originally posted to www.carnsight.com
The idea of a spring clean has been a mainstay of March, April and May in the northern hemisphere. It’s synonymous with clearing out your space and dusting the cobwebs away. But that’s not to say that a thoughtful reset and reshuffle isn’t needed later in the year. Here are some of Carnsight’s top tips for an autumn reset – which can be just as valuable as your classic spring clean.
I’ve said it before and I’ll happily say it again: a digital declutter is equally important as a physical one (and vice versa!). A clean, organised space can do wonders for focus and productivity, and this applies equally to our digital environments.
The reward? You’ll be able to find what you need faster and reduce that digital “noise” that can lead to overwhelm.
Autumn is a great time to review your client goals, content plans, and social media strategies. Perhaps a campaign idea that felt fresh in January could use a bit of updating. Or maybe it’s time to revisit your media lists and add any new contacts who could benefit from your clients’ latest news.
Refresh tips:
By re-evaluating these elements, you can realign your strategies to finish the year on a strong note and set yourself up for success going into the next.
Autumn offers a natural break in the calendar, allowing us to assess where we are in the year, what’s working well, and what could use a bit of attention. In PR and comms, where things tend to move quickly and schedules can be packed, we often focus on getting through day-to-day tasks without much time to pause. An autumn clean provides that much-needed breather – a chance to clear out physical and mental clutter and set ourselves up for a successful year-end.
How it helps: Taking time to clear out gives us a chance to take stock, regain focus, and identify what’s needed to meet those Q4 goals or finish up projects with clients. It’s a bit like pressing the “reset” button for clarity and motivation in our work.
While it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of work, an autumn reset can also be a time to focus on mental clarity and well-being. Clearing clutter isn’t just about physical or digital spaces; it’s about creating headspace, too. Reassessing routines, setting new boundaries, and managing time effectively are all part of this.
For PR and comms professionals, where burnout can be a real risk, especially as the end-of-year demands mount. An autumn reset can help create a more balanced work routine, clear away the mental cobwebs and give us all a little more space (literally and figuratively) to finish the final stretch of the year. The October, November, and December months can also be quite a social time – with seasonal celebrations like Halloween, Diwali, Día de Muertos, Chuseok, Samhain, Bonfire Night, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years and many more taking place. It can be hard to juggle work-life balance at this time, and ensure you keep giving your best to your work whilst also leaving energy to enjoy things outside of and beyond your workday.
An autumn reset might not be as celebrated as spring cleaning, but it’s just as important. It’s an opportunity to reset, to ensure you’re organised, motivated, and (in the northern hemisphere) prepared to end the year on a high. From an organised desk to a clear inbox, you’ll find that a little autumn cleaning can make a big difference in productivity, focus, and even your sense of balance at work.
So, as the leaves fall, let’s take a moment to tidy up, refocus, and prepare ourselves for the months ahead. A little bit of organisation and reflection now can help you finish the year stronger and feeling ready to embrace whatever’s next.
My name is Michael James, I am a driven postgraduate part of the Bristol UWE Alumni. I am known for:
Thriving in social environments and building strong professional relationships.
Demonstrating an unwavering work ethic and relentless pursuit of goals.
Embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.
Balancing academic rigor with a love for sports and active lifestyle.
My current area of work is UX/UI design and digital marketing, with a passion for enhancing brand images in the digital space. Currently exploring opportunities to collaborate on projects that push the boundaries of digital design and marketing. Keen to contribute my skills to forward-thinking teams and exciting initiatives in this dynamic field.
If you would like to learn more about myself and have any positions open..
Please contact me!
mikeyjames@sky.com
07873168911
https://mikeyj100.github.io/portfoliopage/
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
Introducing Lizi Sprague, Co-founder, Songue PR
Lizi Sprague is the co-founder of Songue PR. Hailing from London, she made the bold move to San Francisco nearly a decade ago, immersing herself in the nuances of US public relations. This journey has been eye-opening, highlighting the stark contrasts between UK and US PR landscapes. Lizi has skillfully navigated these differences to establish her own successful B2B tech PR agency alongside her co-founder, Natalee Gibson. I had the pleasure of managing and mentoring Lizi at the start of her career, and I continue to support her as she thrives in this competitive field. With over 15 years of experience, she is a seasoned PR and media relations specialist renowned for crafting compelling campaigns that resonate across cultures and borders.
