While many people may think media relations services are the same as public relations services, they have significant differences. If you’re considering hiring a PR team, you should first become familiar with different communications services. Now is the perfect time to use media relations to improve PR thanks to:
- Social media’s influence on communication
- Rising trends in conversational marketing
- Continuing advancements in the way people consume media
- Popularity in content creation increasing
Knowing the difference between media relations and public relations will help you determine which you need and explore the benefits of each.
Differences Between Media Relations and Public Relations
1. Purpose
Public relations aims to improve the relationship between a company and the general public. PR focuses on how the company can benefit. Companies use PR to instill trust in their target audience, improve brand awareness, and encourage the public to form a positive opinion about them.
Media relations services are a subtype of PR concentrating on reaching an audience through media. Media relations’ purpose is to build beneficial relationships with media professionals such as journalists and reporters to improve a brand’s visibility. With these people representing your brand, you can quickly gain the public’s trust.
2. Function
While PR and media relations are in the same realm, these types of relations have different functions. Public relations services help brands develop their message and determine the right audience.
After developing a story or message, companies use media relations to share it. Media relations places your message in the hands of people who will distribute it elsewhere. Popular channels for media relations include social media, while TV and radio advertising are effective traditional ways to reach many people.
3. Measurements of Success
Public relations is a broad topic with several different ways to identify whether a campaign is successful. With so many channels, St. Louis public relations firms can measure responses to advertisements or track new visits to your brand’s website. This makes it easy to include PR in your marketing strategy for measuring results.
Conversely, the only way to measure media relations services’ success is by the number of media placements you achieve. The more media professionals you can reach, the better your company will reach a large volume of people in your target audience.
4. Number of Channels
Public relations covers many different channels to improve brand awareness. More channels give your brand and customers a better chance to connect. PR specialists use channels including:
- Social media
- Traditional media
- Press releases
- Public events
Media relations only uses one channel: the press. Media relations agencies strategically contact media professionals and platforms who will spread your business’s story across print and broadcast platforms. Radio, newspapers, and television are the tried-and-true methods, while social media is also highly effective.
Benefits of Public Relations
PR agencies discuss your goals for public relations and get to know the details about your brand and its offerings. From there, they help identify areas where your business can maximize its visibility. They’ll create a suitable message that achieves these goals.
As public relations has a broader scope than media relations, the benefits are significant. With a streamlined team, you’ll receive:
- Guidance on attracting your target audience
- Individualized content for your channels
- Relatable communication that catches attention
- A simplified way to connect with specific audiences
- A full team of experienced relations specialists
Benefits of Media Relations
St. Louis media relations services connect your news with people who care. While media relations services aren’t as in-depth as public relations, they offer compelling benefits. Once you have a perfectly crafted message, a media relations team will spread your story everywhere.
Media relations professionals connect your stories with the right people by:
- Mentioning your company or sharing your story at public events
- Sending pitches to journalists in the same industry as your company
- Holding events with company-related professionals and the media
By connecting your message with people who can increase its reach and authentically represent your company, you will reap the benefits of a wider reach, a trusted name to stand behind, and a direct way to reach a target audience. These factors can lead to more high-quality social media and website traffic, increased sales, and better brand awareness.
Public Relations and Media Relations: Working Together
PR and media relations professionals can work together to create thought leadership pieces that attract consumers. Combining relations services gives you a way to share news while attracting media professionals. You’ll improve your campaign’s range while gaining quality leads.
At Solomon Turner Public Relations, we are experts in public relations, media relations, and more. Whether you need public relations to announce new products or media relations for gaining more interest, we can help. Contact us today at 314-668-1950 to start increasing brand visibility.
