The Different Types of Public Relations: A Complete Guide

To find success in such highly competitive markets as those we see today, businesses must establish, carry out, and surveil different forms of public relations strategies. That’s because it’s important to properly communicate to customers, investors, and other stakeholders why they should remain interested in the company. But what exactly is public relations and what are the different ways businesses can employ public relations strategies to address different needs?

What Is Public Relations?

Public relations is a strategy for businesses to maintain communication between themselves and their stakeholders. On one hand, businesses want to communicate important information to their customers, and on the other, customers and other stakeholders want to be informed about the business and its products or services. Public relations helps to bridge the gap between these two entities.

What Are the Different Types of Public Relations?

There are seven different types of public relations businesses must be aware of and can employ:

Media relations

As a type of public relations, media relations focus on forming relationships with various media outlets, broadcasters, journalists, and bloggers. The goal of media relations is to get positive coverage of a company or organization in the media, which can help to strengthen the company’s connection with its stakeholders.

Stakeholders are people who have a vested interest in the company’s success. Customers, investors, suppliers, employees, and even the community can be stakeholders. By getting positive media coverage, a company can demonstrate to its stakeholders that it is a responsible and successful organization.

Community relations

Community relations is a type of public relations that focuses on building relationships between an organization and its local community. The goal of community relations is to create a positive image of the organization in the community and to build trust and support. Better community relations can increase sales, employee morale, and reputation.

There are many ways to build community relations. Some common methods include donating to local charities, volunteering the organization’s time and resources, sponsoring local events, and working with local businesses and organizations.

Crisis communication

Crisis communication is a type of public relations strategy that deals with handling a crisis situation. A crisis can be anything from a natural disaster to a product recall to a social media scandal. When a crisis happens, it is important for a business to have a plan in place to communicate with the public. By having a plan in place, a business can minimize the damage caused by a crisis and protect its reputation.

Public affairs

Working closely with other members of the public, public affairs specialists ensure that the organization’s views align with the public’s interest.. They do this by working closely with other members of the public relations team to develop and execute communication strategies that are both informative and persuasive.

The public affairs team works to ensure that all communication is relevant and compelling enough to influence decision-makers at all levels. Their duties include conducting extensive research on public opinion and government policy, drafting communications materials, organizing events and meetings, building relationships with key stakeholders, responding to media inquiries, and managing social media accounts.

Social media communications is a type of public relations that uses social media platforms to engage with audiences. It is a powerful tool that can be used to build relationships, generate awareness, and drive engagement.

When businesses execute social media communications in cooperation with social media influencers, the results can be exponential. Influencers are people who have obtained large followings through social media — followings that tend to take notice when their influencer posts about a product or service. This can lead to increased brand awareness, sales, and engagement.

Internal communications

Internal employee communications PR is the process of communicating with employees in a timely and effective manner. This helps to ensure that employees are aware of what is happening in the company, that they feel valued and cared for, and that they are motivated to do their best work.

Strategic PR communications

Strategic communications involves developing and executing a communication plan that aligns with an organization’s overall goals and objectives. It is the final part of the public relations process, and it is essential for ensuring that all communication is coordinated and consistent.

Do you need advice regarding the best type of communication strategy you should implement for your organization? Simply reach out to us and we’ll be happy to answer your questions and help you develop a communications strategy for you.