If you have been practicing public relations for longer than a decade, you are more than aware that the industry and how we practice the craft have evolved in response to new digital tools. From email and social media, to branded digital content and SEO tactics, we have been provided with such an abundance of tools that, frankly, it can be challenging to ensure that we keep up with advances in technology. It can be additionally challenging to determine whether a new tool will truly impact the success of our clients’ campaigns.
If you’ve ever wondered how your practice compares to your peers and whether that latest, greatest digital tool you recently read about will be just another passing trend or something truly disruptive, you are not alone. Last month, Vocus released the State of Public Relations 2014 report—based on a national poll of 325 mid- and senior-level marketing and PR professionals—which provides insight and busts myths around how we are using digital media technologies.
Following are the report’s findings around four widely held myths:
Myth 1: Virtually Everyone Has a Content Marketing Strategy
While many PR professionals are creating owned content—market research, blogs, infographics, etc.—for their clients, the Vocus study shows that only 60 percent of respondents (marketing and PR combined) have an actual content marketing strategy in place. Only 53 percent of PR professionals say they use branded content in their campaigns.
Myth 2: PR Practitioners are Adapting to All the New Digital Tactics
These tactics include social media, owned content, native advertising, SEO and more. According to the poll, a significant group of PR professionals do not use these online tools. More specifically:
- 53 percent of PR professionals use content marketing
- 49 percent use search engine marketing
- Only 34 percent of PR practitioners have a mobile engagement strategy
Myth 3: Social Media Pros Don’t Care About ROI
According to the research, social media professionals care more about increased revenue per customer than their marketing and PR colleagues:
- 32 percent of social media professionals care about return-on-investment
- 22 percent of traditional marketers measure ROI
- 21 percent of PR professionals say ROI is a key metric
Myth 4: Blogging is Essential
Of the many distribution channels noted by poll respondents, blogging was considered the least effective, with only 35 percent of respondents giving it the highest rating in terms of successful distribution. Further, the report states that unless a brand has a streamlined blog and can own relevant keywords, its blog posts are less likely to create a big impact for news and information dissemination and brands should therefore focus efforts elsewhere. Following are the distribution channels rated in order of most successful by respondents:
- Website
- Events
- Social Media
- Media Pitching & Relations
- Press Release Distribution Service
- Employee Advocates
- Blog
The State of Public Relations 2014 report concludes that while the PR industry is moving toward “acceptance of digital as part of its fundamental definition,” as a whole, the industry is less converged than expected.
How does your agency or practice compare? Are you optimizing your client’s campaigns through digital tools?
For more detail around the State of Public Relations 2014 findings, download the free report from Vocus. In addition to busting myths, the report shares findings around trends that impact PR including integrating social into media relations, strategic aspirations and tactical concerns, resource challenges and changing distribution models.