Reputation management and Public Relations are both the most popular terms in the marketing industry world. People get confused with their marketing strategies and consider both the terms to be used for the same purpose which is not true. They both significantly differ, and if you are looking for some substantial difference between both terms, you are at the right place. In this article, we have added some pointers that will help you in understanding how both the terms differ from each other.
What is Public Relations (PR)?
PR is defined as the strategic communication process useful for developing a good relationship structure between the organization and the potential customers. An agency that hires professionals to create strategies and perform various tasks to maintain Public Relations between the brand and the target audiences is known as a PR agency. The major aim of PR professionals is to create strategies that help in creating a positive perception of the brand or services.
To make the strategies work, a leading PR agency organizes various events for their clients and participates in other’s events on behalf of that organization. They create buzz about the brand using press releases, hosting social events, delivering speeches at various press conferences, and much more. Such events help in reaching the brand and services in front of potential customers.
What is Online Reputation Management (ORM)?
Reputation is about how people think about a certain product, service, or individual and creates a perception about it. It is the opinion created in their mind after the occurrence of certain events. Reputation plays a very vital role in the growth of any business because with a positive reputation people accept the product or service and if the reputation is ruined by any means, the people react similarly.
In the old period when the internet was not very popular, everything was handled offline. To gain the attention of the target audiences and maintain a positive reputation, offline special events, print media, and other social activities were used to organize. But with the emerging era of the internet, online reputation management became very vital.
Comparing Public relations and Reputation Management
- Many marketing strategies used in Public Relations may look similar to the techniques used in reputation management as both work for creating a positive reputation for the brand in front of target customers but both are entirely different from each other. PR professionals of a leading PR firm always work as the front face of the organization as they have to participate in various press conferences, public activities, etc. to represent the brand or services on behalf of their clients. Whereas you will never come to know the name of the person working on the reputation management for any organization.
- During PR activities, the latest issues are being highlighted and they are spread mostly using press releases. The press release may cover the launch of a new brand, the announcement of new services, the Joining of new board members, etc. But the news never remains fresh and becomes outdated after some time. While the work done in online reputation management provides long-lasting results.