How do the media landscapes in the US and UK compare?
In short, entering the US market requires more than just a messaging translation; it demands an understanding of the very different media landscape, cultural context, and strategic planning tailored to each market’s needs. The US media environment is larger and more fragmented, with various outlets across diverse regions and demographics, while the UK has a more centralized media structure with several dominant players. Understanding these points is crucial for tailoring communications effectively.
What’s your approach to national versus regional media in the US, and how does that differ from the UK?
We prioritize a dual approach: crafting national campaigns that resonate broadly with business and tech press while developing targeted trade and vertical media strategies. These verticals are crucial for influencing broader media narratives and reaching key decision-makers within specific sectors. While we develop targeted strategies for regional media, which can effectively connect with local audiences for hyper-local messaging, we often view trade and business press as a primary vehicle for impactful communication. At the end of the day, it depends on the news, produc, and the story we want to tell.
How do you manage global clients who need their messaging to resonate across both US and UK markets?
We develop comprehensive messaging platforms for our clients and ensure that messaging translates and respects both markets’ cultural nuances and media preferences. This often means developing distinct campaigns for the US and UK, while maintaining a cohesive brand message. Regular collaboration with local teams, like Carnsight Communications, ensures we adapt our approach based on real-time feedback and market insights.
Do you find US press releases have a different tone or structure compared to UK ones?
Absolutely. US press releases typically adopt a more direct, concise tone, often incorporating a “call to action.” They may also emphasize data and statistics to bolster credibility. UK press releases tend to employ a more narrative style, focusing on storytelling and context. Press releases are a much more common tool in the US and very much used and are expected by the media. Adapting to these preferences is essential for effective communication.
How do cultural nuances in the US shape PR messaging compared to the UK?
In the US, there is often a stronger emphasis on individualism, innovation, and the “next big thing,” influencing how stories are framed and presented. On the other hand, UK audiences may appreciate wit, tradition, and subtlety, leading to different narrative styles. Understanding these cultural differences is key to crafting messages that resonate authentically in each market.
Interested in hearing from more of our guest features? Try In Conversation With: Philly Spurr, Head of Communications – BBC World Service or In Conversation With: Tessa Clements, Founder of Tessa Clements Photography.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
A friend sends you a link, you’re fact-checking some research, or a sparky headline grabs your attention. You click on the article, only to hit a dreaded paywall. It’s frustrating, especially when you’re looking for valuable information quickly. But while we might sigh and click away, it’s important to understand how paywalls fit into the modern media landscape. Especially when you work in PR like we do, and are always working to secure placements for clients in top-tier publications.
Oxford Universtiy’s Reuters Institute reports that more than two-thirds (69%) of leading newspapers across the UK, EU and US are operating some kind of online paywall. Hence, undoubtedly, this trend is shaping how we approach media and impacts the choices we make for our clients – so let’s unpack it.
Simply put, a paywall does exactly what it says on the tin – it erects a ‘wall’ to protect content and requires you to ‘pay’ for it to be removed. It’s a digital gate that monetises content that will restrict access to either the majority or entirely of a webpage unless payment is made to remove the wall.
Paywalls come in several forms:
The media’s argument for instituting paywalls is generally built on the idea that they give an opportunity for news outlets to turn a profit without relying on digital advertising. For these outlets, paywalls and their subscribers therefore serve as an alternative profit source and diversified revenue stream. In theory, this shift can be beneficial in maintaining journalistic integrity, as publications may feel less pressured to cater to advertisers’ interests and rely less on their funding to stay afloat. However, this shift can alienate some readers, as many are accustomed to free access to information. Especially in this day and age, following the mass democratisation of television, radio, social media, and hundreds of thousands of online platforms and news sources.
These days, many of us still pay for a magazine or print newspaper here and there. We hardly balk at the notion of adding a media subscription or two to our monthly bills so that we can keep up to date with our favourite tv shows and films. Our music may come to us via Spotify, Apple or Amazon with a regular payment.
So why is there often backlash when it comes to applying a similar model to our news? And why are we so reluctant?
