Public Relations: The Trust-Builder
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If advertising is what you pay for, PR is what you pray for.
Public Relations (PR) is the practice of shaping how the public perceives your brand through earned media and strategic communication.
At its core, PR is about building trust and keeping your reputation in top shape. But in the digital land, PR is no longer just about getting your name in the newspaper. It’s also about managing your reputation online, too.
As part of our ‘How to Explain Marketing’ series, we’re taking a closer look at Public Relations and how it can help your business.
What Is Public Relations (PR)?
Public Relations is the strategic management of how your brand is perceived by the public, customers, media, investors, employees, and the wider community.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as: the activity of keeping good relationships between an organization and the general public.
Unlike advertising, which is paid for, PR focuses on earned media. This is basically coverage you do not directly buy. That could be a journalist writing about your new product, an influencer recommending you because they genuinely like your service, or a local blog featuring your charity work.
In short, advertising says “Look at us!” PR gets others to say “Look at them!” Both are important for most brands.
Benefits of PR For Your Business
Trust is the currency of modern marketing. You can spend a fortune on adverts, but if people do not believe you, they will not buy from you.
PR builds that trust by getting credible third parties to tell your story. After all, would you buy from a brand that has little to no word of mouth?
A strong PR strategy can:
- Boost brand awareness without direct ad spend
- Position you as an industry expert
- Protect your reputation during a crisis
- Support other marketing efforts like blog content, SEO, and social media
You could think of PR as the reputation engine that powers the rest of your marketing. However, advertising and sales can be equally powerful. Take a balanced view for the best approach!
How PR Works With Digital Marketing
Gone are the days when PR was limited to print newspapers and the 6 o’clock news. Nor are PR agents like Samantha Jones in Sex and the City.
Today, digital PR is an essential part of the digital marketing mix.
Modern PR channels range from getting featured in digital publications and news sites to collaborating with influencers who genuinely align with your brand values.
They also include engaging directly with your audience on social media, earning backlinks from reputable sites to improve search rankings, and sharing insights through podcasts and webinars to build authority.
A good digital PR campaign lands you in the headlines while also creating shareable stories that echo across your socials and search results.
How To Implement Good PR
By now, you can probably guess the best PR is not accidental.
Good PR is built on four main pillars:
- Clear Messaging – Knowing exactly what you want people to think and feel
- Strong Relationships – Cultivating trust with journalists, bloggers, and influencers
- Timeliness – Tapping into trends and responding quickly to news
- Consistency – Keeping your tone, values, and brand image aligned across channels
And yes, PR success can be measured. From tracking media mentions and website traffic spikes to monitoring sentiment and engagement, data keeps PR efforts on track.
This is totally doable in-house. However, it takes time to organise and set in motion, and that’s where the experts, like Re:View Creative, can help.
Last Thoughts
To sum it all up: PR is the art and science of getting people to talk about your brand in ways that build trust and awareness.
And don’t forget, in the digital marketing world, PR is the credibility booster that makes your paid ads, social posts, and SEO efforts more effective. So, make sure you start building the whole jigsaw, rather than focusing on a piece or two.
We love to solve puzzles. Get in touch with Re:View today.
