You cannot escape some form of marketing as an entrepreneur. Certainly not when you want to grow your business. Which marketing tool(s) you use partly depends on the goals you set. Short- and long-term goals. And that is immediately where the first big difference lies between advertising on Google and Free Publicity.
Short- and long-term objectives
Let me start by saying that both tools rarely have an immediate effect. Google campaigns take time to optimise and building brand awareness with Free Publicity is also not settled with one publication. (Not usually with a one-off approach to the press either.) It requires structural media coverage spread over several channels and months to really be able to speak of growing brand awareness and visibility. Advertising in Google usually delivers faster results, but...
The money tap
... Google campaigns have an effect only as long as the campaigns are running and therefore as long as the money tap is running. If you turn off the tap, the effect is also gone. For short-term goals, this can be a great way to work on your visibility. It just has little to no effect on your visibility and brand awareness in the longer term. Something you cannot say about Free Publicity. Depending on the media you appear in and what you do with the publications, they can actively contribute to your business in the long term.
Depending on search behaviour
Think about your current customers for a moment... Were they all actively looking for your service or product? If your fridge is broken, you will automatically start looking for a new one. But this is far from true for all products and services. Sometimes you need something without even knowing it. When you use advertising on Google, you assume that people are looking for your product or service. After all, campaigns are based on people's search behaviour. But what if they don't yet realise they need your product or service? Remember how it felt when you used to play hide-and-seek with your friends, but no one came looking for you....
That is.
With free publicity, you can target your message to your audience without them looking for it. This gives you more control over what your target group sees and creates awareness.
Advertising on Google does not inspire confidence
Credibility is another big difference between the two marketing tools. Which are you more likely to believe? A paid ad or an interview in respected media? In an ad on Google, you can claim anything. No one checks whether what you tell is the truth. Journalists, on the other hand, usually do thorough research on their interviewee beforehand. For instance, they look at the consistency of your story and whether it is based on facts. And how is your reputation? If there are negative reports about you, journalists will not be so quick to offer you a podium. The information from interviews and publications in the media therefore inspires more confidence in your target group.
Building expert status
This brings us naturally to the next point. Building expert status. You don't increase your company's visibility and brand awareness without a reason. You do this because you want to attract more or different clients, you want to get your message in the bigger picture or because you want to make more of an impact. You will only succeed if people see you as the expert in your field. Expert status cannot possibly be built by advertising on Google or other forms of advertising. You build expert status by being consistent in your message. By being of value to your target group, sharing your wisdom and knowledge, giving advice and by others endorsing your expertise. You experience and know you are of value when respected media structurally ask for your input as soon as your expertise is mentioned.
Take a look, for example, at Franck Fielemon’s growing Wall of Fame:
Top of mind
No doubt you've been accosted on the high street for a short survey. "When you think of an insurance company, what three come to mind?" You name three that first come to mind. Then a follow-up question follows. "Which of these insurance companies do you know (by name)?" You no doubt tick a lot more that you hadn't thought of in the previous question. So the name recognition of insurance companies is there, but they were not top of mind when initially asked. When someone asks about companies within your field, you want people to drop your name immediately, don't you? So then you have to be top of mind!
And to make that happen, you need to structurally get in front of your target audience. Something that cannot be achieved by advertising in Google without turning on the money tap. By working structurally on your Free Publicity, you will succeed.
Advertising on Google vs free publicity
This article is not meant to discourage advertising on Google. However, there are major differences with Free Publicity. Both tools have their own strengths and weaknesses. It is important to be aware of these so that you can choose the best tool for your company and your goals. Do you want to work structurally and specifically on your company's visibility and brand awareness, without having to keep the money flowing constantly? And do you want this so that your expert status grows? And thus automatically attract more and new customers? Do you want to get your message across to a larger audience or because you want to increase your impact... Then Free Publicity is a powerful tool for your company to achieve your goals.
Want to find out more? I’d be happy to tell you more about it.
