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PR has always been about managing reputations and getting people talking — but these days, the world of PR is split into two camps: traditional PR and digital PR.
While they both aim to boost your business’s visibility and reputation, the way they go about it couldn’t be more different. So, let’s dive into what sets them apart and which one might work best for you.
What is traditional PR?
Ah, the good old days. Traditional PR is all about using established channels — think newspapers, TV, radio, and the classic press release — to get your message out. It’s a game of networking with journalists and hoping they give you a spot in the next big feature.
For years, this was the bread and butter of PR, and it still works, but it’s a bit like trying to catch a bus when there’s now a fleet of Ubers. The traditional approach tends to be slower, and it doesn’t always have the reach or precision that modern businesses crave.
Traditional PR typically involves:
Press releases: you craft a statement, send it to journalists, and hope your news is newsworthy enough to be published.
Media relations: building relationships with journalists and editors to score interviews or features in magazines, newspapers, and on TV.
Events: hosting or attending conferences, trade shows, or press events to get noticed by the right people.
Traditional PR is still great for building broad, mainstream exposure, but tracking how effective it is? That’s a bit like guessing how many people actually read the paper. It’s all about reputation, not so much about numbers.
What is digital PR?
Now, let’s talk about the shiny new kid on the block: digital PR. This one’s fast, agile, and measurable. It’s all about using online platforms — blogs, social media, influencers, you name it — to get your brand noticed.
With digital PR, you can create content that’s shareable, clickable, and trackable. No more waiting to see if you made it into the Sunday paper — you get real-time insights into what’s working and what’s not.
Some key elements of digital PR include:
Online content creation: think blogs, videos, infographics — anything that can live online and be shared.
Influencer outreach: partnering with bloggers, YouTubers, and Instagram influencers to get your brand in front of their audience.
SEO and backlinks: a big part of digital PR is getting links from reputable websites to yours, which not only boosts your brand’s credibility but also improves your search engine rankings. Two birds, one stone.
Digital PR is immediate, interactive, and best of all — you can track everything. Every like, share, and comment is a data point that helps you understand how well your campaign is performing. Plus, you can target specific audiences, so your message doesn’t just hit the mark, it hits the right mark.
Key differences between digital PR and traditional PR
Let’s break it down further and compare these two approaches directly:
1. Reach and audience
Traditional PR is great if you want to reach a broad audience. Got a press release in a national newspaper? You’re golden. But what if you’re trying to target a niche audience? That’s where digital PR comes in. With digital PR, you can get super-specific with who you’re targeting, thanks to the wonders of social media and data-driven marketing.
2. Measurability
Here’s where digital PR really shines. You can track everything — from how many people clicked your link to how many shared your post. With traditional PR, you’re often left guessing. Sure, you might know the circulation numbers of a magazine, but how many people actually read your article? It’s a bit of a mystery.
3. Cost and efficiency
Traditional PR can be a bit of a drain on the wallet — TV spots, print ads, and event organising don’t come cheap. Plus, securing media coverage can take time. Digital PR, on the other hand, is often quicker and more budget-friendly. You can create content, distribute it across multiple platforms, and tweak it as needed without too much faff.
4. Longevity
Traditional PR tends to have a shorter shelf life. Once your article is published or your TV ad airs, the buzz dies down. Digital PR, though, keeps on giving. Blog posts and social media content can generate traffic for months — or even years — after you hit publish. And those all-important backlinks? They continue to boost your search engine rankings long after the initial campaign is over.
Which approach is right for your business?
So, which one’s better? It all depends on your goals. If you’re looking to build broad credibility and get your name in front of a large audience, traditional PR might still have a place in your strategy. But if you want a more targeted, trackable, and cost-effective approach, digital PR could be the way to go.
For many businesses, a mix of both works best. Why choose one when you can have the best of both worlds? You can use traditional PR to build trust with established media, while digital PR keeps you agile, data-driven, and connected to your audience in real-time.
Staying competitive in a digital world
No matter which approach you choose, one thing’s clear: PR is evolving, and so should your strategy. In today’s fast-paced digital world, the businesses that succeed are the ones that adapt. So, whether you’re sticking with the tried-and-true methods of traditional PR or embracing the new world of digital PR, the key is to stay flexible, stay informed, and keep pushing your brand forward.
In the end, PR is still about relationships and reputation — it’s just the tools that have changed. So, which one will you use to tell your story?
If you want to learn a bit more about PR and what it can do for your business, why not have a chat with our team?