Traditional PR vs. Digital PR

Oct 11

"My reputation's never been worse, so
You must like me for me" - Taylor Swift, Delicate

If you are building a brand, you need to understand the difference between traditional pr and digital PR, and why your strategy must include both approaches to garner the most success.

For some, being able to see quantifiable analytics that give an exact ROI is all that matters. And why not? If you're seeing sales, traffic, and engagement, isn't that the goal? It is, except when all h*ll breaks loose (as it did during COVID!)

In the years during the pandemic, I managed more crisis communication than in my entire career. I helped clients navigate divorce announcements on social media. I helped clients decide when or when not to let go of employees during two entertainment strikes. I helped clients figure out how to support Black Lives Matter in a thoughtful, public way that will extend way beyond an Instagram post. I even helped two business owners navigate a very public disaster of epic proportions, while they watched their third partner sell off their business for pieces (you know, kind of like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman)

Cancel culture is very real, and we have all watched the take down of celebrities, CEOs, Editor-in-Chiefs, and digital influencers who gave very little thought (if any at all) to how their communication and actions/inactions would affect their long term reputation.

Your reputation is EVERYTHING. When people no longer trust you or believe in you, no amount of Facebook ads can save you.

I think we can all agree that the goal is to have people think positively when hearing your name, no matter the source of that positivity. It's why you have to first start with positive storytelling and thoughtful communication that will influence consumer behavior. When you have that foundation, digital PR is what can help take traditional PR to the next level. Read on for the difference and how they can work together.

1. Traditional PR Objectives.

Traditional PR includes media relations, influencer programs, interview training, and crisis communication. The goal of traditional PR is coverage through stories, announcing news, reaching the right audience, and influencing behavior by cultivating a positive reputation. To the digital world, traditional PR may sound old fashioned, but it is about REPUTATION and how you and your company are perceived by the public. When traditional PR includes an online story that links back to your website, that would be considered a win on the digital and traditional PR side.

2. Digital PR Objectives.

Digital PR includes SEO, Google ads, social media ads, and automation. Digital PR is not really concerned with the narrative of the story being told, and the goal is to acquire links that will have an impact on search. It is less concerned with timelines or relevancy. Digital PR is more focused on a means to an end, with the goal of having your company rank higher in SEO than your competitors. An example of this is a link-building campaign.

3. Where Does Social Media Fit into This?

Social media is separate from PR all together, but does encompass elements of both traditional and digital PR. For example, the influencers you choose to partner with will impact your digital footprint, but they will also be reflective of your brand’s values (aka your reputation) and will affect the public’s perception of your brand. We really encourage you to do your homework on who you choose to represent your company, and of course we are here to help you with that!

Additionally, if you have a social media account, everything you post should have careful consideration. Saying the wrong thing—or not saying anything at all—can come at a very steep cost. We can help with that too!

4. The Overlap.

Both traditional PR and digital PR have the goal of increasing brand awareness. Great stories will always be the base of success, so both should aspire to have positive, relevant coverage. Both can be measured by tracking search performance, website traffic, leads/signups, and sales.

5. How to Succeed Doing Both.

While our goal at The Storied Group is relevant, timely stories that will build a positive reputation for you and your brand, we do understand how link building works hand-in-hand with storytelling. That’s why it’s crucial that you discuss your goals and how you define success in the media, so that we can tailor our PR strategy to meet those goals. For anyone with multiple websites, it's important for you to tell your publicist where you want link backs on the press that is secured in a more traditional way.