What is Digital PR?

Digital PR is the strategic process of building a brand’s online presence and reputation using dedicated tactics which focus on digital spaces such as online news platforms, blogs and social media. 

It is often measured by mentions, following, clicks and links. However it is important not to confuse digital PR with the link building tactics of SEO, digital PR uses some of the core principles of traditional public relations as it pertains to media relations in this case. So while many PR agencies and publicists would undertake a media relations campaign for their client might focus on traditional media such as TV, magazines, newspapers and radio for example; a digital PR campaign would look at engaging with online platforms, blogs, newsletters, social media influencers, content creators and podcasts. 

When undertaken correctly or at least dynamically the digital awareness of a brand to its target audience can have a much wider reach.  It can also incorporate owned media so that a brand can create content which not only gets seen by it’s target audience but is also shared. 

Digital PR has become a crucial part of the public relations mix. In an age where Artificial Intelligence is disrupting how we communicate, create and share content it is clear that digital PR cannot be overlooked when assessing how to engage with audiences and maintain relationship with a consumer base. Brands can use digital PR to promote their products and services whilst individuals can use digital PR to promote their personal brands.

Do you need to be an SEO expert to understand how digital PR works? I wouldn’t say so.  I have been incorporating digital PR into my traditional media relations and PR strategies for many years. However it does help to have a basic understanding of how SEO works. One of the big drivers behind SEO is obviously links and key to this is getting Google, the world wide web’s biggest search engine, to trust these links as they are a sign of authority and credibility. The more mentions and links on relevant websites talking about key topics and trends related to a brand industry the higher ranking your brand will be. However quality is essential - quantity is important but given that there SEO farming exists; basically when a brand’s website enters into a relationship of reciprocal linking with another website or pays a provider for a large number of inbound links.  This is considered to be an illegitimate form for SEO building and given that the PR in digital Public Relations is based on the foundation of trust and reputation building should be steer-cleared of.

Online media coverage and editorial reviews of a brand are powerful - any third party endorsement from a strong and authoritative online media platform is a great way to boost online visibility and trust.

Another thing to remember when considering the power of digital PR is the direct to audience approach. With traditional media relations within traditional PR brands have to assume that their target audience will be tuned into a TV or radio segment or that they will pick up a copy of a magazine or newspaper. According to Eurostat: In 2021, around nine out of ten (89%) people in the EU, aged between 16 and 74 years, used the internet (at least once within the three months prior to the survey date) and cultural activities, including among others reading online news, were one of the most popular uses.

Data for 2021 show that 72% of EU internet users aged 16-74 read online news sites, newspapers or news magazines. 

These stats are significant as the number of people consuming their news through print publications, for example, is falling.

According to Statista The number of people in Europe reading newspapers and magazines every day has decreased in recent years. In 2022, just about a fifth of Europeans read the written press on a daily basis. In 2012, 37 percent were doing so.

Many people (not all of course) are using the internet and social media everyday making digital PR an integral part of a core PR strategy.  Get creative with how you think about digital PR and how you incorporate it to get the widest and most authoritative ongoing reach.

The Power and Relevance of Personal PR

Personal PR is the series of activities used to shape, maintain and solidify an individual’s reputation and identity to their relevant audience using public relations tactics and personal branding as a foundation.

It is not a way to manipulate an audience, in fact it is a way to influence and build trust based relationships and connections with an audience - it is a way to become a key person of influence.  Most people understand personal PR from the viewpoint of a celebrity and public figure (high ranking politician) however it is relevant for creatives, business owners and CEOS alike. 

If the work that you do is rooted in who you are i.e. it gains notoriety because of your personality then personal PR is something that you should take seriously. Without a strong PR strategy an individual can easily be misguided or led astray, often distracted by the charms of popularity and the swell of the ego. When people think of PR they immediately think of press and media relations and getting coverage for themselves when in fact public relations is more than that. In order to “PR” a person we must look further than simply how much media coverage they receive and look at how they are perceived by their target audience and how those perceptions lead to tangible outcomes whether that is sales, social following or trust.  Personal PR helps to strategically shape an individual’s identity in a way that boosts their reputation and adds gravitas to the way the world and specifically their audience sees them. 

In order to harness the power of personal PR it is important to look at key factors:

• Position - what position does the individual have within their sector? Are they a thought leader? Thought leadership is an important part of personal branding and thus helps with the strategic placement of personal PR.

