Erin Lovett, Associate Director
In many fintech businesses, PR and marketing sit side by side, but not together. One reports into brand or communications, the other into growth or demand. They share objectives in theory… but in practice often run on parallel tracks, with separate planning cycles and key performance indicators (KPIs).
The result is predictable: missed opportunities, diluted impact and reduced ROI. For senior marketers, who are under pressure to prove commercial contribution like never before, that separation is no longer sustainable. Fintech PR is most effective - and crucially, most measurable - when it is fully integrated with the marketing function.
PR should influence commercial performance
There’s a persistent myth that PR is a “top of funnel” discipline only; that it delivers visibility and credibility but can’t be tied directly to revenue. That mindset is outdated and limits the potential of external communications.
In fintech, trust is currency. Buyers are sophisticated, procurement cycles are complex, and regulatory scrutiny is high. Media coverage, executive profiling and thought leadership don’t just raise awareness of a brand and its offering. They shape perceived authority and de-risk buying decisions.
When PR is integrated with marketing, it supports pipeline acceleration and conversion uplift. Third-party validation like media coverage and analyst commentary shortens sales cycles by increasing credibility. Plus, targeted media coverage complements account-based marketing (ABM) by reinforcing the key messages shared in direct outreach to priority accounts.
PR becomes commercially powerful when it is measured against the same outcomes as marketing. This should never be vanity metrics, but influence on pipeline, engagement quality and deal velocity.
Silos reduce ROI
PR teams may secure strong media coverage, but if marketing isn’t ready to amplify it, the impact fades quickly. A major funding announcement lands in a top-tier title, yet the website isn’t optimised to capture increased traffic. Sales teams aren’t equipped with the coverage. Paid campaigns don’t reinforce the message. Sound familiar?
Conversely, marketing may run campaigns or publish gated content without leveraging PR to build authority around the same theme. This means that the narrative lacks external validation. The market hears the message but only from you, not from trusted journalists and commentators.
In fintech, where differentiation is hard-won and credibility is everything, that disconnect is costly.
True integration ensures that campaigns are built around cohesive narratives and unified key messages are reinforced across owned, earned and paid channels. It means that every major moment in the business is amplified to its full potential. And critically, when measurement data is shared, cross-channel performance impact can inform future campaign strategy.
What true integration looks like in practice
Integration is not a monthly catch-up call where marketing and communications teams simply tell each other what they’re planning. It must be structural and strategic to deliver maximum ROI. Below are some examples of what this looks like in practice.
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Turn announcements into multi-channel campaigns
A product launch, regulatory milestone or funding round should never be “just a press release”. Marketing and PR should plan together to create a coordinated push. If messaging is aligned on in advance, key journalists can be pre-briefed under embargo while marketing builds landing pages and campaign assets. Sales teams can be equipped with coverage links and talking points, and media coverage can be repurposed into blog content, LinkedIn posts and newsletter features.
Instead of a single spike in coverage, the announcement becomes a sustained campaign that drives traffic, engagement and leads.
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Embed PR content into owned and social channels
Earned media shouldn’t live in isolation on your business’s news webpage.
PR-generated content, from commentary and interviews to bylines, can and should fuel marketing channels. Media quotes can be featured in nurture emails; newsjacking can be adapted into executive thought leadership; and promoted social campaigns can be built around published content.
This activity extends the life and reach of PR output and ensures marketing content benefits from independent validation.
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Measure impact using shared metrics
If PR reports just on share of voice and marketing only reports on MQLs, you will never see the full picture. True integration requires shared KPIs, such as traffic spikes and engagement following major coverage; quality of inbound leads following sector-specific media activity; and growth in branded search after high-profile announcements.
This doesn’t mean attributing every deal to a single article. It means recognising PR as part of the commercial ecosystem and measuring its contribution accordingly. Data alignment builds internal confidence in communications as a growth lever, not solely a reputational safeguard.
The fintech context makes integration essential
Fintech operates in a uniquely competitive and regulated landscape. Innovation alone is rarely enough; trust, credibility and clarity are critical.
When the marketing and PR functions are disconnected, fintech brands risk fragmented messaging across channels, ineffectively deployed budget, and difficulty proving marcomms ROI at board level.
Fintech brands that treat PR as an integrated growth function rather than a standalone reputational tool will see stronger narratives, more consistent visibility and clearer commercial returns.
