The Intersection of Digital PR and Traditional Media

Date: May 14, 2024

With the technologic abundance that defines our modern world, you may be wondering whether the traditional PR avenues of yesterday are still relevant to your campaigns of today. As a law firm marketer, both traditional media and digital PR on their own can prove successful. However, to achieve the highest level of brand awareness, ROI, and market influence for your law firm, utilizing a combination of strategies from both styles of marketing will prove most rewarding.   

The Ways of Traditional PR

When it comes to PR, traditional media includes any channels that were relied on before the age of the Internet. This includes printed magazines and newspapers, broadcasted television and radio, and in-person marketing events and billboards. Due to the nature of these marketing strategies, they often require a longer lead time. More planning, construction, and team involvement is required to distribute a monthly magazine issue or replace a static billboard advertisement. 

While the time, cost, and manpower to successfully navigate these PR methods alone may be unrealistic for small- to mid-sized law firms, there is no denying that these sources are critical, especially for local reach. And, depending on your target audience, a more traditional PR avenue could be more successful in reaching the right clientele.  

Digital Media for a Digital Age

On the other hand, digital media takes advantage of the channels afforded to us by the creation of the Internet. Creating a website for your firm, contributing to thought leadership pieces, and writing blogs are all ways that modern PR pros utilize digital media to attract an audience and enhance their market authority. The challenge with digital media marketing arises with getting your content in front of the correct audience.

Thanks to the Internet, marketers are given the ability to reach a wider pool of potential clients than ever before. This also means that in order to narrow down your audience, you must have insight into what people are searching in relation to your market, and know how to address these concerns head-on. This can take the form of sharing a guest blog with a broader topic, rather than the more targeted print ads of traditional media, or by optimizing your site for search engines like Google. With the main resources for digital PR being Internet connection and industry experts willing to share their knowledge, this is an excellent lower-cost form of marketing that can still bring in high rewards.

How Can I Combine Digital PR and Traditional Media?

Knowing the differences between digital and traditional media is crucial for creating a targeted campaign, but understanding how these avenues can come together for your firm’s next campaign is what will set you up for success. Luckily, marketers aren’t the only ones looking to make this connection. To account for the growing presence of online media, many traditional magazines and news publications have introduced digital magazines alongside their printed copies. An outlet of this nature is a great place for law firms to share guest blogs, thought leadership pieces, or expert quotes. Additionally, some outlets will recycle their content, sharing columns from their print or digital magazine as an online article for their website.

As a marketer, you can take a similar approach with your media campaigns to maximize your brand awareness and audience scope. Say your firm practices in elder law: relying on the traditional newspaper and radio advertisements is a great way to reach the target generation, while incorporating the digital media strategies of search engine optimization and guest blogs can put your firm in front of a younger generation who may be looking for representation on behalf of their older relatives. Taking advantage of these opportunities gets your content in front of print readers, broadcast viewers, and digital users, all while improving your presence on Google.

This same tactic can be used for in-person marketing events such as conferences, workshops, and seminars. These activities attract crowds with the promise of first-hand knowledge and networking opportunities, and can be an excellent way to leave a lasting impression on potential associates or clients. In the past, attending these events was also a surefire way to go home with innumerable paper handouts and logo-laden pens. To modernize this setup for the digital age, start by including QR codes on all printed handouts: while a flier may get thrown away, your firm’s website can stay pulled up on a cellphone for future reference and easy access. With additional resources, you can also consider livestreaming keynote speeches or hosting virtual webinars to welcome interested parties who may not be local or able to attend in-person events.

And, although things seem to constantly be moving and changing when it comes to digital, evergreen content should still be an invaluable sector of your firm’s campaigns. Having an accessible and user-friendly website that provides clients with educational resources from industry experts is not only a great way to incur client trust, but also sets you apart as a leader in the market. Recycling this content for traditional campaigns that may take longer to roll out also lowers your firm’s need for resources, and keeps your digital channels open for more trendy and timely content— content that clients are searching and needing answers for as quickly as possible. 

Support for Your New Campaign

With the knowledge on how to intersect traditional media with your digital PR strategy, your firm may be ready to jump into a new campaign. If you’re struggling with the implementation of these practices however, there are resources to help. Contact us today to learn more about how our law firm digital PR and SEO services can help your firm soar on Google results and reach a wider audience.