Branding companies are consistently streamlining their campaigns and efforts to adapt to the evolving needs of their clients and audiences. In a fast paced environment such as PR, this pivoting process is essential for empowering organizations to stay ahead in their respective industries and connect with their consumers along the way. Here are a few of the changes that marketing agencies in Philadelphia have made to their PR efforts in recent years as well as how these methods have helped their clients achieve higher visibility and success.

Connecting with Customers Through Social Impact

In recent years, branding companies have found that their audiences have become much more socially conscious than past generations. This has led to many customers choosing to align themselves with organizations upholding values that more closely mirror their own. The growth of social consciousness has meant that branding companies have needed work towards strategies that work to show their commitment to a more equitable and inclusive world. This is especially the case for marketing agencies in Philadelphia who have seen first-hand how the public has made concerted efforts to stand up for what they personally believe in within the past few years. Many consumers in the current landscape can see past more shallow charitable efforts made just for the sake of publicity, and there has been a huge focus on contributing to impactful social initiatives that truly aim to make a change in our world.

Increasing Emphasis on Thought Leadership

With rising consumer social awareness, leadership positioning has stood out as a way to better share their stand on ongoing industry topics. After all, audiences want to feel as though the companies that they support are innovators and thought leaders within their respective spaces. One of the benefits of branding companies’ emphasis on thought leadership is that it allows business leaders and their companies to take a position as industry experts, which provides an excellent framework for PR campaigns and strategies. Marketing agencies in Philadelphia have become adept at opening the door for PR that has become very prevalent and successful within the past few years such as speaking opportunities, featured articles, and blog distributions.

Utilizing Digital Marketing for Stronger Results

Before the days of the internet, the fax machine was an integral part of the PR process for branding companies. Later, PR agencies were able to send and receive information at unprecedented speeds due to the advent of the internet which had a huge impact on their ability to perform. Branding companies have further refined their PR efforts in the time since through digital marketing, and the subsection of the industry has boomed within the past few years. Now, branding companies can utilize digital marketing and associated resources to connect with audiences, boost online presence, and bring more reliable results to their clients. What’s more is that these strategies are constantly evolving, providing opportunities to maximize PR efforts.

Changing Performance Measurement Methods

Connected to how branding companies have used digital platforms and marketing for more reliable results, organizations have also utilized digital channels for more reliable ways to measure them. PR was much more ambiguous in the past because brand awareness was difficult to see. For example, readership and circulation figures were made with Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) which worked out the value of coverage by estimating what it would have cost if it were purchased as an advertisement and multiplied up to five times.

Today, we have reliable ways to use new metrics that are easier to quantify. Branding companies can measure the performance of PR through backlinks from reputable media outlets, increases in domain authority of associated links, inbound traffic, changes in online rankings, follower counts, social media engagement, and response. Reliable methods for tracking performance means that branding companies can evaluate their processes and refine them for even stronger results.

Combining Paid and Earned Media

Branding companies know that paid media is here to stay, and it can be an excellent method to bring attention to your business and engage with your audiences. Within the past few years, we have seen paid media evolve and experience it nearly ay time we scroll through an app, open a browser, or stream. Recently, PR strategies have combined paid media with earned media — meaning coverage or promotion acquired through organic means. Earned media can be effective at reaching consumers authentically, and organizations are learning that it can be combined with paid media to maximize their impact throughout PR processes. Self-promotional sponsored content can gain the attention of consumers initially while earned media keeps audiences engaged and drawn to your brand.

PR Processes Continue to Evolve

As technology, the wants and needs of businesses and their audiences, and the current PR landscape evolves, branding companies need to streamline their existing methods to continue to bring the highest results possible. And, while we may not know exactly what the future holds for the evolution of PR and its strategies, we can be sure that they will include continue to include comprehensive methods that help organizations stand out from the crowd, engage with their audiences, and maximize the impact of their PR and marketing.