What is Digital PR? Strategies, Examples, and Tools
Digital PR is crucial to building an online reputation and attracting more qualified buyers to your business.
Online public relations harness the power of niche media outlets, social media, and influencer partnerships to influence buyer perspective toward your brand.
This comprehensive digital public relations guide is a must-read for entrepreneurs to improve their business image and attract more customers.
What is Digital PR Marketing?
Digital public relations is an advertising technique to enhance and manage a brand's online presence. Here are some online PR tactics for your inspiration.
Key elements of online PR marketing include:
- Content Creation and Distribution
- Social Media Management
- Influencer Collaboration
- Online Media Relations
- Press Release Promotion
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Online Reputation Management
- Data Analytics
- Email Marketing
Also See: 20-Point Digital Marketing Checklist
Types of Digital PR
Type: Media Relations
- Description: Building relationships with journalists and media outlets to secure positive coverage. Involves press releases, media pitches, and interviews.
- Examples: Sending press releases, conducting media outreach, and arranging interviews.
- How to Do it? Develop a targeted media list, craft compelling press releases, and maintain regular communication with journalists.
Type: Influencer Marketing
- Description: Leveraging micro and macro influencers with a substantial social media following to promote a brand.
- Examples: Partnering with influencers for endorsements and sponsored content.
- How to Do it? Identify relevant influencers, reach out for potential partnerships, and establish collaborations aligned with the brand.
Type: Social Media PR
- Description: Managing and optimizing a brand’s presence across social media platforms. Includes content creation, audience engagement, and brand communication.
- Examples: Content creation, engaging with the audience, and using social media for PR.
- How to Do it? Focus on creating compelling content, engaging with the audience, and leveraging social media for brand communication.
Type: Content Marketing PR
- Description: Publishing and promoting content to attract and engage a target audience. Involves blog posts, articles, videos, and other content formats to build authority and credibility.
- Examples: Publishing blog articles, creating videos, and sharing informative content.
- How to Do it? Develop a content strategy, produce high-quality and relevant content, and share content on various platforms to reach the target audience.
Type: Reputation Management
- Description: Vigilantly monitoring and responding to online reviews, comments, and mentions to preserve a favorable brand image.
- Examples: Responding to reviews, addressing concerns, and accentuating positive feedback.
- How to Do it? Implement tools for monitoring online mentions, responding promptly and professionally, and showcasing positive customer experiences.
Type: Event Marketing
- Description: Utilizing digital channels to promote and cover events, product launches, or significant brand activities.
- Examples: Live streaming events, social media coverage of launches, and promotions.
- How to Do it? Leverage digital channels for event promotion, use live streaming for wider reach, and engage the audience through social media during events.
Type: SEO PR
- Description: Optimizing digital content to enhance visibility on search engines. Involves incorporating keywords, creating high-quality content, and acquiring backlinks.
- Example: Keyword optimization, high-quality content creation, and obtaining backlinks.
- How to Do it? Conduct keyword research, optimize digital content with relevant keywords, create valuable and shareable content, and obtain backlinks from reputable sources.
Type: Crisis Communication
- Description: Developing strategies to effectively address and manage negative online situations. Includes transparent communication, timely responses, and reputation mitigation.
- Example: Transparent communication during crises and addressing concerns promptly.
- How to Do it? Develop a crisis communication plan, establish protocols for timely responses, and communicate transparently during challenging situations.
Why is Digital PR Important For Small Business?
Digital PR is super important for small businesses because it helps them get noticed online.
With online PR, you can show up on social media, news articles, and other websites where people hang out. This makes your business look trustworthy. Plus, it's much cheaper than old-school advertising.
You can chat with your customers directly on Facebook, share fun stories on Instagram, and even get bloggers to talk about your company. All this helps you stand out, even against bigger businesses.
Digital public relations also lets you keep up with what's trendy. If there's a new industry trend, you can jump on it fast and let everyone know about your thoughts. And the best part? You can see how well you're doing by checking how many people visit your website or talk about you online.
So, online PR isn't just about being online. It's about building trust, connecting with customers, and showing off what makes your company special in a way that won't break the bank.
Also See: The Advanced Guide to Data-Driven Brand Promotion
Digital PR Vs. Traditional PR
Here are the key differences between digital PR and traditional PR:
- Digital PR allows for real-time interaction and dissemination of information, while traditional PR involves longer lead times, especially for print publications and scheduled broadcasts.
- Digital public relations is more cost-effective, especially for small businesses, with lower production costs, while traditional PR is more expensive due to production, distribution, and airtime costs.
- Online PR offers higher interactivity with audiences through comments, shares, and direct messages, while traditional public relations has limited interactivity, with communication mostly one-way from the brand to the audience.
- Modern PR provides detailed metrics and analytics for tracking campaigns and audience engagement, while traditional PR offers metrics that are often less precise, with reliance on circulation figures and viewer/listener statistics.
