What is PR? Reputation, relationships, and media

Public relations helps a company communicate with the people whose understanding and decisions matter to it. For a startup, that might mean explaining a product to potential customers, helping reporters understand a new development, or keeping employees and customers informed through a difficult change.

Media outreach is one part of PR. The Public Relations Society of America's definition also covers the broader work of building relationships between an organization and its audiences. When an agency offers “PR,” ask what work is included.

Paid, earned, shared, and owned describe how people hear about you

Channel	Startup example	What you're buying or doing
Paid	A sponsored newsletter placement	Paying for agreed distribution or placement
Earned	A reporter independently covers your product	Offering a story that an editor can accept, change, or decline
Shared	Customers discuss your announcement in a community	Participating where other people and the platform shape the conversation
Owned	An explanation on your company website	Publishing material you control and need to get in front of readers

These channels can work together. In a fictional launch, a software company publishes a product explanation, earns a trade-publication interview, shares it with its community, and buys a newsletter ad. Each reaches people differently. The ad and company post should not be counted as independent press coverage.

Earned coverage gives the publisher the final say

An agency can improve the story, find relevant reporters, arrange interviews, and answer questions. It can't promise that an independent outlet will publish, use your preferred headline, or include every message. Coverage can be positive, mixed, or critical, and publication doesn't mean the outlet endorses you.

Paid editorial-looking content is a different purchase. Ask whether money, sponsorship, or another benefit secures the placement and how readers will recognize it. The U.S. FTC's native advertising guidance requires clear, prominent disclosure when needed to prevent an ad from being mistaken for independent content.

Choose a channel for the job you need done

If existing customers need instructions about a change, a direct email may be more useful than a news story. If prospective buyers haven't heard of you, relevant reporting may help introduce the company. If you need to control an offer and its publication date, paid or owned channels give you more control.

Describe that need when talking to a provider. Use PR vs. marketing, ads, growth, and content to sort out overlaps and what agencies sell to compare services.