The word arbitrage originates in the world of finance, where it is used mainly in reference to the trading of financial instruments, such as bonds, stocks, derivatives, commodities and currencies.

For months we’ve been talking to clients about “content arbitrage” to describe PR’s evolving role in a world of media consolidation (and it turns out we’re not alone using the phrase – see this post from the Nieman Journalism Lab.

The content part is fairly obvious. PR professionals are in the business of connecting clients with channels through which they can distribute content about their products and services. As Sam Whitmore, John Gallant and others with roots in traditional media have observed, media consolidation and changing patterns of news consumption mean that companies need to create their own content.

This is where arbitrage comes in. Consider a content marketplace where online news outlets, print publications, bloggers and outlets like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are served by PR, which is the hub at the center of the wheel of content. This strategy requires a bold new approach to storytelling, and it is the role of PR and communications professionals to develop content strategies, assist in the development of content, and act as arbitrageurs to place that content where the client’s audiences will see it – and react. Content arbitrage not only offers clients a new way to tell stories, it links content with intent, linking PR campaigns and demand generation more directly.

In the content supply chain, PR professionals can be the pivot point. We provide a strategic service – arbitrage – that links influencers, media outlets, and clients in a new marketplace of ideas. We can provide the links between business trends, customer content and news. Yesterday’s clips are today’s clicks.

Let us know what you think.

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Technorati Tags: content, content arbitrage, content broker, Journalism, News, PR

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