Since the internet has become an essential part in our every day, digital PR strategies dominate the news agenda. Whilst the unsuspecting public might not recognise it straight off the bat, they are an important part of getting great coverage with maximum impact – but, like all public relations, it shouldn’t just be done for the sake of it.
It needs to have a meaning and purpose.
If you’ve read our blog on what digital PR is, you’ll already be aware of how it works.
Here, we’ve come up with seven essentials you need to consider when creating a digital PR strategy to ensure that you’re onto a winner.
- Define your goals
The first of our key tips is to set clear goals towards your digital PR strategy and power through.
Think to yourself: what is my main objective? Is it about getting as much coverage as possible? Do you want to hit as many publications as possible? Or do you want to see a certain number of backlinks that help boost your SEO? Regardless of the goal, you should map out your strategy, so you are working towards achieving its end.
One tip we will always stand by is setting S.M.A.R.T. goals. It’s a winner in our eyes.
- Identify your audience
As you would do with traditional public relations, it’s important to identify your audience. Thorough audience research will help you discover what your target audience is actually talking about, not what has the highest search volume. In doing this exercise, you’ll more than likely discover the golden nuggets of low-difficulty terms that convert.
You should be asking yourself: what is my audience interested in? How old are they? Where are they located? What is their income? And so on.
- Brainstorm… and create content.
Next up is the difficult task of discovering a question within your industry and then creating a useful and engaging answer to that question with content. A brainstorming process might include competitor analysis, SERP analysis and backlink research to ensure that all bases are covered and content is utilised to its highest potential.
Similar to what we mentioned in the audience section above, it’s about finding out exactly what people are talking about and searching for rather than just writing what you know. There’s a fine line, and brainstorming is the best way to find the solution.
- Create an outreach list
Once you’ve identified your audience, you’ll be able to figure out which media outlets you should target with your piece. Collate these outlets into a list and trim it down to only the most relevant – remember that digital PR prioritises the relevancy and focus of the publication rather than the number of publications reached out to.
Find out the best journalists who would be most likely to cover your story. Delve into their back catalogue and figure out what makes them tick, and approach it accordingly.
- Engage with images
Most online coverage of the modern age will always include an image of some sort. It can be a photograph, an illustration or an infographic, but, whatever it is, it needs to be relevant. Don’t just include an image for the sake of it.
Consider how you can use images to add value to the content and enhance the points in a way that makes it more digestible to the reader. This might be a stock image, one from your business or an illustration such as a graph. Most importantly, it needs to capture the attention of the journalist in the first instance, so make it eye-catching and relevant.
- Measure results.
With all public relations, it can be quite difficult to measure its impact. But rest assured, there are definite ways to examine the value of a digital PR strategy. The following metrics are insightful: earned links, organic visibility, brand searches, number of leads, etc.
Being fully trackable allows for flexibility. If a digital PR campaign isn’t quite doing as you’d hoped, tracking it will help identify the issue and rectify it quickly. Adaptation and evolution are just as important as the results themselves.
- Build a relationship, not just a casual link.
Our next, and perhaps most important key tip for a successful digital PR strategy is building strong relationships. Admittedly, this is easier said than done. We are always told by SEO experts how important it is to build relationships, but we are not always told how.
Public relations is a two-way street. Work in tandem with journalists to ensure that the coverage is secured and delivered in the best way possible.
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Final thoughts
At first glance, digital PR seems like a long process but done correctly, it can bring a plethora of benefits. There are many tactics to ensure that the results are delivered, and the rewards are reaped long into the future.
Digital PR can introduce some great foundations to any business after raising its online presence, creating unique and branded content and sharing relevant information. What more could the reader – and your audience – want?
If you’re looking to find out more about digital PR campaigns and how to execute them, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
