Content Relations: How Content Marketing and PR Have Merged
Originally Published on October 19, 2020. Republished on January 6, 2024. We updated this post with new statistics.
In the age of fake news, bogus reviews, and false advertising, people are looking for content they can connect with and depend on. Consumers are tired of bias, frustrated by misinformation, and willing to ditch “purposeless” brands for those that align with their values.
In today’s turbulent socio-political climate, 77 percent of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place, while 73 percent of investors state that efforts to improve the environment and society contribute to their investment decisions. For businesses trying to connect with their target market in 2024 and beyond, highlighting core values and public-spirited initiatives will be essential. It’s for this reason that content marketing and public relations have merged into what Ethos Copywriting has coined as “content relations.”
To underscore the importance of having a people-first promotional strategy, Ethos reveals the differences and similarities between content marketing and public relations, demonstrates how brands can combine the two, and explores why it’s essential to do so.
Content Relations: Content Marketing & Public Relations
Simply put: Content marketing is a marketing strategy that involves the consistent creating, curating, and sharing of content (such as blog posts, social media posts, and videos) that provides value to targeted audiences and stimulates interest in a brand's product or services.
A core tenet of content marketing is the goal of building brand trust. In contrast with other marketing strategies, where brands essentially "create" new problems, content marketing helps solve the problems consumers already have with relevant information. For instance, instead of a health food company using a typical Facebook ad to showcase their latest products, they could create insightful content for people who are already interested in learning more about eating healthy. Perhaps the company could write a blog post about the differences between GMO and organic foods or shoot a video that illuminates the benefits of eating grass-fed beef over grain-fed beef.
By establishing trust early in the consumer experience, businesses can increase sales from the upfront value they’ve provided. In addition to building brand trust, content marketing is essential for boosting a website's search ranking and traffic.
Unlike content marketing, which focuses on how a business or organization’s products and services can address a person’s issues, public relations (PR) fosters connection with the public. More specifically, PR (also known as “earned media”) is a communication strategy that stimulates positive public perception by highlighting the acclamatory actions, attributes, and initiatives of a business, organization, or person.
While the old maxim goes: “Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for,” there are a few significant ideas missing from this statement. First, publicity and PR aren’t the same. Publicity could be positive or negative media attention, hence another common cliché: “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” However, in the age of “cancel culture,” it’s abundantly clear that there is.
On the other hand, PR is positive media attention, and it must be earned by a person, business, or organization. And, like successful content marketing, PR builds trust. Moreover, both content marketing and PR require expertise and planning in order to deliver the right messages to the right people.
Ultimately, both seek to reach key audiences and build trusting relationships. It’s for this reason that the two disciplines have become inextricably connected. Accordingly, Ethos refers to the merger of these strategies as “content relations.”
Think Like a PR Practitioner, Act Like a Content Marketer
PR professionals know the value of reputation. Their focus on relationships enables them to speak to audiences sensitively without employing a hard sell. They value conversations over conversions and public engagement over lead generation. However, it’s also important for businesses and organizations to amplify their messages. Content marketers serve this function by bringing brands and their stories to the forefront of people’s minds.
Online reviews can be considered a vehicle for such stories. Reviews are among the most impactful content influencing consumer behavior. For instance, searches for “best____” have skyrocketed in recent years. While so many consumers read reviews to educate themselves, they often feel little reason to write their own. As a result, brands often struggle to gain visibility when consumers only consume and don’t also review.
Although generally guarded with their reviews, consumers can be encouraged to share their experiences with brands if they know their voices will be heard. In fact, brands that engage with the public in discussion—primarily on social media—often receive even greater feedback than those that don’t. When brands take the time to have a conversation with their audience, they gain loyalty and trust.
As for the value of reviews on sites such as Google and Facebook, for instance, marketers are limited in their ability to repurpose statements as testimonials (review platforms possess strict rules on how brands can use the statements from their sites, and the Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on them as well). However, you might consider researching reviews and social media posts for discussions on what consumers are looking for and then create content that addresses those concerns. For example, if a consumer identifies five reasons why they like your product, perhaps these reasons could compose a new blog post and video.
Managing Social Media During Tumultuous Times
It isn’t enough to simply embrace conversations; brands have an obligation to steer them in a socially responsible direction. After all, 70 percent of the public wants to know what the brands they support are doing to address social and environmental issues, and 46 percent pay attention to a company’s social responsibility efforts when they purchase a product. Social media provides brands the opportunity to address issues of importance and lead conversations.
