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How To Align Your Content Marketing And PR Strategies

Forbes Communications Council
POST WRITTEN BY
Cameron Conaway

In 2000, there were two PR specialists for every journalist. Today, according to the May 2017 Occupational Employment Statistics (at the time of writing, this was the latest data available at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), that ratio is over 5 to 1.

Indeed, many see it as a troubling sign of the times that the number of employed journalists decreased 32% while the number of PR specialists increased 82%. But one story of many behind the data is how established journalists and fresh journalism graduates alike are increasingly finding employment as content marketers and PR professionals.

This swirling fusion of three industries — journalism, content marketing and PR — has, I would argue, allowed those working in all fields to shore up their weaknesses. Journalists today are digging into content marketing metrics. Content marketers are conducting interviews and in-depth research. And modern PR firms are more equipped than ever to develop media relationships while both creating and pitching compelling content on behalf of their clients.

How do we address the obvious challenges?

Miscommunications and tensions can arise when talented, experienced professionals who have essentially swapped roles are now working together. Rifts are especially common among a company’s content marketing team and its PR firm. The content marketing team, for example, may be led by a veteran journalist who has spent her career on the receiving end of PR pitches; it can be challenging for her to let a PR firm pitch peers in her industry when she knows so much about what works and what doesn’t.

And what if the PR firm consists of content marketers and former journalists — a near clone of the company’s in-house content marketing team? Who should be responsible for creating thoughtful, polished bylines that position the company’s C-suite as thought leaders? How should resources and industry connections be shared? How can the skill sets shared by members of both teams be focused in such a way so as not to result in an overlap of effort?

These are common challenges and big questions that go unaddressed or, at the least, result in months of wasted time and money. Over the years, I’ve been on all sides: I’ve pitched and received pitches. I’ve led media relationships and, on more than one occasion, realized that ceding the responsibility to another team was the best way forward. And yes, I’ve watched tensions escalate between the two sides and been tasked to resolve them.

Here are some ways to ensure that both teams respect each other, tap each other’s expertise and drive toward similar but distinct goals.

1. Lay it all out early and often.

Schedule calls between both teams so they can understand each other’s strengths. Encourage members of each group to email each other some of their best work. When new teammates join either team, keep this process going so a culture of sharing and learning can develop with growth rather than stagnate because of it.

2. Avoid surprises in hiring.

If you’re a marketing leader researching PR firms, involving your content marketing team in the hiring process will empower them to work together with the firm as well as better understand the firm’s capabilities and overall role in the company.

3. Conduct a SWOT analysis.

As soon as possible, ask your content marketing team to conduct a SWOT analysis to assess their collective strengths and weaknesses. The analysis will create space for open conversations about shared goals and where help is needed.

4. Frequently reassess goals and roles.

Your goals this quarter likely differ from last quarter, and it’s crucial for both teams to reassess their goals and roles routinely. One side, for example, may have exhibited a new element to their work that was immensely successful — which can lead to a shift in the relationship’s focus in the forthcoming quarter. Additionally, it can improve visibility if each team maintains a rolling document detailing what they’re working on and how things are progressing.

5. Create opportunities for collaboration.

While collaboration is likely to occur at some point due to the nature of specific content projects, it’s worth stepping back to intentionally create collaborative projects — such as an industry survey spun into a variety of assets — where both teams must tap their collective talents. These type of projects can improve relationship dynamics and lead to results that generate a ton of attention.

The fields of content marketing and PR are continuously evolving in ways that bring them closer together. The task for all sides, and especially for marketing leaders, is to bring both strategies into harmony.

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