Digital PR Campaign Best Practices
What is the difference between a digital PR campaign and a regular PR campaign? While the principles and goals are almost identical, the difference lies in the methods of conducting the campaign. Traditional PR campaigns focus on printed materials and press releases, whereas digital PR campaigns also integrate social media and SEO among other online platforms and tactics into the campaign. Below are three of the digital PR campaign best practices.
Data:
Use Data to Your Advantage in Your Digital PR Campaign
Interesting data is one way you can set your digital PR campaign apart from the rest. Christopher Long talks about the success of a data-driven PR approach in his article, “The Ultimate Guide to Digital PR,” at Moz. He explains how having new information to intrigue journalists and potential readers is one of the more effective ways to gain media coverage of your digital content. Long also talks about how being data-driven can help you keep creating content as data can be a more reliable topic than an event that only happens once a year.
You should be strategic, however, in the type of data you use. Long explains further in his article how your topic should be “tangential content” or content that is loosely connected to your company. In doing so, your digital content will sound more authentic and less like an advertisement.
Content:
Consider What Makes Your Digital Content Newsworthy
In order for your digital PR campaign to be successful, you need to get the media’s attention. How do you do this? The answer is simple–think like a journalist. Ask yourself, what makes this topic newsworthy? Once you figure out your angle, then you can effectively craft your campaign.
Laura Hampton discusses aspects to emphasize when gaining the media’s attention for your digital PR campaign in her article, “3 Essential Components of a Successful Digital PR Campaign,” at PR News. She first talks about how you need to make sure that all your information is credible. Credibility is vital to journalists, so if you give them anything less than that, they will both not cover you and distrust any future pitch of yours.
Hampton also discusses in her article how you can use circles of focus in your digital PR campaign. She recommends starting with topics that are marketing-driven and then expand away from those topics as much as you can. This is similar to Long’s tactic of tangential reasoning as you want your content to be related to the company while not sounding like a sales pitch. Remember, your goal is to obtain media coverage, so you need to strategize on how to best grab their interest.
Media Coverage:
Pitch Your Stories to the Media to Launch Your Digital PR Campaign
As stated above, getting media coverage is the main priority of your digital PR campaign. How, then, do you get your stories covered by the media? The best way, according to Long, is to pitch your stories concisely. No one wants to sift through a long pitch in an email. Most will not even read every word of your pitch. Therefore, you need to write concisely and to the point. Having a short but descriptive subject line can make your pitch more effective as the topic is presented in the clearest way possible.
Long also recommends forming relationships with journalists by responding to them quickly, being accurate in your data, and pitching multiple campaigns to them. Once you have a solid relationship, your campaign will be more likely to be covered because you have established your credibility with the journalist.
All in all, digital PR campaigns are similar to traditional campaigns. In order to be successful, consider using intriguing data, picking newsworthy topics, and pitching clearly and concisely to the media. Want to learn more about the best practices for digital PR campaigns? Connect with us at RedMoxy by clicking here to learn more.