Why and how to break down the silos dividing PR and marketing

Communications professionals are not immune to working in silos, which are just as pervasive in our profession as they are in other industries.

Silos can be found throughout organizations of all sizes. They are fueled by the lack of a clear vision, proper training and/or cross-functional expectations. This isn’t a new concept: Silos have been a topic of much debate and frustration across businesses and industries for decades. Yet in 2020, when collaboration tools, campaign dashboards, and technology are helping to connect us, why is it that so many “communication” experts continue to operate within them?

Having spent nearly 20 years in an agency setting or consultancy, I’ve met with hundreds of pros in businesses of all sizes, and from around the globe, to solve their sales, marketing and perception problems. In that time, marketing and PR evolved, digital platforms grew, newsrooms shrank, social channels expanded their influence, self-publishing became the norm—and everything became measurable.

The lines separating paid, earned, social and owned (PESO) have blurred as consumers have taken a more active role in deciding how, when and where they engage with brands. So why is it that content teams, social media teams and PR teams aren’t regularly working together? Why do many communications leaders fail to run a truly integrated play?