What Even is PR?

What is Chandler Bing’s job? Most fans of Friends would say “transponster”, thanks to Rachel frantically answering the question during the Season 4 episode “The One with the Embryos,” where the gang plays a trivia game to see who knows each other better. But it’s a scenario that many professionals have probably experienced themselves at some point in their lives. Explaining to your family and friends what exactly it is you do for a living can sometimes be tough. And this couldn’t be truer for PR professionals – because ironically, the public relations industry does a really bad job PR-ing itself.

We’re not journalists, marketeers, or advertisers. We’re not publicists or PAs either, but there are elements of each of these professions that spill into our day-to-day roles. It’s also a profession that comes with a lot of stereotypes, some of which are outdated, some exaggerated, and some just plain myth.

In this blog post, we’ll break down what PR really means, the different elements that go into the profession, why it matters, and how to know whether your brand could benefit from it.

What’s in this article:

• What PR really means
• Why PR matters more than ever
• The different types of PR
• What PR is not
• How to know if your brand needs PR
• The essence of PR
• Key takeaways

What PR really means

So, what does PR really mean? The definition given by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations describes it as the following: “Public Relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. It is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.”

Ultimately, every single organisation will depend on its reputation for success, so PR is about building and managing those reputations and the way in which organisations communicate with the public and promote themselves.

It’s the practice of deliberately managing the distribution of information about a business or individual, to persuade stakeholders to view the organisation favourably, and in most instances encourage customers to trust a brand and buy or use their products.

But PR can often get confused for marketing and advertising, and if you work in PR, chances are you’ve probably encountered a client who misunderstands what PR is. It’s important to distinguish it from other familiar fields:

• Advertising is paid promotion. Whether it’s a social media ad, billboard, page in a magazine or a sponsored post, the brand controls the message from start to finish. PR on the other hand earns trust through third-party validation, while advertising buys visibility when you need it the most.
• Marketing is transactional. It’s about driving sales and conversions. PR indirectly supports these goals by cultivating a strong reputation that encourages people to buy or engage.
• Journalism is editorial. It aims to inform the public with objective, balanced, and impartial reporting. Whereas PR crafts narratives to manage an organisation's reputation and promote its interests, while remaining credible. 

In short, PR is not simply advertising, marketing or journalism. It’s a strategic discipline focused on shaping perceptions and building lasting trust. While it may borrow elements from other fields, its unique goal is to manage reputation and influence how people see an organisation or brand.

Why PR matters more than ever 

Today’s media landscape is noisier and more fragmented than ever before. Media fragmentation has changed the way people consume content, making it harder to reach a mass audience through a single channel. 

Ofcom research now shows television is no longer the single main source of news for UK adults. Its annual study into how we access news shows that 71% of adults now do so online, compared to 70% for TV, with a big driving factor being the increasing use of social media for news. 52% of UK adults now use platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to access news, up from 46% in 2023.

Audiences are flooded with information from every direction - traditional media, social media platforms, newsletters, blogs, podcasts, forums, and the ever-increasing AI-driven feeds. 

Audiences are also increasingly segmented. Each platform or channel tends to attract different demographic, interests, and niche communities. For example, Reddit communities are highly topic-specific, TikTok audiences are younger, LinkedIn is professional-focused, and newsletters often cater for those with very specific interests. 

But that’s not to say traditional media is dead. Despite the rise of online news sources, they are rated much less favourably than traditional platforms such as TV and radio for accuracy, trust and impartiality. Social media platforms TikTok and X in particular are the hardest social media platforms for identifying whether news content is trustworthy - with a UK survey showing 82.7% of participants believe that journalism plays a vital role in combating fake online news.

This is where PR comes in. In a landscape where audiences are dispersed and trust is scarce, public relations provides a way for brands to be seen and most importantly, believed. Because unlike paid advertising which audiences can view with scepticism, PR leverages trusted third-party voices, such as journalists and influencers, to tell your story, helping you to stand out and build authority across the platforms your audiences actually use.

PR is able to build long-term credibility and trust. It positions brands as knowledgeable and reliable, whether through media coverage, thought leadership, or even crisis management. A one-size-fits-all approach no longer works. To stay visible and relevant, brands need to rethink how they connect with their audience, making PR an essential strategy for building reputation, amplifying your message, and connecting with the right people in the right places. 

