brand will enjoy expanded presence in key search engines, better rankings and the trust and awareness of current and future customers who trust the news and educational value of earned media.