The terms marketing and public relations (PR) are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably. While both disciplines aim to enhance a company’s reputation and drive growth, they serve distinct purposes. Understanding the difference between marketing and PR is crucial for businesses and brands looking to build and execute a balanced strategy.
We take a closer look at the definitions of marketing and PR, their key differences, why PR is essential in marketing, how PR campaigns are measured and the role of a digital PR agency below.
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and shaping public perception of a brand, organisation or individual. PR professionals work to build and maintain positive relationships between a company and its target audience, including customers, investors, employees and the media.
Key PR activities include:
Media relations – Securing positive press coverage in newspapers, magazines, TV and online publications.
Crisis management – Addressing negative publicity, protecting a brand’s reputation and minimising the harm done by a negative story.
Influencer collaborations – Partnering with industry leaders and social media influencers to amplify brand messaging.
Corporate communications – Crafting internal and external messaging for consistent communication.
Unlike marketing, PR focuses on earned media rather than paid promotions, relying on credibility, a good angle for a story and third-party endorsements.
Marketing involves all the activities a business undertakes to promote, sell and distribute its products or services. It includes understanding customer needs, creating compelling messaging and driving sales through various channels focusing on the 4 Ps – product, price, place and promotion.
Key marketing activities include:
Marketing is typically more sales-driven than PR, focusing on direct conversions and revenue growth.
While PR and marketing overlap in many areas, they differ in their objectives, strategies and measurement:
| Public relations (PR) | Marketing | |
| Primary goal | To build reputation and trust | To drive sales and leads |
| Approach | Earned media (organic coverage) | Paid and owned media (e.g. ads and content) |
| Audience | Broader (media, public, stakeholders) | Targeted (current and potential customers) |
| Measurement | Media impressions, sentiment, engagement | ROI, conversions, sales |
| Timeframe | Long-term reputation building | Short-term campaign results |
PR is about credibility, while marketing is about driving conversions. However, the two work best when integrated into a coherent brand strategy.
PR plays a crucial role in a company’s overall marketing strategy by:
Enhancing credibility – Positive media coverage and influencer endorsements build trust more effectively than ads by making the brand seem more genuine.
Supporting brand awareness – PR helps a brand gain visibility to a wider audience without direct advertising costs.
Managing crises – A strong PR strategy mitigates damage during scandals or negative publicity.
Improving SEO – Earned media coverage generates backlinks, boosting search rankings organically.
Humanising the brand – PR storytelling (e.g. founder interviews, sustainability initiatives) makes a brand more relatable.
When PR and marketing work together, businesses achieve both short-term sales and long-term brand building.
Unlike marketing where success is tied to sales conversions and direct revenue, PR success is measured through both qualitative and quantitative metrics:
Tools like Google Analytics, Meltwater and Sprout Social help track these metrics.
A digital PR agency specialises in online reputation management, combining traditional PR tactics with digital strategies. Key services include:
By leveraging digital tools, digital PR agencies help brands own the narrative of online conversations about their brand while supporting broader marketing goals.
Let the experts take control of your brand’s integrated marketing and PR campaigns. Talk to us today to discuss your PR and marketing needs.
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