According to the 2022 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, only about 5% of British consumers are prepared to pay for an online news subscription. This discrepancy may come down to perceived value and the abundance of free alternatives. If we can get news from TV, radio, free websites, or social media channels like TikTok and Instagram, it’s natural to question why we’d pay for another source. Free platforms provide instant, accessible news and often cover similar stories, making it harder to justify the expense. So many of us may then think, why bother paying for someone else to tell us much of the same thing?
Our best answer to that is the access to higher quality and accuracy. We like to think of the ‘best’ paywalls as supporting in-depth, well-researched pieces. For publications that use their paywalls in this way, we PRs see it as an advantage when clients are featured in these articles. Content isn’t being hidden – it’s being funnelled in front of a selection of people who are interested in quality reporting, and are willing to pay to see and/or support it. They’re more invested than your average reader, will likely pay more attention, and view the article as more reputable. Hence, for PR pros, understanding paywall dynamics and focusing efforts on respected paywall sites can align clients with quality content, supporting brand credibility.
Of course, different paywalls reflect different motivations. Like I said earlier – many publications argue that subscriptions help support independent, unbiased journalism. Without needing to appeal as heavily to advertisers, publications can focus on producing balanced reporting and quality investigative work. They can afford to employ the best people and retain top tier talent. Some outlets, however, are transparent that paywalls are vital to keeping the lights on, and that’s it. Some see it as a sustainable business measure. Others a profit driven.
At the end of 2023, a Reuters Institute study found that long-term news subscribers tend to be older, wealthier, better educated, and have a strong interest in news and politics. They are also more willing to support journalism financially and value a higher-quality, ad-free experience. In contrast, younger audiences may show support through occasional donations rather than subscriptions.
Subscribers are drawn to paywall sites for their distinctive, high-quality content, curated and exclusive reporting, and identification with reputable news brands. By targeting clients’ messaging in these channels, PR professionals can reach audiences who place value on trusted, premium content – a potentially powerful demographic.
Paywalls are not going anywhere, and understanding their role can help PR professionals like us make more informed media choices. By aligning clients with respected paywall publications, we support their positioning in high-quality, reliable journalism channels. Paywalls remind us that the best content often comes at a cost, but for many audiences, that cost translates to trust, quality, and authority. For clients, this can mean more meaningful engagement with their message and brand.
So, next time a paywall stops you in your tracks, remember its purpose. Paywalls, for better or worse, are shaping modern media – and as PR pros, we’re part of that evolution.
In the rapidly evolving world of Digital PR, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the vast amount of information out there. To help you navigate this landscape, we’ve created a concise glossary that breaks down essential terms and concepts you need to know to strengthen your business’s online presence. This guide is designed to simplify Digital PR by focusing on the most relevant terms, explanations and examples that matter for today’s digital strategies.
A
A/B testing
A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of content to determine which one performs better in engaging or converting an audience.
Example: Testing two different headlines for a blog post to see which one gets more clicks.
Amplification
Amplification in digital PR refers to the strategic sharing and promotion of content across various channels to increase its reach, visibility, and engagement with a wider audience.
Example: Sharing a blog post on social media and sending it in an email newsletter to increase visibility.
Anchor text
Anchor text is the clickable, highlighted text in a hyperlink that leads to another webpage, often optimized with relevant keywords to improve SEO and provide context for both users and search engines.
Example: In the sentence “Check out our Digital PR services to learn more,” the words “Digital PR services” serve as the anchor text.
B
Backlinks
Links from other websites that point back to yours, helping improve your search engine ranking and build authority.
Example: A popular blog links to your website in an article, that link serves as a valuable backlink.
B2B (Business to Business)
Marketing or providing services to other businesses.
Example: A media agency that sells its services to other companies rather than individual consumers.
B2C (Business to Consumer)
Marketing or selling directly to individual consumers.
Example: An online beauty store that sells directly to shoppers through its website.
Broken link
A hyperlink that no longer works and leads to a page that does not exist.
Example: Clicking on a link to a product page that shows a “404 Not Found” error.
C
Call to Action (CTA)
A prompt aimed at encouraging people to take specific actions, like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
Example: A button that says “Subscribe Now” on a newsletter signup form.
Content curation
Content curation is the process of discovering, organizing, and sharing relevant third-party content to engage your audience and enhance your brand’s topical authority.
Example: Sharing trending or important articles on social media to engage followers.
