Difference Between Digital PR vs Traditional PR

Since the PR council’s inception from the time of Edward Bernays, PR has come a long way. PR in India is not far away from catching up to global trends. India has seen a growth in PR agencies in Mumbai and across India. Some of the top PR agencies in the world also have their branches in India. As the digital age continues to evolve, so does the field of public relations. With the rise of social media and other digital platforms, the way public relations is practiced has changed dramatically in recent years. In this article, we will take a look at how public relations has changed through the years and how it is continuing to evolve. We will also highlight some of the challenges that public relations professionals face in the current landscape.

The Various Methods and Tactics Used in Public Relations Throughout the Years

Traditional PR, as the name suggests, is focused on conventional channels. Traditional PR focuses on the “old school” media, such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio. Digital PR services focuses on online resources such as blogs, websites, and social media. Traditional PR typically focuses on print media and face-to-face interactions, while digital PR encompasses all forms of online communication. With digital PR, businesses can reach a wider audience more easily and quickly than with traditional PR methods. Digital PR also allows for more targeted and personalized messages than traditional PR. With the ability to track data and analyze results, businesses can tailor their digital PR campaigns to target specific demographics and interests.

However, India is still deeply anchored in its old modes of information gathering; even while it may appear that the world is increasingly focused on digital technology, people in India still consume conventional media like television and newspapers and still obtain their news from these channels.

Advantages of Traditional PR and why it will never go out of style

It is essential to recognize that traditional PR strategies still have a place even though digital PR strategies are growing in popularity as online media quickly overtake old print media. Implementing traditional PR strategies is crucial when getting coverage in the appropriate publication, especially in a country like India, where traditional forms of communication are still regarded as more credible than digital.

The goal of public relations is to keep all contacts with brands favorable whether it is on digital fronts or through traditional forms of communication.  By establishing and enhancing its reputation, traditional and digital public relations will produce the best results for customers and business owners.

A company that we can take inspiration from is Pizza Express:

Pizza Express, a network of pizza restaurants in the UK, launched a new mobile app in 2011 with the goal of permanently altering how customers pay for meals. Customers can use the app to reserve tables, see menus, and store coupons and receipts and pay their bill.

Pizza Express didn’t simply launch the app and hope customers would find it, of course. To get the media buzzing, they employed a conventional press release and distribution plan (with a bit of a difference).

The Wolfstar PR firm developed a “social media news release (SMNR),” which included news copy and photographs in addition to a video and screenshots that demonstrated the app in use. This was done in place of the typical plain text release and token photo.

Along with the UK national media, this was disseminated to journalists in the IT, food, and marketing industries.

More than 50 digital stories were produced as a result, and “Pizza Express” rose to the top of Twitter’s global trending topics. Additionally, the news release won Pizza Express and Wolfstar the 2011 Digital Impact Awards for Best Multimedia Press Release.

Conclusion
In conclusion, public relations has undergone a transformation through the years. It has evolved from a one-way communication to a two-way communication, and from a linear communication to a nonlinear communication. The transformation of public relations is an ongoing process, and it will continue to evolve in the years to come.