All of us have heard the term ‘Content is the new King’. The world around is being driven by content. It is one of the emerging preferred tools that brands are leveraging to engage with their customers. Audiences and customers are welcoming new and good content with open arms, as long as the content is engaging to the audience and interests them. The reach and engagement that effective content is unparalleled.
Many brands are focusing their entire marketing budget to create effective and engaging content. It has become one of the most important if not vital tool used by brands to engage across both traditional and new-age platforms. The rise and popularity of content can also be attributed to digital and OTT platforms that have enables interactive consumer engagement, with real-time feedback and accelerated popularity through instant sharing of good content. Taking from the learning of this, other mediums like advertisements, BTL and ATL events etc., have also woken up to the might of good quality content and are leveraging these effectively to drive brand messaging and engagement.
PR has always been centered around accurately positioning the right messaging at the right platform, reaching out to the right stakeholders. Needless to say, the content has always been an important part of PR, and with the recent explosion of platforms seeking engaging content, brands are more than eager to create and promote PR driven content to make their presence felt!
Here are the 5 key content tools that are driving PR:
- Educative content: A very important role of PR is to educate people on segments/ innovations that are complicated or disruptive in nature. Educative topics need building awareness in the minds of people and it is hard to make people understand a new topic all-together. This is where PR takes the help of content. Info-graphics, with their ability to make tough topics simple, and Industry stories, are some of the mediums which help PR to drive their message. Although some might argue that the information provided is too technical in nature and is very different from the type of content available across platforms, it is much appreciated by the ‘swear by Google’ millennial who are curious and explorative in nature, when seeking to invest in a brand and its services.
- Knowledge-based brand engagement: Another role of PR is to share information about their client’s business and industry to the masses and also to the media. This sharing of knowledge helps consumers and stakeholders understand the need and the significance of the product/ service offerings of the brand, thereby helping to create a conducive market that is based on informed choices. Through white paper reports, industry trend results and surveys as well as brand collaborations, PR professionals have been working closely with brands to plan and leverage these knowledge-driven brand initiatives.
- Brand story: The major role of PR is to project a brands story, from inception to the present state, so as to generate interest, and promote goodwill and leadership positioning for all stakeholders. While each brand story is different, engaging content tools can help tell these stories in a unique and impactful manner. Creating a compelling brand story helps project the brand’s philosophy, its vision and values as well as portray their spokespeople as leaders and visionaries in the sector. In the era of seamless communications and conscious global consumers that seeking ethical and responsible corporate citizenship, how a brand tells its story may make or break its future and, at times, may also impact its legacy. PR ensures the story is befitting the brand’s values and business goals, building up a narrative that is positive and potentially viable to attract a vast set of stakeholders.
- Thought Leadership: The role of a PR person just does not stop at creating effective communication content for the brand but most of the times they are responsible for profiling and building thought leadership for the brand spokesperson as well. A brand spokesperson is regarded as a Subject Matter Expert in the brand’s sector so the content being created has to reflect that. Through impactful content that reflects authority, vision and deep domain expertise of the spokesperson, modern PR professionals are creating leaders out of start-up entrepreneurs and innovators, sharing their story and inspiring several others, creating stronger business leaders in the process.
- Branded content collaboration: While Brand collaborations are not new in the field of PR and advertising, branded collaborative content has been steadily gaining popularity. Through the strategic alliance, brands have now been coming together to curate unique, strategic content that can be leveraged for consumer engagement across platforms! In recent times PR is leveraging branded collaboration to increase the reach and engagement with their audience. It is done through in-film branding, collaborating with influencers and celebrities.
Way Forward:
While the last decade saw the rise of content as an unexpected king, this decade is going to see its full might, evolving and disrupting the communication spectrum with innovative and interactive means of engagement. As PR evolves to accommodate wider platforms like digital, social media and influencer engagement etc., content is going to play a vital element in driving consumer and stakeholder engagement, at a wider scale.
