3 Reasons Why Content is Changing Public Relations

Emily Johnson

I recently took on a new role at Walker Sands on our copywriting team, and it’s given me the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of content and given me a fresh perspective on the intersection of content marketing and public relations.

As communicators, good writing is paramount on so many levels. Whether it’s writing a compelling pitch email to land a placement or a downloadable whitepaper to capture leads, strong writing is the backbone of any successful public relations program.

Writing has always played a large role in the PR field. But recently, with the shift to digital and short-staffed newsrooms, developing good content has become even more paramount to successful public relations.

Content marketing is a natural and complementary extension of PR. 

Content marketing is about delivering valuable information to your audience to increase engagement and position your brand as an informative or entertaining resource that consumers will keep coming back to. With the rise of content marketing, any website or blog can be a trusted source of information in the eyes of consumers, which is both an opportunity and challenge for companies.

A good PR pro understands your target audiences, what they read and what information they find valuable, so it makes sense for much of the content realm to fall under the PR umbrella. With a trusted PR partner, you can ensure that you’re telling one brand story across many channels and types of content.

PR is more than the press release.   

When I was an Account Executive and my parents, friends or anyone unfamiliar with PR looked at me with a blank face when I told them what I do, I would always say “I write press releases.” But that doesn’t really encompass the vast majority of what PR pros do every day, which may surprise you.

While we definitely employ the press release as an effective way to package up and distribute news like a new data study that uncovers the secrets of showrooming or an acquisition, press releases are just a small corner of PR.

Content growth is exploding. 

This growth has extended the role content plays in PR. Whitepapers, branded content channels, contributed thought leadership articles, blogs, and even social media profiles have become popular information resources among customers.

Although my new position has a much narrower focus on writing, it’s just as varied as an Account Executive because we’re creating so many different types of content. And as PR becomes more intertwined, working together with other digital marketing disciplines, including Search Engine Optimization (SEO), we can only expect this to continue.