When it comes to promoting a brand or company, public relations (PR) plays an important role in crafting the message and getting it in front of the right audience. However, there are different types of PR, and understanding the difference between promotional PR and native stories is crucial.
Promotional PR is often referred to as “glorified advertising” because it is essentially an advertisement disguised as a news story. The purpose of promotional PR is to promote a product, service, or brand in a positive light.
These types of PR pieces are usually created and distributed by a company’s PR team or a PR agency hired to do the job. The content of promotional PR pieces is often controlled by the company or brand, with a specific message they want to convey. The goal is to get people to buy or use their products or services.
On the other hand, a native story is an actual news story that is created by a publication or media outlet. Native stories are not controlled by the company or brand being featured, and they are not meant to promote a product or service.
Instead, native stories are meant to inform, educate, or entertain readers. These types of stories are written by professional journalists or content creators who are dedicated to creating quality content.
Native stories are often seen as more valuable than promotional PR because they are considered more trustworthy and authentic. Readers are more likely to believe a story that is written by a professional journalist than one that is created by a company’s PR team.
Native stories are also more likely to be shared and have a longer shelf life than promotional PR, which tends to have a short shelf life.
One of the main differences between promotional PR and native stories is the level of control. Promotional PR is created and controlled by the company or brand, whereas native stories are often an event or current affair created by a third-party and are not controlled by the company or brand. This means that native stories are often more objective and unbiased than promotional PR.
Another difference is the tone of the content. Promotional PR is often written in a salesy, promotional tone, while native stories are written in a more journalistic tone.
Native stories are also often more engaging and interesting to read than promotional PR because they are written by professional writers who are skilled at telling stories.
Public relations (PR) agencies
Public relations (PR) agencies are responsible for managing the reputation of their clients through various communication channels, including news publications.
However, in recent years, there has been a growing trend of PR agencies ignoring private news publications’ submission guidelines, which can result in the loss of reputation with the result of contacts or submissions being seen as PR spam.
What are private news publication submission guidelines?
Submission guidelines are a set of rules and requirements that private news publications have established for individuals and organisations who wish to submit content for publication.
These guidelines may include details such as the preferred format of the content, the maximum length, the types of content accepted, the correct contact details, the type of news considered for publication, eg, promotional PR or native news stories and other submission details..
Following these guidelines is crucial to ensuring that the content submitted is suitable for publication and that it meets the publication’s standards.
What are the consequences of ignoring submission guidelines?
Ignoring submission guidelines can have severe consequences for both the PR agency and their client. Firstly, it can damage the reputation of the PR agency, as it shows that they are not willing to respect the publication’s rules and standards.
This can lead to the publication blacklisting the agency and refusing to publish any future content from them. Secondly, it can harm the reputation of the client, as their content may be seen as spammy and irrelevant, which can lead to a loss of trust from their target audience.
The best way to avoid ignored is to familiarise yourself with the news publication or blogs guidelines before submitting any content. This can be done by carefully reading through the publication’s website and demonstrating you have taken note and respected these guidelines.
PR agencies should also take the time to research the publication’s target audience and ensure that the content they submit is relevant and valuable to them.
Additionally, PR agencies should also avoid submitting the same content (Syndicate Content) to multiple publications without making any modifications. This can result in the content being seen as spammy and decrease the chances of it being published.
Why PR agencies should pay private publications for promtional PR coverage.
In recent years, there has been a growing trend of PR agencies expecting private publications to provide coverage without any compensation.
PR agencies may assume that private publications will cover their clients’ stories for free. However, this assumption is not only incorrect, but it can also damage the relationship between the agency and the publication.
Private publications rely on revenue from advertising, PR and sponsorships to cover their costs and remain profitable.
By asking for coverage without providing compensation, PR agencies are essentially asking publications to provide a service for free, which is not sustainable for a private in the long run especially when they fund clients onto other paid newswires and distribution services resulting in live content in such places as Yahoo or Google News.
In a Nutt shell, agencies are also asking private news to provide a free advertising service while claiming an income from their own clients. Many private news operators regard this as rude.
Moreover, PR agencies should consider that private publications offer a different kind of coverage from native stories. When a publication agrees to cover a story, it usually involves additional work beyond simply publishing a press release.
The publication may assign a reporter to conduct interviews, do research, and write a story that aligns with the publication’s editorial standards. This work requires time and resources, and it is reasonable for the publication to expect compensation for it.
Private publications may also feel that the agency does not value their work or understand their business model. As a result, they may be less likely to work with the agency in the future or even publish their clients’ stories at all.
Furthermore, private publications may feel that it is extremely rude to request coverage for a story that the agency has already paid to have published via newswires. This can make the PR agency appear unprofessional and disrespectful of the publication’s editorial integrity.
