If you want to grow your brand, digital PR is your best option. Digital PR services have become more affordable and effective than ever before. Statista predicts a 3.15% growth in the Kenyan digital marketing space in the run-up to 2027. This article will highlight some of the differences between these two types of marketing so that you can make an informed decision about which one works best for your business.
Target audience
The target audience of digital PR is different than that of digital advertising. While the former reaches out to a specific set of people, the latter targets a wide range of audiences.
For instance, when you buy an ad on Facebook or Google Ads (Google's online ad platform), you can choose your target audience based on location, gender, and age group. But don't get too excited about this because it doesn't mean that everyone within this demographic will see your post once it appears on their news feeds or search results pages. It all comes down to how much cash you are willing to spend—the higher the budget, the more likely people from different geographies and backgrounds will be able to view what you have written or shared online!
In contrast, when doing PR for companies like KCB Bank Kenya Limited in Nairobi, Kenya, we focus mainly on media relations with journalists who cover finance & banking industry news/articles as well as influencers like bloggers/ opinion leaders who have large followings across social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. This helps build brand awareness among high-end customers looking for financial products such as retirement plans, workplace benefits schemes, etc.
Channels & approach
The PR approach focuses on building relationships and driving traffic to your website, where you can advertise your products. The advertising approach mainly focuses on getting as many eyeballs as possible, hoping that some of them will convert into paying clients
The channels used in each also depend on this focus. Digital PR tends to have a more personal feel with fewer channels, while digital advertising can be done through numerous platforms like banner ads or Facebook ads.
Authority & trust
The most important difference between PR and advertising is that the former can build trust with your target audience, while ads don't. Trust is crucial in building a loyal following and positive brand awareness. While ads are designed to be seen by as many people as possible, PR seeks to connect with those who will be interested in your product or service based on what they already know about you. This allows you to grow your audience organically over time instead of saturating them with ads until they become numb or give up on your company altogether because they're sick of seeing commercials everywhere they go!
Cost
When managing your brand, investing in the right channels is key. There's a difference between digital PR and digital advertising that many people aren't aware of. You may say: "well, duh!" But knowing what each channel offers you is essential before deciding on how you want to pursue your marketing goals.
Regarding cost, digital PR is more affordable than digital advertising. While both can be long-term investments in your company's success, they differ greatly in their impact on the bottom line and return on investment (ROI).
The benefits of using digital PR are numerous. They include building relationships with journalists and reporters who can help spread the word about your product or service through interviews and social media mentions, having access to valuable information from industry experts who can help shape future business decisions, building trust among customers through transparency about where products were sourced from, for example.
Duration
Both PR and advertising have short-term and long-term aspects to their dynamics. Therefore, PR campaigns often take place over a longer period compared to advertising campaigns. In the case of PR, this is due to its nature as an effective way to build relationships with key stakeholders in your industry or niche market.
In contrast, advertising is a short-term solution for reaching out to specific audiences and promoting specific products or services. You'll usually find yourself working on an advertising campaign for only one month at most (or even less).
Measuring impact
Measuring impact is a key consideration for both digital PR and digital advertising. The difference is that while digital PR requires you to create meaningful relationships through content, it's also important to measure how effective your work has been in generating leads and other tangible results.
On the other hand, digital advertising doesn't require as much relationship-building. Still, you need to measure whether people are clicking on your ads or engaging with them in some way.
The bigger picture
Digital PR and digital advertising are two very different things. Kenyan brands need to understand the difference, what each entails, and which would be more suitable for your company.
You should first know that digital PR is not an alternative to traditional PR but rather a complement. Traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, and television are still very powerful platforms for reaching people. However, they do not reach everyone in Kenya or the world as they used to do in the past. This is because there has been a shift toward digital media platforms.
The AJ Center will nurture your brand through digital PR for long-term success
AJ Center has the expertise to help you reach your goals through digital PR services for long-term success! Our team understands how important it is to build trust and authority online regarding online marketing campaigns, so we offer programs designed specifically for this purpose! We will help guide you through every step of the way, so don't hesitate to contact us today!
Rev Up Your Success
The AJ Center is a digital PR digital agency in Kenya. We understand the importance of creating a brand that resonates with your target audience and brings you closer to achieving your goals.
