Completing a week of work experience at the Pod has provided me with some really interesting insight into different marketing specialisms - and how marketing might change by the time I step into the world of work. I was excited to be given a chance to blog on this subject, as writing is something I really love and hope to be able to find a career in. Here are some of the things this week has taught me.
What is the difference between PR and content marketing?
These two are often mistaken for each other- but the differences between the two are substantial enough to change the efficacy of a campaign if both techniques are not used properly. Content marketing aims to garner attention and build a brand by distributing relevant and interesting content to an audience. In turn, this creates a positive image for the brand and attracts potential customers.
PR creates and maintains positive relationships between a company and its ‘public’, while sustaining relationships with those who are in a position to spread positive sentiment around the brand, such as influencers and journalists.
How are PR and marketing changing?
As the world continues to become more digitised, PR has become more interlinked than ever with different types of marketing such as content, affiliate and digital marketing. The availability and immediacy of information (and misinformation) has caused the biggest impact on the importance of marketing and PR, which have to work harder to maintain a favourable brand identity, while avoiding the potential risks associated with increased exposure.
AI (helping or hindering?)
The development of AI, and incorporation of it into the workplace, places an uncertainty over the need for human-written text. While AI generators such as ChatGPT are useful for the formation of ideas, I don’t believe the execution of the content it produces will outweigh the craft of content written by a person. At its core, generated text is an impersonal reshuffling of already existing work that lacks originality and personal connection to a specified audience.
AI simply does not offer the fresh perspective that is so vital in differentiating companies from their competition, therefore ensuring the success of a PR campaign. AI is helpful and will continue to become a more useful tool in PR as a ‘springboard’ for work but it simply can’t target its audience with the same efficiency as a human.
What will PR and content marketing look like in the future?
In our digital-focused society, PR campaigns will continue to move away from traditional methods and into digital content. It seems very likely that social media marketing will continue to take on a role of importance in PR strategies.Interactive content on social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter and Linkedin have the potential to expand a company’s audience due to the high volumes of traffic on these websites. It’s possible this shift into mainly media based PR could increase the use of affiliate marketing within companies; as people, especially young people, continue to be drawn into influencer culture and are willing to put trust in their peers or people they recognise as having valuable opinions.
The audience has a decreasing attention span
The future will see a far more competitive and larger market catering to a far less focused client. A study from Microsoft Corp. found that the average human attention span had decreased from 12 seconds to 8 seconds. These findings suggest that people will continue to become less engaged, so it will be important for businesses to use targeted and personalised content in order not to be significantly affected by this.
In PR, the use of concise information will be more important in press releases than before, as journalists become inundated with more work from more companies but only have the same limited amount of time to sift through them. Having strong media relations and contacts within the industry will continue to play a major role in the success of a company’s PR, as transparency and trust between journalists and companies will be needed to ensure more frequent, positive (and ‘free’) media coverage. Being consistent in finding interesting viewpoints on current affairs will continue to be important and allow your company to become a centre for expert opinion - boosting the impact of PR activity.
I believe that one thing is clear about the future of PR and marketing: with the ever-developing digitalisation of the world of work, marketing and PR will become more dependent on tools such as AI in order to act fast and get ahead of the competition. However, having a strong set of human connections and clear brand identity will continue to be necessary in order to market a company in the best possible light.
I'm excited to see how marketing will continue to change during my studies and how it will be different from now when I eventually step into the workplace.
We loved having you here at Pod, Izzy. You are a talented writer and we think you’ve got an incredible future ahead! - Emma Crofts, Senior Content Lead
Isabella Griffiths
James Montgomery
Adam Leach
