Well, that depends on what you want that PR agency to do.
Traditionally, your PR agency would generate positive news coverage on your behalf – and fix your image when things went wrong. And that absolutely still has its place in your marketing mix – but if that’s all your PR agency is doing for you then you’re probably not getting the best bang for your buck.
The way we consume media is changing. Newspaper circulation has been falling year on year since the birth of the internet – and eventually we’ll probably see it die off altogether in favour of digital news sources. That means that traditional PR agencies which focus on column inches are being left behind unless they adapt.
And the death of the physical newspaper isn’t the only issue with PR. The public have become much savvier to PR and far less likely to accept the news they’re being presented with at face value. Led by a generation raised on a diet of social media who’ve witnessed scandals related to phone hacking, spin doctors and “fake news”, we’ve become a society which questions our news sources and is sceptical of claims companies make.
In 2020, your PR agency should be offering you a fully integrated approach that includes content and SEO.
Traditional PR still has its place. If someone digs up a racist tweet your chief exec made in 2009 or there’s a food poisoning outbreak at your restaurant then a carefully worded statement sent to the right people is a useful approach. Crisis management is useful but paying a monthly retainer for a PR agency to send out press releases probably isn’t the best use of your money.
We believe a traditional PR approach is best replaced with an integrated content campaign – blogs, case studies, infographics, editorials and whitepapers that provide real value to your audience.
Sometimes that might include elements of old school PR and if you find yourself in a pickle and need a press release sending out pronto then we’ve still got the skills and expertise to do that for you.
Washington Business Centre, Turbine Business Park, SR5 3QY
