Questions that I get asked all the time are: what do you do? What does Public Relations (PR) actually mean? The truth is, PR has a lot of different elements and tactics, but essentially we define PR as how a business manages its reputation and builds trust with the people who matter. 

This can be external or internal to the business: for example, its customers, the media, employees, investors, partners, and the community.

The best way I can describe it is to think of PR as shaping how people talk about your business when you’re not in the room.

When it comes to media relations, it’s not advertising, and it’s not paid. It’s about earning attention through stories, credibility, and trust.

Media Relations is often what our clients seek our expertise for. It is a core, fundamental part of the PR toolkit. 

To describe it simply, media relations is when your PR team works with journalists, editors, podcasts, TV producers and online publications with an aim to get:

• positive stories about your business
• expert commentary and quotes
• product features or reviews
• announcements covered in the news

It’s essentially building good relationships with the media so they come to you as a trusted source.

Why does a business need PR and Media Relations?

1. People will buy from brands they trust.

PR builds credibility in a way that ads can’t. When someone writes a positive story or review about you, it builds respect and reliability. 

2. You reach untapped, new audiences – for free.

A media feature can reach thousands or millions of people without paying for advertising and it stays live on the internet. We hit a reach of 3 million people for a client in October following an event held. That coverage will stay live, increasing in SEO value as the years tick on. 

3. It positions you as the expert.

When you’re quoted in the media, people see you as the go-to authority in your industry. If the media is trusting you and your opinion, so will others. It is a prequalifier. 

4. It helps you stand out from competitors.

PR gives you visibility and differentiation. If competitors are doing PR and you’re not, they quickly become the recognised leaders.

5. It protects your reputation. 

If something goes wrong (bad review, negative event, cyber hack), PR helps manage messaging and protect the brand.

When a crisis hits, there are two types of companies:

Companies with a banked reputation – they can tell their side of the story and the public listens.

Companies with no equity in the trust bank – they go straight to suspicion and defence mode.

If you haven’t earned trust before the crisis, you can’t ask for it during the crisis. It is a lot easier to reassure and rebuild trust when you already have a reputation for being reliable. 

6. Internal culture and sales support.

I can write a full article on internal communications, there are many advantages including the team feeling a sense of pride. For the benefit of keeping this brief, media coverage supports the sales team greatly. It provides proof that your business is credible, investors will love it, your business partners will love it (and be envious that they are not making headlines) and your customers will trust it.

7. PR builds authority signals that search engines recognise.

Google’s algorithm measures trustworthiness based on the quality and number of backlinks to your website.

When you earn a link from a respected publication, say the AFR, SmartCompany, or Domain,  Google sees that as a vote of confidence.

PR, done well, naturally produces these high-authority backlinks that marketers spend thousands trying to replicate with SEO agencies.

Every media placement is a credibility marker that search engines record.

This last point is important and will help with internal reporting as it is where organisations can see a tangible result.

Earned media outperforms paid media in the long term. Advertising stops when the budget stops. Earned PR coverage keeps paying off.

That article you landed last year still lives online, still ranks in Google, still sends traffic and signals credibility. It’s compounding visibility. PR is digital real estate that appreciates in value over time.

PR coverage is the only marketing asset that increases in value after you’ve earned it. PR improves click-through and conversion by anchoring trust.

When someone searches your name or business, what do they see?

If the first page of results includes credible media coverage from Forbes, ABC, or an industry publication, it changes perception instantly.

People are more likely to click, engage, and buy because third-party validation lowers risk.

Using media relations and placing well written articles, you’ve essentially pre-qualified your reputation before they even visit your website.

People don’t Google you to find your website, they Google you to see if they can trust you.

The simplest summary I have heard as to what PR is, does and why you should use it:

PR tells the world who you are and why you matter.
Media relations makes sure the right people hear it.

A business that invests in PR becomes well-known, trusted and influential, and that leads to more sales, stronger reputation and long-term success.

Want to know more about how your business can invest in PR and Media Relations? Reach out to Amanda on info@popcom.com.au for a consultation.