- Digital PR offers flexibility to adapt campaigns quickly based on real-time data and trends, while traditional public relations requires more time and planning, with less flexibility to adapt to immediate changes.
- Online public relations allows for precise targeting based on demographics, interests, and online behavior, while traditional PR targets broad audiences through mass media channels without detailed segmentation.
- In digital PR, content has a longer lifespan online, accessible over an extended period. In traditional PR, content has a shorter lifespan, especially in fast-paced news cycles or print publication timelines.
- In digital PR brands have more control over their narrative but need to manage online reputation proactively. In traditional PR, businesses have less control over narrative due to editorial decisions made by traditional media outlets.
Top Digital PR Tools
Meltwater
Meltwater offers a comprehensive set of AI-powered tools designed to navigate the vast
landscape of billions of data points.
Meltwater empowers users to break through the noise and derive impactful insights crucial for strategic alignment and confident decision-making.
Whether starting simple or integrating globally, Meltwater's suite provides adaptable solutions for diverse needs. With over 20 years of trailblazing experience, Meltwater assures users the agility and dynamism needed for success.
Cision
Cision is a comprehensive, AI-powered PR platform that serves as a strategic communication solution for professionals worldwide. Integrating tools such as PR Newswire and Cision Insights empowers users to plan the best digital PR tactics of the modern media landscape.
With AI-driven technology, the platform provides advanced analytics, media monitoring, and influencer outreach capabilities, while Cision Media Relationship Management facilitates cultivating valuable relationships with journalists and influencers.
By offering end-to-end support for communication strategies and brand reputation management, CisionOne stands at the forefront of innovative solutions, allowing users to understand, influence, and amplify their stories efficiently and precisely.
BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo, a dynamic content discovery and research platform, revolutionizes how brands and marketers connect with journalists. Boasting a media database featuring 700,000 journalists, the digital PR software facilitates efficient outreach by providing real-time updates on 330,000 active journalists.
With an emphasis on social engagement data, BuzzSumo aids in identifying high-impact journalists for targeted pitches. The platform's AI pitching tool accelerates content creation, enabling users to discover, pitch, reach, and report seamlessly.
Trusted by industry leaders, BuzzSumo's pricing plans cater to diverse needs, offering budget-friendly options and 20% cost savings on annual subscriptions.
HARO
HARO, or Help A Reporter Out, is a dynamic platform that connects journalists with relevant sources, fostering collaboration and relationship-building within the media industry.
Positioned as a go-to resource for journalists seeking expertise for their stories, HARO boasts a community of over 1 million sources and 75,000 journalists and bloggers.
The platform serves as a bridge between reporters and knowledgeable individuals, streamlining the finding of suitable sources for media opportunities.
As of early 2024, HARO has transitioned to a new home within Cision's app, Connectively, offering an enhanced experience for journalists, content creators, and experts.
Also See: Top Digital Marketing Trends
How Can You Use Digital PR in Your Current Marketing Strategy?
Here are key ways to integrate online PR into your current marketing strategy:
- Build connections with journalists and bloggers to secure media coverage.
- Collaborate with micro and macro social media celebrities to amplify brand visibility and credibility.
- Manage and enhance brand presence across various social media platforms.
- Develop engaging content such as infographics, interactive websites, and online tools.
- Publish press releases and syndicate relevant news to gain media features.
- Share content through syndication to reach wider audiences.
- Implement affiliate programs to incentivize bloggers for customer referrals.
- Organize press and blogging events for both offline and online coverage.
- Capitalize on current events to inject the brand into relevant news stories.
- Engage audiences through podcasts, providing valuable insights and content.
Digital PR Metrics
Here are the important metrics to consider when evaluating the performance of your online PR campaigns:
- Media Impressions: The total number of views for your digital PR content.
- Engagement Rate: The percentage of readers interacting with your articles or content.
- Backlinks: Number of external sites linking to your content.
- Social Shares: Number of times your content is shared on social media.
- Brand Mentions: Instances where your brand is mentioned online.
- Voice of Share: Share of the overall online conversation about your brand.
- Conversion Rate: Percentage of visitors who completed a desired action.
- Web Traffic: The amount of data sent and received by visitors to a site.
Why Should You Take The Help of Digital PR Consultants?
Here are the top advantages of hiring a digital PR company:
- Enhanced online visibility through targeted media outreach and influencer collaborations
- Cultivation of a positive brand image and reputation management
- Expansion of reach and audience engagement through engaging content strategies
- Effective crisis mitigation and reputation management strategies
- Provision of measurable insights into the impact of online PR efforts
- Strategic adaptation to emerging trends in the digital landscape
- Lead generation and conversion optimization through engaging content and audience relationships
- Facilitation of clear and effective communication aligned with business objectives
Digital PR Strategies
Here are some effective digital PR strategies to enhance your online presence and brand reputation:
Connecting with Journalists
Follow these actionable steps to effectively connect with journalists:
- Identify journalists covering your industry or niche.
- Research their recent articles and topics of interest.
- Follow journalists on social media platforms.