Content marketing
A strategy that focuses on creating valuable content to engage the target audience.
Example: Writing blogs or making videos to educate potential customers.
Community engagement
Community engagement in digital PR involves actively interacting with an online audience through comments, industry forums, and social media to build relationships, trust, and brand loyalty.
Example: Engaging in a LinkedIn group related to your field and answering questions from other members.
D
D2C (Direct to Consumer)
When a company sells products directly to customers without middlemen such as retailers or wholesalers.
Example: A company directly selling its products on its website.
Domain Authority (DA)
Domain authority is a search engine ranking score that predicts how well a website will perform in search engine results, based on factors such as backlink quality and site structure.
Example: A website with a high domain authority is more likely to appear on the first page of Google search results.
Digital footprint
A digital footprint is the trail of data and online activity left by an individual or organization on the internet, which can influence public perception.
Example: Social media posts, comments, and website visits contribute to your digital footprint.
Do-follow link
A hyperlink that allows search engines to follow it to reach the linked website, passing value and authority.
Example: Your page is linked to another site, and inspecting the link shows if it’s a “follow” link.
E
Earned media
Free publicity gained through word-of-mouth or coverage in the media.
Example: A publication writing about your products without payment.
Engagement
How users interact with your content through likes, shares, comments, etc.
Example: A Facebook post with lots of likes and shares indicates strong engagement.
G
Geotargeting
Delivering content or ads based on a user’s location.
Example: Writing an article for a local newspaper, for the audience of that area.
Google Trends
A tool that shows how popular certain search terms are over time.
Example: Checking Google Trends to see how topics like “Minimalism” are trending.
I
Influencer marketing
Partnering with influencers to promote products.
Example: A skincare brand sending products to beauty influencers for review.
Influencer outreach
Contacting influencers to build relationships and promote campaigns.
Example: Sending an email to a blogger inviting them to review a new product.
K
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Metrics used to measure the success of a marketing campaign.
Example: Measuring media mentions as KPIs to evaluate the impact of a digital PR initiative.
L
Link building
Getting other websites to link to yours to improve SEO and gain backlinks.
Example: Writing guest posts that include a link back to your site.
Link juice
The SEO value passed from one site to another through links.
Example: A high-authority site linking to your page can boost your site’s credibility.
N
No-follow Link
A link that doesn’t pass SEO value to the other site, denoted by HTML tag rel=”nofollow”.
Example: A link on a blog with a “no-follow” tag to prevent passing SEO value.
O
Online mention
When a brand is referenced in online content.
Example: A blog post discussing your company and including your brand name.
Organic search
Search results that appear based on relevance rather than paid ads.
Example: Your website appears in top results for “best running shoes” without paying for ads.
Outreach
Contacting media or influencers to promote a story or content.
Example: Reaching out to journalists to pitch a new product launch story.
P
Pitch
A proposal sent to journalists or influencers to promote a story or idea.
Example: Sending a press release to a reporter to cover your company’s new initiative.
Podcasts
A podcast is a digital audio program available for streaming or download, often featuring discussions, interviews, or storytelling.
Example: A marketing podcast discussing industry trends with expert interviews.
Press coverage
Press coverage refers to mentions and features in media outlets, helping build credibility.
Example: A newspaper article highlighting your company’s achievements.
Press release
A written statement to the media announcing newsworthy information.
Example: Announcing a new product launch through a press release.
R
Referral marketing
A form of marketing where businesses encourage customers to recommend their services or products.
Example: Sending a referral code to a friend.
Retention marketing
Retention marketing is a strategy focused on keeping existing customers engaged and encouraging repeat purchases through personalized communication, loyalty programs, and targeted content.
Example: Offering a coupon code when a customer hasn’t placed an order in a while.
S
Short tail keyword
Short tail keywords are brief, general search terms, typically consisting of one or two words, that have high search volume but also high competition, making them important for driving broad traffic.
Example: “Shoes” is a short tail keyword compared to “best-running shoes for women” which is a long tail keyword and drives niche traffic.
Interacting with audiences and promoting content on social platforms.
Example: Responding to comments on Instagram posts and sharing user-generated content.
Social proof is where individuals look to the actions and opinions of others to guide their own decisions, often leveraged in digital PR through testimonials, reviews, and endorsements.
