What is traditional PR?
Public relations (PR) is the strategic practice of managing how information about a person, brand, or organization is shared with the public. Traditionally, PR has focused on securing coverage in print newspapers and magazines, getting interviews on radio and TV, and shaping a brand’s image through relationships with journalists and editors. It’s about building credibility, earning attention, and controlling the narrative without paying for ads.
What is digital PR?
Digital Public Relations (Digital PR) is the same core practice, managing reputation and earning media, but the channels have shifted. Instead of aiming for coverage in newspapers or TV segments, digital PR targets online publications, blogs, podcasts, social media platforms, and search engines. While it’s often used in place of link building for SEO needs, it’s still about telling the right story to the right audience through the right outlet, just in digital form.
What’s the difference between traditional PR and digital PR?
The tactics differ, but the goal is the same: earn attention and shape public perception.
Traditional PR might land you a feature in a glossy magazine or a morning show interview. Digital PR might get you quoted in an online article, mentioned in a blog post, or invited to speak on a podcast. Traditional PR focuses on legacy media; digital PR focuses on digital-first outlets.
Both rely on relationships, strategy, and storytelling. Both aim to position your brand as credible and relevant. But digital PR goes a step further by optimizing for online impact, like driving traffic, building backlinks, and improving search rankings.
The table below will help highlight some important differences between the two approaches.
| Traditional PR | Digital PR | |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Print (newspapers, magazines) and broadcast (TV, radio). | News websites, blogs, industry publications, podcasts, and social media. |
| Key Objectives | Brand awareness and media impressions. | Online visibility, SEO/GEO/AEO benefits, website traffic, credibility. |
| Measurement | Media impressions and brand sentiment surveys. | Backlinks, search rankings, referral traffic from AI search engines, social engagement, and website traffic. |
| Content | Press releases, public stunts, and events. | Data-driven campaigns, creative assets, infographics, articles, and online interviews. |
| Lifespan | Shorter lifespan; once published, the content is gone. | Can have a much longer lifespan, remaining searchable online and sending referral traffic for years. |
| Cost | Average PR retainers range from $2,000 per month to over $20,000 per month, depending on the level of work required. | Average digital PR retainers range from $5,000 per month to over $25,000 per month, depending on the level of work required. The added cost can be explained by the added content requirements. |
Which is better: Traditional PR or digital PR?
It depends on where your audience is.
If your target customers still tune in to the evening news, flip through print magazines, or listen to the radio on their commute, traditional PR has value. If they spend their time reading blogs, watching YouTube, and scrolling social media, digital PR is the better bet.
Most brands today need a mix of both, but if you’re only picking one, go where your audience already is. That’s where your story will stick.