The different types of PR 

One of the biggest misconceptions around public relations is that it’s just about getting media coverage for clients. While for many clients that is usually their main objective, public relations is a broad field. Depending on a brand’s goals, resources, and audience, public relations can take many forms, which fall primarily into two broad categories; traditional PR and digital PR:

Traditional PR

‍Traditional PR is defined by “non-digital” tactics, such as media networking and creative advertising, with the focus on securing coverage in traditional or “old media” print and broadcast outlets, sharing news through press releases, and building strong relationships with journalists and editors. Traditional PR emphasises credibility, reputation, and trusted media exposure, and although it is harder to track impact compared to digital methods, it remains influential because established media channels still hold strong authority and public trust.

Digital PR

Digital Public Relations (PR) is a strategy used to increase awareness and visibility of your brand using online channels. Digital PR is similar to traditional PR but it offers the opportunity to reach more people in a measurable and targeted way. By expanding the traditional practice of PR into the online world, it focuses on earning online coverage, acquiring high-quality backlinks, and creating sharable digital content - all of which supports SEO efforts as well. Some of the tactics involved in digital PR efforts include online press releases, thought leadership, and interactive content campaigns. As brands vie for attention and relevance, digital PR is a crucial strategy. 

It’s important to recognise that these categories are the foundation, and within each one sit a wide range of specialised disciplines that serve different purposes depending on what the brand wants to achieve. These areas often overlap and support one another, but understanding them individually makes it easier to see how PR can be tailored to different goals. Some of the most common forms of PR are below, with one of the most established forms being media relations, which plays a central role in both traditional and digital PR.

Media relations

Media relations is about interacting with and developing positive relationships with journalists, reporters, broadcasters and other members of the media. This kind of PR uses press releases, interviews, and stories in editorial publications to get clients or companies seen and heard. It’s important to understand what journalists need by making sure you craft newsworthy and relevant stories, and timing your outreach strategically. Through well-executed media relations efforts, brands can build meaningful media relationships, enhance brand visibility and trust, influence public perception, and drive traffic and engagement.

Crisis management

Every brand faces challenges and a potential crisis at some point, and crisis management is a specialised area of PR involved in safeguarding a company's reputation, ensuring they can respond quickly and effectively. Potential crises that may arise include a product recall, data breach, or even a scandal at a Coldplay concert. It does involve planning ahead, such as having a crisis management plan and trained spokespeople, with the goal being to protect the brand’s reputation and maintain public trust even under pressure, if/when a crisis happens. 

Product PR

This is an area which focuses on the promotion of a specific product, rather than the brand as a whole, with the aim of raising awareness, creating a demand, and forming a positive public perception. It could be anything from a new launch, seasonal item, or an updated version of an existing product. Product PR is there to highlight its features and unique selling points in a way that appeals to the media and target audiences. It typically involves securing product reviews and gift guide placements, while also offering journalists hands-on testing opportunities themselves, aiming to generate a buzz and ensure the product is seen in the right places. 

Thought Leadership PR

Thought leadership involves positioning executives or experts as authorities in their industry, by contributing to articles, commentary, interviews, or speaking at events. Media relations plays a big role in thought leadership too, with journalists likely to reach out and request comments from your expert if you are consistently providing them with high-value expertise. Thought leadership can help brands build credibility, showcase their expertise, and strengthen their coverage efforts in both traditional and digital media. 

Other specialised PR types

‍Like we said, PR is a broad field, and there are further types worth mentioning. Internal or Employee PR engages staff members within an organisation to build culture and encourage advocacy. Corporate PR shapes reputation at an organisational level. Event PR promotes launches and generates a positive buzz. Investor relations communicates with investors and stakeholders to maintain credibility and transparency. Public affairs influences public opinion and policy, and influencer PR leverages influencers to amplify messaging authentically. 

Taken together, these examples show just how versatile and multifaceted PR really is. Each type plays a distinct role, yet they often overlap to support a brand’s wider strategy. Understanding these different disciplines helps businesses see that PR isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, but a tailored toolkit that can be used to achieve specific goals, reach the right audiences, and protect or enhance reputation in a noisy, competitive world.