Example: Displaying customer reviews and testimonials on your website to build trust and credibility.
UGC (User-Generated Content)
Content created by users or customers, often used in marketing.
Example: Resharing customer photos wearing your brand’s clothing on social media.
With this glossary, you are now armed with a foundational understanding of Digital PR terminology to support your business’s growth in the digital space. Remember, Digital PR is an ever-evolving field, so staying familiar with these terms will empower you to make informed decisions and adapt to new trends with confidence.
If you are still unsure about any of these terms, don’t hesitate to reach out to our expert team who are happy to help. Contact our expert SEO team.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
It’s safe to say, creative agencies will always have a little piece of my heart. As I said in my how marketing helped me in PR blog, when I was younger I used to fast forward the programmes (on my VCR) just to get to the adverts. I loved those 30- or even 60-second sumptuous, visual treats. We were blessed with some iconic commercials in the 1990s – from Levis to Guinness to Tango. So, being able to begin my career in a London advertising agency was a dream come true for me.
The reality of working in an advertising agency was somewhat different to the expectation, however. But we worked hard, played harder and made some cracking campaigns along the way. I also made some lifelong friends and met my brother-in-law, sister-in-law and husband, so it was a fruitful period!
While a lot of time was spent preparing and delivering pitches to clients in advertising, and winning new work, there didn’t seem to be a lot of time spent on the way agencies presented themselves to the outside world beyond that. When it came to reputations, and how strong their client work was, word of mouth ruled supreme.
However, this was also the era of poor website design and dumb phones and that bastion of careers chat, LinkedIn, was just a twinkle in a developer’s eye. So, to some extent, agencies weren’t under pressure to manage their reputations in the same way.
Today, digital dominates, and you’re only a click away from a comment, staff review or glowing agency write up. That means current staff and future team can easily find out about their agency, but also clients, prospective and lapsed clients and the industry as a whole can. They can see what it’s like to work there, work with the agency and what kinds of campaigns are being produced.
Agency reputations are now created and evolve whether the company chooses to play an active role in them or not. People understand that agencies are brands, and they understand the power of those brands. Alongside that, there’s also more science to support marketing efforts than ever before. There’s very little that isn’t measurable in some form.
In short, the landscape is completely different from the one in which I started, and it needs to be managed differently.
The good news is that you can play an active role in the way your agency’s perceived, be it through a PR strategy, social media or other agency content.
In thinking about how an agency is currently viewed, and how you’d like it to be perceived, there are various things to consider. A good place to start is interrogating the agency’s point of difference – your unique selling point (or USP). Often, agencies start off with a clear USP – it’s often the reason they’re founded in the first place – but sometimes that changes over time. That could be down to the market place changing, personnel changing or new tech advances.
When we run our Three Lens Messaging Sessions with clients, their point of difference is one of the first things we discuss. And you might be surprised at how many different versions of that USP we get from a group of senior people around the table. Sometimes we find out that they’ve been talking about the agency in a number of different ways, but not communicated those ways to each other.
All content – be it social media; white papers; PR activity; even internal communications – should spring from what the agency stands for, so it’s important to agree on this.
However, even when an agency is clear about what sets it apart from the market, and has a strategy to communicate it, there often remains a hurdle to overcome. Communicating consistently.
We see a lot of peaks and troughs in agency communication, and it’s not hard to see why. Profiling an agency is rarely one person’s job – it often sits between marketing teams, new business and the senior team. And actually, it’s actually something everyone in that agency can play a part in, to a greater or lesser extent.
Agencies often plan events or launch prominent campaigns and put a lot of effort into communicating them, and that can lead to spikes in activity at certain times. Then, another activity becomes more pressing, and social media accounts, content and PR activities are left to languish for a period of time.
While a burst of activity can certainly provoke short term interest and attention, it’s communicating consistently that helps build a strong, lasting reputation. It can also help to ensure the right messages about your agency are appearing, and the narrative isn’t being led by others.
To create consistency in agency communications, you need to create a culture of PR. Building the agency’s profile needs to part of a consistent strategy, and it should have an overall owner – even when there are different stakeholders involved.
Agencies can be excellent at telling their clients how and why they need to communicate regularly, but find it hard to turn that advice on themselves. The cobbler’s shoes are always the worst heeled.
