PR or Paid Placement? Understanding the Difference

One of the biggest misconceptions about public relations (PR) is the belief that it's simply about getting your name in the media. Many people who haven't worked in PR assume that as long as an article about them appears in a major publication, they've "done PR." But that's not how it works.

PR is about building relationships with the media, understanding their needs, and positioning a speaker or a company as a relevant and credible source of insight. Every media outlet operates on a content cycle—they need compelling stories to engage their readers, and they're constantly looking for newsworthy angles.

A proper PR strategy involves long-term efforts:

This is an ongoing process that takes months of consistent work, especially if the spokesperson is new to the media landscape.

Now, here's where things get tricky: many so-called "PR professionals" are actually just selling advertorials—paid articles that appear in media outlets but are clearly labeled as sponsored content.

For example, a PR agency might tell a client, "We've secured you an article in [major publication]," and charge them €6,000 for it. But in reality, that publication offers paid placements for €3,000, meaning the agency is just acting as a middleman, doubling the price, and calling it PR.

There's nothing inherently wrong with paid media placements. They serve a purpose in brand building. But they are not PR. Anyone familiar with the media industry can instantly tell the difference between an earned article and a paid one.

True PR is when a publication writes about you because your story is relevant, valuable, and newsworthy. When a journalist or editor independently decides to feature you—that is PR. A paid placement, on the other hand, is a form of advertising.

At the end of the day, transparency matters. If you need a sponsored article, we can arrange it, and we'll tell you upfront that it's an ad. But if you want real PR—the kind that earns trust, builds authority, and creates lasting credibility—that's a different game entirely.