In the wake of the civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020, nearly all brands were compelled to take to social media and, to varying degrees of effectiveness, assume a prominent place on individuals’ timelines to address the issue that consumed the moment. The Atlantic’s Amanda Mull characterized brands’ responses by writing:
“Contemporary marketing theory implores brands to show up where people naturally congregate online and engage with the topics they care about. That means riding the wave of memes and random topics that sustain social-media chatter, posting in the same formats as everyone else, often acting more like a friend than a company—even in times of tragedy.”
Mull continues, arguing that brands’ attempts at conversations in moments of tragedy are little more than thinly-veiled transactional spin. But for brands who don’t even try to advance conversations, the results are even more disastrous.
Remember the Kylie Jenner Pepsi ad in 2017? In addition to making light of the issue of police brutality and the response of the protesters, the ad’s anodyne and patronizing tone meant Pepsi neglected to take a stance, essentially hedging both sides in hopes that it wouldn’t alienate either faction of consumers. Its message had the opposite effect.
Today, instead of awkwardly telegraphing the conversation brands would like to have with the public, they must meet audiences where the conversation is.
An excellent example of a brand accomplishing this kind of content relations messaging with grace and authenticity is Ember+Forge, a coffee shop in Erie, Pennsylvania, which sustained vandalism during a night of civil unrest following a protest in late May 2020:
“Ember+Forge was built to be a welcoming space for our Erie community. While yesterday's events have left us hurting, it pales in comparison to the grief in our Black community.
We stand firm in our belief that the Erie community is strong and has a bright future - but this future only happens when all of our citizens are heard.
We're assessing the damage and cleaning up and will be closed Monday (6/1).”
Ember+Forge Erie, PA | PhotoCred: Ry’s Lens
The response, posted on Facebook, not only addressed an incident that affected the shop, but used the opportunity to affirm its values. What’s more, the post genuinely resonated with people. Here are just a few on the comments on E+F’s post:
“This is exactly the right response. You could teach a class on emotional intelligence here.
Panes of glass are a far cry from dead friends and neighbors. We've got your back and will be thrilled to help you fix up however we can.” - Matthew M. White
“I've never had the pleasure of visiting, but I most certainly will be now because of this stunning, eloquent and thoughtful response. Is there somewhere we can buy gift cards to help fund cleanup and repairs until you're comfortable opening again? Thank you so much.” - Karis Turk
“Ember+Forge, I applaud your dedication to our community and to black people!!! This message just changed my day.” - David Green
This post received over 1,400 shares, 300 comments, and 2,400 likes—equating to roughly a 5000 percent increase in engagement across all metrics from previous posts. More importantly, they solidified the trust of their current and future customers while also giving people hope about the future.
To show support and take a stand, larger brands have also changed their narrative and joined the conversation. Nike, for instance, played on its famously straightforward “Just do it” tagline, starkly displaying the words “don’t do it” in white text on a black background in reference to numerous racially motivated behaviors. This content uses Nike’s iconic branding while delivering a message appropriate for the situation.
Tumultuous times demand appropriate responses from brands. The right message not only has to be deliverable, but it has to be crafted mindfully, emphatically, and responsibly. By coupling compelling content with a focus on building relationships, organizations can reach their audience, provide value, and build trust.
It is critical to make one point abundantly clear: Brands that use this strategy to merely boost sales will fail. People are savvy, and if there are inconsistencies between your business ethics and your public values, the levy of your brand reputation will break.
This is not to say, however, that if your brand has made mistakes in the past, that it’s irredeemable. It's never too late to improve your business practices and start producing content with a purpose. In fact, 91% of Americans say it's okay if a company isn't perfect, as long as they're honest about their efforts. Making a mistake can be an opportunity to share your journey and what you learned from your blunders in your work to build a brighter, better future.
CM + PR = CR
It doesn't matter whether you're a local coffee shop or a global apparel company, when you're writing to the world, your message matters. People want to know your values, they want proof that you're a force for good, and they want to know their hard-earned money is supporting more than a small crew of C-suite executives.
It's also essential that your brand has a 360-degree view of what is happening culturally, socially, politically, and economically. To do so, have someone on your team keep up with the news, analyze what’s trending on social media, and reach out to key customers.
In an age where social media and search engines have the power to unravel the fabric of society, but also have to ability to strengthen our bonds and be a source of hope, inspiration, love, reason, and honesty, brands have a responsibility to produce content mindfully and be a positive force for good, wherever and whenever they can.
For these reasons, content marketing and public relations have become inseparable in the current digital marketing landscape. At Ethos, we recognize that content relations is here to stay, because while both content and relationships have always existed, the wedding of the two has been and will continue to be transformational in our lives and in the marketplace.
If your brand needs help with its content relations, we're here. Our sleeves are rolled up, and we're ready to get started. Visit our contact page to tell us how, where, and when we can lend a hand to what you're working on. If it matters to you, it will no doubt now matter to us.