That’s where an external eye can come in. Be it agency PR, social media, blogs, newsletters or website content – having someone else who’s dedicated to keeping on point, responding to current events and hitting targets each month can be invaluable.
If you want to see a bit more about how consistently agency PR and communication can work – have a look at our work for Fiora, Aer Studios and Armadillo.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
In the ever-evolving world of search engine optimization (SEO), a common misconception persists: the more keywords you cram into your content, the better your rankings will be.
While keywords are undoubtedly necessary for SEO, the strategy of keyword stuffing is not only outdated but also harmful to your website’s visibility and user experience.
Keyword stuffing is the practice of excessively repeating keywords in a webpage’s content, meta tags, or alt texts with the intent of manipulating search engine rankings.
In the early days of SEO, this tactic may have resulted in short-term gains in visibility and higher rankings. However, search engines like Google have since evolved their algorithms to prioritise user experience and relevant content over simple keyword frequency.
When content is overloaded with keywords, it often reads awkwardly or unnaturally. People coming across this content may quickly become frustrated and leave the page, leading to a high bounce rate. A poor user experience can signal to search engines that your site is not valuable, ultimately harming your rankings.
Modern search engines utilise complex algorithms designed to identify and penalise websites that engage in keyword stuffing. Google, for instance, emphasises quality content and user engagement. If your website is flagged for keyword stuffing, you could face penalties that result in a significant drop in rankings or even removal from search results altogether.
Focusing excessively on keywords can weaken the quality of your content. Instead of creating informative, engaging, and relevant articles, you may find yourself writing for algorithms rather than your audience.
This approach is counterproductive in the long run, as compelling content is what truly attracts and retains visitors.
The digital landscape is highly competitive, and keyword stuffing alone won’t make you stand out. Competitors are equally knowledgeable about SEO and are likely to focus on creating valuable content that resonates with their audience.
By prioritising quality over quantity in your keyword strategy, you really can stand out in an overcrowded market.
Rather than giving in to the temptation of keyword stuffing, take a balanced approach to keyword usage. Here are a few strategies to keep in mind:
Do thorough research to find the keywords your audience is actively searching for.
Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs can help you find high-value keywords without overstuffing your content.
Incorporate keywords naturally within your content. Aim for a conversational tone that flows well and provides real value to the reader. This not only enhances user experience but also signals to search engines that your content is relevant and engaging.
To avoid redundancy and enhance readability, use synonyms and related terms. This approach broadens your content’s appeal and can help capture a wider range of search queries without resorting to keyword stuffing.
Prioritise creating high-quality content that addresses your audience’s needs and questions. Engaging, informative, and well-structured content is more likely to attract organic traffic and encourage shares, enhancing your overall SEO strategy.
While keywords play an essential role in SEO, keyword stuffing is an out-of-date practice that can harm your rankings and user experience. By focusing on creating valuable content that naturally incorporates keywords, you can improve your SEO efforts and ensure long-term success. Remember, it’s not just about getting to the top of search results; it’s about providing a meaningful experience for your audience. In the world of SEO, quality will always win over quantity.
Would you like to learn more about SEO? Click here.
Digital PR and traditional PR have the same goals and objectives; they both are about increasing brand awareness and building a brand’s reputation.
The difference between digital PR and traditional PR is in the inputs and tactics.
A digital PR campaign will use all the opportunities and channels that digital offers, from simple social media strategies and tactics to more technical and complex strategies like SEO and technical SEO strategy.
Consistency is key
A key part of digital PR is to have consistent messaging across all platforms to have coherent communication and brand recognition. Digital PR allows brands to reach more people and build more authentic relationships with an audience.
As long as you approach with authenticity and develop strategies that engage and enable the consumer to access your brand online.
So brands can build credibility, brand awareness, relationships and trust. Digital PR is no longer a nice to have for brands. It’s a must-have to raise awareness and grow.
Digital PR Benefits
Digital PR is powerful.
It can help you reach your audience, increase brand awareness and boost your reputation and visibility in the digital age. Digital PR is built to improve your brand’s presence in the digital age and this is how:
More website traffic
By increasing your website traffic you’re widening your scope, growing your audience and generally increasing your brand awareness. More traffic means more digital footfall which can bring in new customers and brand awareness.
