The Importance of Content & PR for Supply Chain Companies
The need for strong, insightful thought leadership content has significantly increased in recent years. While content marketing has been a growing category for years, the demand for contributed content from editors is growing. The shift from print to online has created a never-ending news cycle that must be continuously fueled. This shift toward posting the latest industry news quickly has led many publications to do away with traditional editorial calendars. And with the supply chain now being such a hot topic that’s changing daily, there’s always something new to report.
To keep readers informed and interested, publications need more content to post. However, many media outlets are short-staffed, especially trade publications, making meeting this demand difficult. They don’t have the resources available to conduct interviews and write stories fast enough. This challenge for editors presents a tremendous opportunity for businesses. By contributing thought leadership content to trade, local, and national publications, organizations can both inform readers and establish themselves as trusted industry experts
The demand for content is no secret. In transportation and supply chain, companies have flooded the market—some with meaningful insights, others with little substance. To stand out, organizations need a distinct point of view and must deliver content that truly adds value for readers—moving beyond surface-level commentary and industry buzzwords.
PR as a Part of the Buyer Journey
Public relations has always faced measurement challenges. While analytics tools have advanced, linking earned media to leads or sales isn’t as straightforward as it is in other forms of digital marketing. Still, just because you can’t track a press release or article quote the way you track an email open rate doesn’t mean it isn’t a vital part of the customer journey.
Recent studies show that buyers typically review three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales representative, with some B2B buyers consuming up to 13 pieces before making a purchase decision. Earned media is a proven and effective way to increase brand awareness, boost SEO and reach your target audience, even when you can’t always see the immediate result. After all, your company may not even be on a buyer’s radar until they read a quote from an executive in a newspaper or come across a thought leadership article or press release after doing a Google search.
In marketing—much like in football—analytics plays an increasingly important role in guiding smart, strategic decisions. But it isn’t everything. Sometimes, the value of a tactic is clear even if the data isn’t immediate or easily captured in flashy dashboards and charts.
That said, it’s essential to collect as much data and insight as possible and use it to continually refine your PR strategy and tactics. From there, integrate those efforts with other areas of your marketing program –particularly those that allow for stronger tracking and measurement.