*updated November 2024
Let’s face it, PR can be overwhelming at times, especially when you’re faced with a barrage of unfamiliar terms. But don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this blog post, we’re going to walk you through a rough A-Z of key PR terms that are essential for every reader to know when formulating their personal strategy. Whether you’re a PR novice or a seasoned pro, we hope this comprehensive guide will help you gain a better understanding of the world of PR.
A-E
Audience: The first and perhaps most important term on our list is audience. As a PR professional, it’s essential to understand your existing audience as well as know who your target audience is and how to reach them with your messaging. Your audience can include a wide range of demographics, such as age, gender, location, interests, and more.
Branding: Another essential term in PR is branding. This refers to the process of creating a unique name, logo, and identity for your business or product. A strong brand identity can help you stand out in a crowded market, build trust with your audience, and create a lasting impression.
Brand Advocacy: Support and promotion of your brand/products by loyal customers, employees, or influencers – which is often seen as more credible and impactful than traditional advertising methods.
Clipping: A record of media coverage you’e received, such as articles, blog posts, or mentions, collected to measure the success of a PR campaign.
Coverage: Coverage is a term used to describe the media attention or exposure that a company or individual receives in news outlets, social media, or other platforms. Positive coverage can help to enhance a company’s reputation, while negative coverage can damage it. Check out some of the most recent coverage we’ve confirmed for our clients here!
Distribution: Once you have your messaging and content in place, you need to distribute it effectively. This term refers to the act of communicating your PR messages through various channels, such as media outlets, social media, and influencers. Effective distribution can help you reach your target audience and generate buzz for your brand or product.
Earned media: Earned media refers to coverage or publicity that you gain through organic, non-paid means, such as media coverage or positive reviews. This type of media can be highly valuable because it is seen as more authentic and trustworthy than paid media.
Embargo: A request for journalists to hold off on publishing specific information until a set date and time, used to control the timing of media coverage.
F-J
Feature story: A feature story is a type of PR content that tells a longer, more in-depth story about your brand or product. These stories can be highly effective at generating interest and engagement from your target audience.
Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a web analytics service provided by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. PR professionals use Google Analytics to measure the effectiveness of their online campaigns, track user behaviour on their websites, and gain insights into their audience demographics.
Headline: The headline is the title or main message of your PR content, designed to capture the reader’s attention and generate interest. A strong headline can make the difference between your content being read and shared or being ignored.
Influencer Marketing: Influencer marketing is a type of PR strategy that involves partnering with individuals who have a large social media following or influence in a particular industry or niche. The goal of influencer marketing is to leverage the influencer’s credibility and reach to promote a brand’s products or services to their followers. This can help to increase brand awareness, drive sales, and enhance a brand’s reputation.
Journalist: A journalist is a professional writer or reporter who researches and writes news stories for media outlets. Knowing how to pitch and work with journalists can be essential for getting media coverage and building relationships with media outlets.
K-O
Key message: The key message is the main idea or theme that you want to convey in your PR content. It should be clear, concise, and focused on the needs and interests of your target audience.
Lead generation: Lead generation is the process of generating potential customers or clients through targeted PR and marketing efforts. This can involve tactics such as email marketing, social media advertising, and content marketing.
Media kit: A media kit is a collection of materials, such as press releases, bios, and images, that can be used to promote your brand or product to journalists and media outlets (often included with a pitch)
Media monitoring: The practice of tracking mentions of your brand across news outlets, blogs, and social media platforms to measure sentiment, visibility, and campaign success.
Networking: Networking is an essential part of building relationships and expanding your reach in the PR industry. This term refers to the act of connecting with other professionals, attending events, and engaging with others in your field.
Newsjacking: The practice of aligning your brand or story with breaking news or trending topics to gain media attention and relevance.
Objective: An objective is a specific, measurable goal that you want to achieve through your PR campaign. Setting clear objectives can help you stay focused and track your progress towards achieving your goals.
Owned Media: Content and platforms that your brand controls (such as your website, social media profiles, email newsletters, and blogs) which are used to communicate and engage directly with your audience.
P-T
Pitch: A concise, tailored message sent to journalists or influencers to propose a story idea or collaboration that aligns with their beat or audience.
PR calendar: A strategic schedule that maps out campaigns, events, seasonal moments, and industry dates to ensure timely and relevant PR activity throughout the year.
Press release: A press release is a statement written for the media to announce news or updates about your brand or product. A well-crafted press release can help you gain media coverage and generate buzz around your announcement.
Quotation: A quotation, or quote, is a statement that is attributed to a specific source, such as a spokesperson, expert, or customer. Quotes can be used in press releases, articles, and other PR materials to add credibility and provide supporting evidence.
Reach: Reach refers to the number of people who have been exposed to a brand or message. PR professionals use reach as a key performance indicator (KPI) to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Techniques and strategies used to optimise your online content or website and improve your brand’s visibility in search engine results – e.g. using targeted keywords to drive organic traffic.
Social Listening: Monitoring digital conversations about your brand, your products, competitors, or the wider industry to gain insights and identify opportunities to boost engagement or reputation management.
Storytelling: Storytelling is an essential part of creating effective PR content. This term refers to the art of crafting a compelling narrative that captures the attention of your audience and creates an emotional connection.
Trend Analysis: Something we talk about a lot here at Press Loft is the process of identifying and leveraging current or emerging trends in consumer behaviour, media, or industry topics to help with your PR strategies. By incorporating relevant trends into pitches and campaigns, brands stay relevant and increase their chances of securing media coverage.
U-X
Unique selling points: Your unique selling points (USP) is the factor or feature that sets your brand or product apart from the competition. Your USP should be clear, concise, and focused on the needs and interests of your target audience.
Virtual Event: A virtual event is an online gathering, such as a webinar, conference, or trade show, that takes place over the internet. Virtual events have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their convenience and cost-effectiveness. PR professionals can use virtual events to engage with their audience, showcase their products or services, and establish thought leadership in their industry.
Word-of-Mouth: Word-of-mouth refers to the spread of information or recommendations about a brand, product, or service through informal conversations between individuals. In PR, word-of-mouth can be a powerful tool for generating buzz and building brand awareness. PR professionals may use strategies such as influencer marketing or user-generated content campaigns to encourage positive word-of-mouth.
eXpertise (we’re cheating a bit with this one): Your knowledge and expertise in your industry or niche. Positioning yourself as an expert through thought leadership content or speaking engagements can be a powerful way to build credibility and visibility.
As mentioned before, understanding the key terms and concepts in PR is essential for creating an effective strategies that resonates with your audience and achieves your business goals. We hope this simple A-Z guide helps to clarify the most common concepts that you’ll hear PR professionals mention time and time again so that you feel confident enough to weave them into your own strategy going forward!
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