The use of hyperlinks in paid media releases
Hyperlinks play a crucial role in online marketing and communications. They help drive traffic to websites, improve search engine rankings, and enhance the user experience. However, when it comes to paid media releases, the use of hyperlinks requires careful consideration to ensure compliance with search engine policies and guidelines.
Paid media releases, also known as press releases or news releases, are a form of paid content that is distributed through various channels, including newswires and online news portals. They are typically used to announce company news, product launches, or other events.
Search engines, such as Google and Bing, have strict policies and guidelines when it comes to the use of hyperlinks in online content. These policies are designed to prevent the manipulation of search rankings through the use of spammy or low-quality hyperlinks (Anchor Text)
One of the most important guidelines is the use of the nofollow attribute. This attribute tells search engines not to follow the link and not to pass on any search engine ranking authority to the linked website. It is used to indicate that the link is paid or sponsored, or that the linking website does not necessarily endorse the content of the linked website.
How using the nofollow attribute makes your paid media release search engine compliant
- Using the nofollow attribute in hyperlinks within paid media releases is a crucial step towards making them search engine compliant.
By using the nofollow attribute, you are clearly indicating to search engines that the link is paid or sponsored, and that you are not trying to manipulate search rankings. This helps to ensure that your paid media release does not violate search engine policies, which can result in penalties or other negative consequences.
Not all content is created equal, and not all links are treated equally by search engines. When it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), the decision to use a dofollow or nofollow link can have a significant impact on a website’s ranking. So, why might a news publication decide to use a dofollow hyperlink in submitted content or a news story?
First, it’s important to understand the difference between dofollow and nofollow links. A dofollow link is a hyperlink that passes authority from one website to another, whereas a nofollow link does not. In other words, a dofollow link can have a positive impact on a website’s ranking in search results, while a nofollow link does not.
For news publications, the decision to use a dofollow or nofollow link often depends on the nature of the content being covered. If the content is promotional in nature and has been paid for by the submitter, a nofollow link is typically used to avoid any suggestion of paid links or manipulation of search results.
In contrast, if the content is regarded as a native story, and is offered to the publication and granted free coverage without any exchange of services, a dofollow hyperlink may be used as a sign of endorsement towards the external source.
Because native stories are not paid content such as promotional PR, news publications may be more inclined to use a dofollow link, as there is no financial incentive to do so and it remains in compliance with major search engine polices.
By linking to other websites, news publications are able to provide their readers with additional resources and information, and are seen as a valuable source of information and authority within their niche.
Private news publications or blogs may decide to use a dofollow link for a native story that has either been researched, reported and written by their own editorial staff members or it has been offered and granted free coverage due to the valuable information it provides readers.
Self Entitled PR Agency Rant – Publication Exploitation
I can’t be the only one frustrated by the sheer audacity of so many PR, advertising, and marketing agencies these days. It’s like they’ve completely lost the plot.
They operate as though they’re entitled to everything for free — including other people’s hard work and content.
And what’s worse?
They’re perfectly fine with taking that content, slapping their brand or message on it, and using it to get paid, without ever offering a single penny in return to the websites publication owners.
How did we get here? Agencies are raking in enormous budgets from their clients, while smaller sites, bloggers, and independent content creators are left to fend for themselves, often scraping by with little to no support.
PR companies seem to have developed this warped sense of entitlement, as if the content online is a free-for-all buffet they can just pick from without ever considering the cost of hosting, creating, and maintaining the platform that brought it to life.
It’s not just frustrating—it’s downright disrespectful. These agencies think it’s their right to steal eyeballs and engagement from hardworking creators, often without any acknowledgment, let alone compensation.
The irony is that they have no problem charging their clients premium rates for the same content they’ve taken without paying. That’s the real kicker. They’re happy to profit off others’ intellectual property while giving nothing back.
There’s no recognition that hosting websites cost money, that creating content takes time and resources, and that online businesses, especially smaller ones, rely on ad revenue or partnerships to survive.
Meanwhile, these agencies get to waltz in, grab whatever they want, and leave the website holding the bag—no money, no credit, just a dwindling bottom line.
This practice isn’t just lazy; it’s a growing exploitation of those trying to carve out a living online. If marketing and PR agencies want to use someone else’s content to further their own goals, they should be prepared to compensate for that privilege.
If your client benefits from my work, then I deserve to see some of that benefit. Otherwise, stop pretending it’s “just part of the game.” It’s exploitation, plain and simple, and it needs to stop.
Extended Summary
In summary, promotional PR and native stories are two different types of PR that serve different purposes. Promotional PR is essentially an advertisement disguised as a news story, while native stories are actual news stories that are natually created by a third-party after an event of high public interest.
Native stories are often seen as more valuable and trustworthy than promotional PR because they are considered more authentic and unbiased.
When it comes to promoting your brand or company, it’s important to understand the difference between the two and choose the right approach for your goals. Always respect a publications submission guidelines and business model.