- Highlight why your story is relevant to their audience.
- Create a brand story and prepare a pitch.
- Keep pitches concise, engaging, and free of generic content.
- Offer journalists exclusive insights or data.
Engaging Content Creation
Here are some tips to ensure your content captivates and resonates with your audience:
- Conduct surveys or analyze data to understand your buyer’s interests.
- Craft compelling narratives that evoke emotions.
- Weave a story around your brand, products, or industry.
- Make the audience connect with your content on a personal level.
- Use high-quality visuals, including images and videos.
- Invest in professional graphics and multimedia elements.
Thought Leadership Articles
Crafting a compelling thought leadership article involves strategic planning and execution.
Begin by identifying a relevant and timely topic that aligns with industry trends and addresses the interests or challenges of your target audience.
Back your insights with data or real-world examples, providing a unique perspective on the chosen subject.
Engage your audience through thought-provoking questions or calls to action, fostering interaction and discussion.
Finally, optimize the article for search engines, promote it across various channels, and measure its impact through metrics like page views and social shares, adjusting your approach based on the feedback received.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is important for digital PR because it improves brand reputation and trust.
To execute an effective influencer promotion strategy, identify your PR objectives and use influencer marketing platforms to find the best micro influencers related to your business niche.
Thoroughly analyze your target audience, ensuring a deep understanding of their preferences and behaviors. The next crucial step is meticulous influencer research.
Look beyond just follower count; consider factors like relevance, engagement rates, and authenticity to find influencers whose values align seamlessly with your brand.
Building genuine relationships with influencers is paramount.
As you implement the strategy, regularly measure its impact. Utilize metrics such as reach, engagement, and conversions to evaluate the success of the campaign.
SEO and Link Building
Search engine optimization is crucial for online PR because it promotes your brand organically in the search engines.
When your brand begins to rank in the first position of Google search engine results pages, your brand automatically attracts user attention and trust.
You can also enhance your digital public relations approach by obtaining strong backlinks from respected websites, influential online publications, and reliable reviews.
Identify important platforms in your industry, connect with their content creators, and offer valuable insights or contributions. This proactive involvement boosts your brand's credibility in your niche and improves your search engine rankings.
Securing authoritative backlinks is crucial as it magnifies your online presence, draws a broader audience, and solidifies your brand as a trustworthy industry leader.
Also See: How to Create a Winning Local SEO Strategy?
Affiliate Marketing
Empower your digital PR strategy by implementing affiliate and referral programs. Collaborate with external partners and influencers who can promote your brand through unique tracking links or referral codes.
This approach expands your brand's reach and fosters mutually beneficial relationships where affiliates earn commissions for driving sales or referrals.
By leveraging affiliate programs, you enhance your online presence, tap into new audiences, and establish a network of advocates promoting your brand.
Best Digital PR Campaign Examples
Oatly's "FckOatley" campaign
Oatly's "FckOatley" campaign is a bold and unconventional digital PR initiative that gained significant attention. Instead of taking a traditional approach to brand promotion, Oatly embraced a provocative and edgy strategy. The campaign featured a website with the straightforward domain name "FckOatley," where they openly addressed criticisms and negative reviews they had received.
By directly engaging with negative sentiments and turning them into a central theme of their campaign, Oatly showcased authenticity and transparency.
The website featured witty responses to critiques, creating a unique and memorable experience for visitors. The campaign demonstrated Oatly's confidence in its product and turned potential detractors into participants in a humorous dialogue.
This campaign's success is transforming criticism into a humorous and engaging conversation, fostering a sense of community around the brand.
Oatly effectively leveraged digital platforms to amplify its message, generating buzz and reinforcing its brand identity as one that embraces openness and humor.
Dove and the Romans
Dove's impactful campaign, recognized at The Drum Awards for PR, tackled the issue of race-based hair discrimination in schools. Recognizing the impact of school picture day on students, especially those with afro or textured hair, Dove aimed to shed light on the challenges faced by black and mixed-heritage women.
The campaign included a poignant film directed by Ron Timehin, featuring affected women retaking their school pictures and embracing their authentic hairstyles. The results were remarkable, with over 50 substantial media coverages and a widespread national debate sparked both online and offline.
The campaign's success extended beyond media attention, as the research and advocacy contributed to new government rules for schools in the UK. These rules, issued in October 2022, highlighted that pupils should not be restricted from wearing natural afro styles at school, and policies banning certain hairstyles without racial exceptions were deemed unlawful. Dove's campaign generated awareness and played a pivotal role in driving tangible change in school policies, exemplifying the power of purpose-driven digital PR.
Conclusion
Digital PR is a strategic method that harnesses online channels, influencers, and media outlets to bolster brand presence, engage audiences, and sculpt a positive online image.
Online PR adapts to the evolving digital landscape by employing content optimization, media relationship management, and data-driven insights.
Looking to boost your public relations strategy? Partner with Brenton Way digital PR agency to build meaningful connections and improve your brand recognition.
Joydeep
Content Writer