In
today's digital landscape, brands are constantly vying for attention.
While paid (influencer) advertising and social media marketing are
powerful tools, (generally speaking) they can't build 'organic' links to
your website at scale which remains an important factor in the Google
Algorithm. This is where digital PR can shine.
Digital PR now goes beyond just traditional press releases. It's about building a buzz online by crafting newsworthy stories, building relationships with online influencers and journalists, and leveraging the power of social media to generate earned media placements – (linked) mentions and coverage about your brand that you haven't paid for directly, using platforms such as HARO (Help a Reporter Out) .
So, why is digital PR such a crucial piece of the integrated digital marketing puzzle? Here are just a few reasons to integrate Digital PR into your strategy:
Boost Brand Awareness and Visibility: Earned media placements on high-authority websites and social media channels put your brand in front of a wider audience, increasing brand awareness / brand searches and visibility online.
Enhance Credibility and Trust: Positive mentions from trusted sources like industry publications and influencers build trust and credibility with potential customers as well as improving your reputation online, making them more receptive to your marketing messages.
Improve SEO: Earned media placements can often come with links to your website, which are a major ranking factor for search engines such as Google. A strong digital PR strategy with SEO related KPIs can significantly improve your website's organic search ranking.
Generate Leads: When people see positive (linked) coverage about your brand, they're more likely to be interested in learning more. Digital PR can drive high-quality, targeted traffic to your website, leading to more qualified leads and conversions.
Fuel Social Media Engagement: Earned media can be a great springboard for social media engagement. When you get mentioned online, encourage your partner companies, employees & followers to share the news, further amplifying your message (and potentially also building new backlinks).
Digital PR works best when it's integrated with your broader digital marketing strategy. Here's how:
Content Marketing: High-quality, informative content is the foundation of a successful digital PR campaign. Use your content to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and attract media / industry attention.
Social Media Marketing: Promote your earned media placements on social media to extend their reach and drive traffic back to your website.
SEO: Digital PR efforts can be optimised for search engines, earning backlinks that improve your website's ranking and organic visibility on major search engines such as Bing and Google.
For example, my client Thomas Mansfield has conducted high-value research on timely topics such as social media in the workplace (among other topics) and by circulating it has earned international coverage including links from trade and consumer publications such as Cosmo (x 2), HR News, Personnel Today among many many other industry news blogs and news sites e.g. https://www.thehrdirector.com/features/health-and-wellbeing/when-was-the-last-time-you-did-drugs/ .
This has contributed to their SEO visibility on Google UK in the London and South East UK.
Conclusion
Digital PR is a powerful tool that can take your digital marketing strategy to the next level. By earning positive online coverage, you can boost your website's organic visibility on search engines, build brand awareness, establish trust / improve your reputation online, and achieve your marketing goals more effectively. So, don't underestimate the power of earned media – integrate digital PR into your strategy and watch your brand flourish online.
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