More traffic means more digital footfall and more footfall and web traffic means more chance of conversion.
More engagement on social media
Real-time messaging, direct interaction with audiences and plenty of opportunities to build credibility and monitor social media channels and brand mentions helps to make your PR stronger. An engaged social media presence and positive following is a great trust signal to new prospects.
More leads more sales
Digital PR isn’t about selling your products but it can create the environment to nudge customers to buy. PR can increase brand awareness and build brand trust which is key to increased customer loyalty and sales. Trust is the key to sales.
Better brand image
A good reputation and online presence is good for you. People like to engage with businesses and brands. They don’t like faceless organisations that don’t care about their audience or user groups.
Digital PR Strategy & Tactics in Action
So we’ve looked at the outcomes of digital PR strategies. But what does it look like, in terms of tactics and deployment
Social Media
You need an active social media presence to maintain and grow your brand reputation. It’s part of building your online identity and part of your digital PR strategy.
While also being a major part of your digital PR strategy, social media is a major part of your overall customer service arm.
It’s your shop window. But it’s also more than that.
This is a place where potential customers can be influenced by your existing audiences. So positive, honest and authentic engagement is a must.
Content Creation
What does content creation mean to you? White papers? Blogs? News stories? writing press releases? Producing video content? Tweets (or should we say X’s) Instagram posts, even TikTok content?
To us, it means all of the above.
Content helps to build emotional connections with your audience. Great content engages, entertains and ultimately converts prospects into loyal customers. Building campaigns around great content, leveraged across multiple channels and formats is the most effective way to engage with your tribe
Link building strategies
Digital PR and link building go hand in hand. But this is a long-term game.
These strategies also help to differentiate your brand from other businesses in the industry.
These strategies increase overall visibility of your website through the placement of backlinked content on third-party sites with relevant links. This could be a simple press release, a news story on relevant websites and online media, or thought leadership in key sector titles.
It’s a traditional PR approach, engaging with media through press releases and putting a digital PR spin on it.
But the content and placement have to be relevant. Credible, high-quality backlinks – meaning backlinks to relevant and trustworthy – quality links will build brand credibility and authority.
Content and Channel Optimisation
Effective brand communications means all channels and assets are optimised for maximum visibility.
Everything needs to be connected for maximum online visibility. Whether it’s your Google My Business Profile, or making sure your social tags and handles are on your site, your social media presence is also optimised to boost organic rankings and increase your presence in the SERP.
You can’t build on your search ranking score if your owned channels aren’t optimised. To get more awareness and reach online PR requires a holistic approach, everything needs to be in sync.
Showing up to Google
This could get lengthy so we’ll try to keep it brief.
Google monitors and ranks online publications, websites, pages and content against its own set of rules. These are the E-E-A-T guidelines, they are a set of indicators that determine whether any given piece of on-page content is experienced, expert, authoritative and trustworthy – hence E-E-A-T. Consistent messaging across all content is key to meeting Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines.
E-E-A-T — or Double-E-A-T became part of Google’s search rater guidelines in 2022.
The main challenge with Google is it likes to move the Goalposts.
Core updates and other changes to the practice and protocol can make it hard to keep up with the latest best practices and requirements around search engines and content.
You can spend all the time in the world developing a digital PR strategy and digital marketing strategy. But if you’re creating content that Google won’t or doesn’t like, all that work will be for nothing. The further down the SERP you go, the more your website, organic traffic and brand visibility suffer.
This is where it pays to have an expert in your corner.
Conclusion
Ultimately, digital PR is a key part of any PR strategy.
Digital PR can lead to customer loyalty by building trust and credibility.
It may seem like a big ask to keep up with the ever-changing search engine algorithms and best practices. But the rewards of well-executed digital PR campaigns and strategies are worth it.
Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines say to create content that is Experienced, Expert, Authoritative and Trustworthy.
Build brand credibility, build relationships and build trust with your audience. By producing high-quality, relevant content and earning links from other reputable sources you’ll increase your website visibility, authority and overall search engine rankings.
But digital PR needs a long-term approach. It is not a quick win.
It requires a strategic and sustained effort. Which in turn requires patience and an ongoing commitment to the overall process on online brand building.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
There are many aspects to PR, and its fast pace can make it all the more difficult to understand. But there are certain aspects within PR, and getting to grips with the definitions can help you better communicate with your PR agency. When you know what exactly you’re trying to achieve, and what aspects of PR can help you achieve this, it becomes much easier to set long-term goals and objectives.