• Social media - Is the individual using social media to its fullest potential? Very often individuals forget that social media is not necessarily about how much they enjoy using it but about the messages that they are sharing with their audience in order  to boost their visibility and manage their reputation. Social media is an important part of the personal PR mix.  

• Voice - What is the individual’s voice and authority within their chosen sector/industry/space. Unique voices stand out - trying to fit in and be like anyone else is often why Personal PR strategies fail. Find an authentic and authoritative voice which makes an impact and stand by it!

• Adaptability - Is the individual able to adapt to change? This is an important part of personal public relations, without a willingness to adapt individuals are often stuck in their own way of doing things without leaning into ever changing social landscapes. 

• Storytelling - personal PR allows individuals to tell their stories authentically and can be far more compelling than the sometimes rigid formulas of other aspects of PR. Being able to tell a story that is relatable and compelling is a great way to boost credibility and form a connection with an audience.

One final thing to take into consideration when looking at personal PR is that individuals need to tap into the counsel and advice of their PR consultants/publicists/PR teams. To get the best out of a personal public relations strategy individuals should remember that their teams are working with them not against them in order to improve their relationship with their target audience. 

What is Reputation Management?

Reputation management is sometimes an overlooked part of PR for small business owners and creatives. This is often because people think about their reputations too late in the PR process, focusing on getting attention rather than maintaining their credibility and keeping attention rooted in the positive aspects of their brands. 

What is a reputation? A reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about a brand, person or organisation in business terms; it is how your consumers, audiences and stakeholders see you. 

Reputation management is the PR process of monitoring and evaluating the public perceptions of a personal or business brand, it is something we encourage our clients and potential clients to factor in when considering a full PR strategy for their brand.

In the digital era this process has become more significant particularly as conversations about brands take place online as well as offline.   The following clip by 48 Hours, a social media crisis management consultancy is a great illustration of the types of conversations that are relevant as it pertains to reputation management in the digital era:

The digital era magnifies mistakes and accelerates communication. Leaders shine, but many hide. Speed surpasses the print era.

Are we maximizing social media's potential for transparency, accountability, and change?

A conversation with @mikestopforth & @victordlamini pic.twitter.com/oApHBsUwSi

— 48HOURS Social Media Crisis Consultancy (@48hcoza) June 2, 2023

Reputation management techniques can incorporate social listening via social media monitoring, consumer outreach, reviews and testimonials. As an individual your reputation relies heavily on your personal brand positioning and will focus on the conversations you have with your audience and the social media content that you share. For business, reputation management looks at responding to consumer messages effectively or being proactive with positive PR outreach activities and media relations campaigns.  When your organisation has a strong and positive reputation the ongoing benefits are numerous; brand loyalty, customer ambassadorship (when customers are happy they become your number one brand ambassadors), team pride (employees amplify the work you do with pride further solidifying your brand status) ultimately leading to increased growth and potentially increased revenue.  Bad reputations have a negative impact on customer retention and can damage sales however you can learn from a reputational crisis (as long as you are willing to change) and this can help to improve your processes and your brand as a whole. 

At the core of reputation management is trust. Consumers, clients, customers, audience, stakeholders have to trust you and how you build that trust is important in order to remain a significant to your target market, so reputation management is an ongoing process. Incorporating a strategy in order to improve and maintain a reputation that leads to loyalty and trust is crucial. Ariatu PR can help individuals and businesses manage and maintain positive reputations as well as undertake a reputation make-over when things have gone wrong. Get in touch to find out how we can help.

How To Undertake PR for Books by Black Authors

We have had the opportunity to work with some of the countries biggest publishing companies imprints and publishing houses from DK, Transworld, Usborne to Bloomsbury and Ebury Press alongside some of the most talented Black authors of our time. Undertaking PR for these authors has highlighted some key issues which the publishing sector should consider addressing in order to give Black authors the best chance of success not only through book sales but also through building an author’s profile.

Here are some of the fundamental things to keep in mind when undertaking the PR for books by Black authors:

Media Training: Invest in media training for Black authors, particularly those who are newly published. Media training give Black authors the confidence to navigate a variety of media spaces particularly the major platforms and outlets which are not always as diverse in their internal teams and in their external messaging. Media training also ensures that Black authors are able to communicate the key messages and themes of their books effectively and dynamically. This also falls in line with the personal branding of Black authors - media training gives them the chance to build their personal brand positioning effectively.

