The difference between internal and external Public Relations
With Public Relations (PR) you ensure that your organisation's story reaches the right target groups on a positive and regular basis. This is how you create attention for your company and build brand awareness and visibility. Here, we distinguish between internal and external Public Relations. We explain the difference between them to you.
What is internal PR?
Internal PR is the communication you use to address target groups within your organisation such as employees, shareholders and directors. The aim of internal PR is to involve employees in the bigger picture; your mission and business strategy. By doing so, you motivate them and make them proud of their work. This way, you can celebrate achievements together and work on new goals.
Examples of internal PR
- Internal newsletter: In a periodic newsletter to employees and other internal stakeholders, you share important updates, celebrate successes and put employees in the spotlight. Here you can see the staff newsletter we make for GVB.
- Intranet platform: An internal communication platform where employees can access important documents, announcements, training and other communication from the organisation.
- Staff meetings: During regular meetings with employees, management informs them about achieved results, new strategies and business objectives. This is also a time when employees can ask questions and give feedback.
What is external PR?
External PR focuses on communication with all target groups outside your organisation. The aim of external PR is to build lasting relationships with the media, (potential) customers, partners, investors and the wider public. With external PR, you increase your visibility and brand awareness. When your story regularly reaches the right target group, it increases your position of authority within your field.
Examples of external PR
- Press approaches: press releases, opinion pieces, opinion surveys and expert blogs allow you to share important company news, research data, your vision or other news with independent media. This is how you build media relations, which of course you also need to maintain.
- Social media: through in-house channels such as social media platforms, you get in direct contact with your target audience. Think about sharing tips and responding to questions and comments from followers. A well-known example is Bol.com, known for its creative and targeted social media campaigns, which both entertain and engage users.
- Events: organising or participating in events such as fairs, conferences, charity events or local community initiatives is a good way to build a network.
Internal and external PR go hand in hand
Internal and external Public Relations complement each other perfectly. Whereas internal PR creates a positive corporate culture and motivated employees, external PR creates a positive image among external stakeholders. Together, they create a consistent and powerful message, leading to a stronger brand and greater impact on your target audience.
Could you use help from a PR consultant?
That's where we as a PR and content marketing agency can help! Leave your details here behind or contact Thomas Bekker, on +31 (0)6 19 32 85 84 or thomas@mediatic.eu/en.
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