PR is all about managing communication. This means as times have changed and technology has developed, we’ve often found the landscape of PR changing to adapt to these different communication styles, leading to Traditional, Content and Digital. That doesn’t mean we have to dismiss the traditional methods, but it can be handy to know the PR updates and how you can implement this in your brand’s messaging.
Traditional PR has always been around, and it’s become a long-established way to amplify a brand’s message. This uses print – such as newspapers, magazines and books – combined with press – such as TV and radio, to raise awareness for a company. This differs from the online networking that Digital PR focuses on, however that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. In fact, combining Traditional and Digital PR can show great results in expanding your coverage.
Content PR is a spin-off from content marketing, which uses social media to attract and retain a relationship with a brand’s audience. In the context of PR, this can include blogs and infographics to help build brand credibility and increase brand awareness. Whilst traditional press coverage is still very much important, the use of social media is increasingly gaining brand visibility, particularly for younger audiences. Content PR is therefore great for sending purposeful messages to your audience, but you need to consider your goals before deciding if social media is the best way to align with your objectives. And for more information on mastering success behind social media, you can check out Leigh-Ann’s blog on the importance of quality over quantity.
Digital PR also involves social media engagement, but the focus is mainly on boosting search engine rankings. This prioritises generating coverage and backlinks from websites with high domain authority, as well as maintaining that relationship with the brand’s audience. This all helps to improve a brand’s search engine optimisation (SEO), which increases organic traffic to the brand’s website, increasing its online visibility.
This may also include an influencer partnership, where a brand uses the influencer’s audience to amplify their message, creating wider reach and higher engagement.
Choosing the best PR strategy for your brand isn’t easy, but having more of an idea about the differences between traditional, content and digital PR can help inform you on what would work best for your audience. And if you’re stuck – that’s what we’re here for! Have a look at what we do to see how we can help you get noticed by the right audience, at the right time.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
As Digital PR continues to be a success, more and more brands are looking to influencers to help amplify their message. This can be a highly effective way of building credibility, but you have to be careful. It’s always best to take your time when planning a collaboration, as a rushed partnership could associate your brand with someone who doesn’t actually align with your brand’s core values and messaging.
Not every partnership would be beneficial for your brand’s message. If you want to promote a beauty product targeted at middle-aged women, then a young male influencer is going to create a disconnect. Make it clear what it is you actually want to achieve through a collaboration with an influencer. If you want a specific influencer, who has never done a product review on their socials, then the chances are they won’t promote your product either. However, that same influencer may be helpful in boosting your overall engagement, or increasing your brand awareness. But remember, define your goal before you pick your influencer; don’t pick an influencer and try to define a goal around them.
Your influencer won’t be a quick Google search away, so be prepared to dedicate time and resources to finding the perfect creative collaboration. Your research should be thorough: Is the influencer linked to any controversy that could negatively impact on your brand? What platform is the influencer most active on? Does this influencer align with your brand? Does this influencer’s audience align with your brand?
It’s also important to look back through their previous collaborations – do they seem like a genuine, trustworthy person? What was their engagement rate like on collaborations for previous companies? This is where follower count is not overly important, but more so how active their audience is. A smaller following with higher engagement will deliver better results than influencers with large but passive followings.
There’s no point doing a deep dive into an influencer’s background just to send them a generic message. Tailor your message to show you understand the influencer’s content, audience and style. Be complimentary, but not overly eager! Just highlight what exactly it is you admire about their content, and how that aligns with your brand’s values. After you propose the partnership, make sure you explain the mutual benefit for both you and the influencer – they have to know what’s in it for them.
Some influencers may be hard to reach, especially with the rise of closed DMs. In some cases, it may be easier to find their agent, as their agent is more likely to have a visible email address.
After the creative collaboration is over, make sure to keep in touch. Maintaining relationships is key, and will save you much more time if a second collaboration rolls around. And if you want to track the success of the collab, have a look at Leigh-Ann’s blog on social media statistics, and what goal they are useful towards.
For more ideas, have a look at Modash, which gives a complete guide for collaborating with influencers.
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