What do you consider to be brand success?
Lots of great media coverage and website traffic? Everyone knowing your brand and trusting it? Having lots of sales and loyal customers? Or maintaining and/or creating a strong reputation as an industry leader?
It’s a rather open-ended question that’s up to interpretation, but PR can absolutely drive all of the above. Look no further than to your friendly neighbourhood PR agency, Clearbox!
In this week's blog, Ella does a deep dive into why PR is a vital tool in driving brand success and should be an integral part of your marketing strategy…
1. Extra, extra, read all about it!
Positive media coverage is aways a good thing, but consistency is key in driving success for your brand. A one-hit-wonder piece of coverage will give you your 15 minutes, but at Clearbox we always strive for a consistent stream of strategised media coverage – keep those good vibes going!
Consistent media coverage will help raise your brand’s profile, build relationships with your target audience, and ultimately take your brand to the next level. You might think there’s nothing exciting going on with your brand, but product launches, profile pieces and company news (to name a few…) all have the power to stir up positive press coverage.
BrightEdge research showed that over 50% of website traffic comes from organic search. Including links and calls to action in your media coverage will also help generate more hits and drive traffic to your website. The more your brand pops up in the media and features in articles will boost your SEO ranking along the way too.
Editorial coverage also has lots more credibility than paid advertising, but more on that later…
2. Trust your gut (and make others too…)
Brand success and trust go hand in hand – a brand won’t be successful if no one trusts it or what the brand stands for!
A PR campaign will build trust and credibility with your target audience and highlight your brand’s authenticity. PR creates opportunities for your brand to be seen as an expert in its field, whether this be through a thought leadership piece or media interview, organic, editorial coverage by far is more trustworthy than paid advertising.
According to Edelman, 81% of consumers need to trust a brand to consider buying from it. There’s no two ways about it; trust is key in driving brand success and encouraging your target audience to buy your product or service.
PR creates organic opportunities for brands to be seen as experts and trustworthy, which naturally builds your credibility in a way that paid advertising can’t.
(If you need some good examples of standout PR campaigns, we’ve got a list of our favourites from 2024 here.)
3. C.R.E.A.M., get the money
If lots of sales is your measure of success, PR can certainly help with this.
A Nielsen study found that PR is almost 90% more effective than advertising in driving sales conversion. Though PR isn’t directly linked with sales, its influence on consumers and target audiences can lead to an increase in sales.
When your brand earns media coverage, gets featured in a blog or magazine, or your CEO is interviewed by a respected journalist, it will drive traffic to your brand’s website and encourage sales.
Similarly, if your positive brand story and actions are effectively being communicated through PR, buyers are more likely to engage and support your brand.
Put it this way. If you read about a brand that’s sustainable, has ethical practices and supports its staff, you’ll be more likely to support and buy from that brand over competitors.
By increasing your brand’s visibility and credibility, PR can subtly influence buying decisions and drive sales. More sales = brand success!
4. It precedes you…
Your brand’s reputation is a massively invaluable asset - a whopping 64% of shoppers have stopped buying from brands with poor employer reputations.
A strong, positive reputation can lead to customer loyalty, positive reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and influence customers choosing your brand over another. By communicating through strategised PR, your positive reputation can be maintained and protected.
Effective PR strategies will also provide a safety blanket if there’s ever a brand crisis.
Bad news travels fast, and a PR crisis can escalate quickly. PR pros (like us!) specialise in managing these situations, and work to control the narrative and mitigate any damage.
Brand success can look like many things. Whether you're focused on increasing media coverage, building trust, increasing sales, or building your reputation, PR has the power to do all of this and more. The key to brand success is keeping consistent in whatever you do, and integrating a strategic PR approach.