What PR is not

Public relations is often misunderstood and this can lead to unrealistic expectations. I’m sure we’ve all experienced that client who wants BBC or New York Times coverage with minimal budget and no genuinely newsworthy angle. Part of the challenge is that many people assume PR is just about press releases. While press releases still play an important role, PR encompasses far more elements such as those mentioned in the previous section, like media relations, thought leadership, digital PR and crisis management. 

Another big misconception is that PR is just “spin”. Spin is a kind of propaganda that twists the truth to persuade people. It can use half-truths and strong feelings to change how we see things. In reality, effective PR is rooted in credibility and transparency. Exaggeration and misinformation is easily spotted by journalists and audiences alike. Strong PR focuses on accurate evidence-led stories, and genuine expertise. 

Some people also believe that PR is only needed during a time of crisis. While crisis management is an important part of PR as mentioned in the previous section, PR is most effective when a proactive approach is taken to campaigns rather than simply reacting to what’s in front of you. Proactive PR gives you the opportunity to seize control of the messages that are presented to the public - creating the story rather than waiting for it.

There’s also a tendency to assume that PR equals “influencers”. When you scroll through Instagram or TikTok, it can feel like you’re never more than six reels away from an influencer unboxing the latest products sent to them from a PR team. It may not always be relevant for some brands, but influencer marketing can support PR efforts, but it’s also important to remember that it’s only one element of a much broader discipline. 

Finally, the idea that PR results can’t be measured is outdated. Tools like Google Analytics can reveal how your PR efforts influence web traffic, showing increases in site visits, unique visitors, and conversions stemming from media coverage, guest posts, or news mentions. Talking directly with customers and clients into how they discovered your brand can provide valuable insights into whether campaigns are driving real engagement. Tracking press outreach and the resulting coverage allows you to identify successful pitching. Social media metrics and SEO performance offer another window into PR effectiveness. By combining these measures, organisations can see how PR drives real results, offering insights into how they can continually improve their strategies. 

How to know if your brand needs PR

As Bill Gates famously (apparently) once said, "If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on public relations". PR is important, for all businesses, big and small. And while many business owners face many considerations when it comes to allocating that all-important marketing budget, certain signals can indicate it’s time to invest in PR. 

If your business is struggling to stand out in a crowded market, or struggling with visibility in a noisy online world, PR can help you to reach new audiences and stand out in the places that matter. PR is able to generate momentum, whether for the business as a whole or a new product launch, generating awareness and positioning your brand effectively. 

PR is equally valuable if you are looking to establish credibility. Consistent, earned media coverage and thought leadership commentary can help to build trust with your audience. So, if your goal is to assert authority within your industry, PR provides the platform to shape narratives and showcase your expertise. 

Finally, consider whether your brand is vulnerable to reputational risk. Proactive communication, relationship-building with media and audiences, and crisis preparedness can protect your brand when challenges arise.

If you recognise one or more of these signs, it’s a strong indication that a well-planned PR strategy could create real, meaningful impact for your brand. 

The essence of PR

‍At its core, public relations is modern reputation-building. As this blog has shown, PR shapes how brands are seen, and most importantly, believed. From media relations and thought leadership to digital campaigns and crisis management, every element works to earn trust, influence perception, and strengthen credibility over time.

For many brands and businesses, PR shouldn’t be optional. It should be an essential part of how they connect with audiences, stand out in a noisy media environment, and protect their reputation for when challenges arise. Done well, PR doesn’t just tell people who you are, it shows them why they can trust you. 

Key takeaways

1. PR is about reputation, not just coverage. It’s about shaping perceptions, earning trust, and managing how audiences see your brand.
2. PR is different from marketing or advertising. It combines strategy, storytelling, and third-party credibility to influence opinions.
3. PR is a versatile toolkit. From media relations and thought leadership to crisis management and influencer advocacy, each type serves a purpose.
4. Proactive PR works best. Planning ahead helps brands control narratives, engage audiences, and build long-term credibility.
5. PR delivers measurable results. Coverage, web traffic, social metrics, and SEO performance all show its real impact.

Get in touch with us today to find out how PR can support your business. 

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