Aiming for the big whilst honouring the small: when it comes to the media relations aspect of PR it goes without saying that often the goal is the bigger the coverage the better the reach but respecting independent and small media outlets is also a great way of ensuring that Black authors reach a vast array of audiences.

Diversity has to be more than tokenism: When working with Black authors if the author is the only Black person involved in the entire project then this should be an area of concern. Black authors deserve to work with publishing teams that not only reflect them but which also allow them to have safe spaces to speak up without fear of being judged or silenced. So whether this means looking at how your team is reflective of diverse demographic groups or hiring Black PR consultants/Black Publicists/Black-owned PR agencies for campaigns it is important to take the steps to ensure that diversity is more than tokenism.

Clear communication of plans and goals: Communication is key. Black authors deserve the same level or respect as their white counterparts (for example) when it comes to determining the press plans surrounding their book. This means regular updates and maintaining clear communication between marketing, sales and PR. Take the time to listen to authors and give them the opportunity to be creative and feel involved in the overall planning around the promotional activity around their book.

Black authors are not monolithic: Remember that Black authors are vast in their scope of creativity - they appeal to multiple audiences who consume multiple types of media. Don’t limit Black authors based on the limitations of your biases.

Invest in Black authors: Some authors complain that the investment placed into the campaigns for their books isn’t the same as authors from other demographics which isn’t surprising given that more than a few Black authors are getting paid less for their advances, something which the #PublishingPaidMe campaign highlighted. Ensuring that Black authors get fair and balanced investment in their talent and the campaign surrounding their work is essential.

How To Work With Black Influencers

The Influencer Pay Gap between White Influencers and Black Influencers is real.

In 2021 Ariatu PR Founder, Ronke Lawal spoke to Cosmopolitan about the complexities of the relationship between PR agencies and influencers. One of the key issues that the piece identified was the very real influencer pay gap. In 2022, global communications agency MSL UK issued a report on influencer pay, which revealed that there was a 22% pay gap between black and white influencers. The report also highlighted that when it comes to negotiating fees, white influencers are nearly three times more likely to generate a positive outcome than Black influencers. Black influencers deserve to be paid fairly for their content - brands and PR agencies who handle campaigns need to take the issue of the pay gap more seriously.

Aside from the financial aspect there are others issues that need to be addressed when looking at how brands and PR agencies engage with Black Influencers.

So how can Brands and PR agencies work with Black influencers?

Respect: Black influencers deserve respect for the content that they create. Challenge your internal biases with how you perceive Black influencers and ask yourself why you value their content less than the content of others. There has been a lot of speculation recently about the value that Black influencers bring to brands' PR and marketing campaigns. The truth of the matter is that regardless of the size of the following of a Black influencer the metrics used to measure their outcomes should always be fair, balanced and respectful.

Communicate: A lack of communication and misunderstandings can have a negative impact on the relationship dynamics between Black influencers and Brands. Black influencers who are working on building their own personal brand in the digital space are seeing large brands working with their white counterparts within the industry and are not being given the same types of opportunities or a missing out because of a lack of communication or willingness to understand from brands. As a brand or PR agency communicate fairly and respectfully with Black influencers.

Be creative and open-minded: There’s a fixation on the idea that Black influencers audiences are not the target market for a brands positioning however this fixation leads to brands overlooking and excluding a wider and more dynamic range of consumer markets. White audiences in the UK may be the majority but they are not the only market and they are not always the most relevant audience to focus on.

Work with Black consultants and experts: Black PR consultants and Black-owned PR agencies can help brands focus on identifying Black influencers and content creators who are often overlooked and undermined. It is worth investing in the expertise of Black Public Relations specialists who can guide your brand when it comes to working with Black influencers.

Remember that Blackness is not a monolith: Black influencers and Black content creators are vast, they are creative, they are bold, they are dynamic. Don’t assume that there is only one direction in which to work with a Black influencer or a Black content creator. Think outside of the box and be dynamic in your approach - Black influencers and content creators can boost campaigns for books, fashion, food, tech, travel and more in an array of style. Allow Black influencers to be themselves. Trust them to create content that speaks authentically to their unique audiences and your brand will get the best out of them.