To the communications professional, it is obvious how marketing and PR differ, but it is not as obvious to somebody who’s not. PR manages reputation through media coverage and stakeholder communications, whereas marketing is communicated directly to the consumer. Public relations is all about maintaining positive relationships with anyone who has an interest in the organisation or brand. Ultimately, they are both selling a product or service.

Short Term vs Long Term

As PR manages reputation, and stakeholder engagement, it is much harder to measure the ROI. Perception takes time to create and shift and may not actually translate into revenue and sales for months or even years.
However, marketing is more concerned with the short-term effects on revenue, it is the direct promotional activity employed on behalf of a brand.

Longevity and Legitimacy

Marketing tactics such as advertising are not fool proof, consumers can detect advertising campaigns immediately and recognise that they are driven by a company’s desire to increase sales.

Reliability

Having said this, PR not only takes time but is not always guaranteed, but however has a greater effect. Marketing campaigns, however, are scheduled, processed, prescribed and what’s more guaranteed but has less of an effect.
A brand can be sure that when they choose to market their brand in a specific way with a specific message, that message will appear exactly where they have paid for it to appear at exactly when they have scheduled it for.
PR, however, is dependent on editorial and journalistic needs and integrity, and is not always guaranteed because the success of a PR campaign relies on angles and stories that work for editorial teams which affects the readers’ perception in a more effective way than advertorial.

Digital PR

Digital PR is similar to marketing within the digital sphere inspiring instant engagement from the consumer. Although Digital PR relies on relationship management with key influencers through brand advocacy.
Brands can’t use Digital PR like a marketing platform, even though it might seem like one, it must be used as a media outlet like any other one.

So, what’s the difference between Marketing and PR?

PR is long term and relationship orientated whereas marketing is much more immediate and systematic. Both are completely different in nature but have similar goals for a business – are there to generate greater sales and increase the development and in turn, the profitability of the brand.

What is User Generated Content (UGC) and how is it used?

UGC allows brands to connect with their customers in a genuine way making the brand seem more trustworthy than if it were advertised by the company itself. Due to the rise in the use of social media platforms, people are referring more than ever to their peers and friends for validation.

UGC lets the most excitable and articulate consumers become brand advocates which builds audiences for a brand or service. This also makes for the use of integrated marketing platforms – making it that much more powerful. According to Statistica, the brand advocacy generated by UGC is lead by image centric product reviews which comprise 29 percent of the UGC which is created and shared.

Regardless of a brand’s marketing strategy, consumers are creating content about products in their platforms in any case.
UGC is perfect for any marketing strategy because it works across any channel at any time. The content is created anyway, it’s simply a matter of curating it. The content often resonates with the consumer on every level, increasing the likelihood of sales.
One is even able to pay for greater amplification of content, targeting an increased and more curated audience.
Giving the consumer a voice and inspiring them to generate their own content has never served brands better, providing a carefully curated, personalised communication strategy that ultimately drives greater sales.

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team [email protected]