PR can be misleading: A successful PR campaign doesn’t always equate to an increase in streams/merch sales. So, when PRs make quantitative claims about what their PR campaign can do for you, it’s important to bear in mind that their claims aren’t promises.

PR is a monetary risk - PR often involves a large upfront cost, and a large slice of hoping for the best. With social media, however, the amount you decide to spend on ads can be tweaked throughout campaigns depending on how things are going. You’ll also see the amount of money you decide to spend more obviously translates into results - it’s a sliding scale, where PR can be all or nothing

Less obstacles between artists and fans - Typically, PR has to grapple with more obstacles between artists and their fans. PR relies on attention from journalists and bloggers, which then relies on these writing for quality publications with a large readership and, from here, relying on potential fans stumbling across the article and actively clicking through to the music. With socials, your music can be placed directly in front of potential fans.

Music discovery has changed - This is by and large down to a drastic change in how we now consume and discover new music. Let’s face it, people are reading music blogs and magazines less and less, instead discovering new music through social media and playlists. Where a blog feature may have awarded up-and-coming artists attention in the past, a social media ad is now far more likely to get your music in front of the right people.

Long term “brand” building - While PR is a tool that’s usually wheeled out only when you have something to shout about (i.e. new music), social media marketing allows you to engage in a longer form of brand building. What does this mean? Your fans are more likely to feel like they know you so, when it comes to that critical release point, you have a loyal base ready to go.