What is the difference between advertising and PR?
Let’s get technical.
When it comes to PR and advertising there are definitions and ways of engagement that make these jobs dissimilar. But sometimes the two work hand in hand.
It’s important for people to know, if you are seeking to advertise your business a PR expert will not be your first port of call. A graphic designer and understanding of your how you can reach your market, and the advertising page of your desired publication. As well as some deep pockets.
PR, as I’ve mentioned before, is about building reputation and awareness of your business.
Where PR and advertising paths cross is when it comes to the media. The two terms within the industry are advertorial and editorial. Advertorial could be a display banner on the front page of the Swindon Advertiser or a pop-up advert in The Guardian. It is something we see all the time in our favourite publications.
With advertorial you buy space on a paper or media site and put a story there. Your story could be “new restaurant opening in Wiltshire”. Advertorial has to be in agreement with the publication and you (as the person paying) get to see how the piece looks and sounds before publication.
If you are not paying, you don’t get to see it before publication.
The form of press coverage that’s the most desirable is editorial. When PR is used in this context, it refers to “press relations” not “public relations”.
PR is placing and seeking editorial opportunities with members of the media. These days media people aren’t just journalists they are also bloggers, podcast hosts and influencers.
Editorial is not paid for; it is working with your stories because they’re relevant and engagement. The press wants to tell and platform your story. This type of story gets more eyeballs and attention that advertorial. Editorial coverage is worth more if you manage to get editorial coverage.
Advertorial is fantastic and certainly has its place in keeping you in people’s minds. Especially if you’re consistent. But it’s very different to what a PR expert, like me, does.