Digital PR is all About How ‘Good’ you Are With Your ‘Earned Media’

A few months ago, one of our esteemed clients asked us to do digital PR for them.  As their digital marketing agency we had been successful in delivering satisfactory ROI on the services that we provide for their brand. So when they asked for Digital PR, we wanted to UP the scale for obvious reasons. We decided to do some research. This included meeting mainstream PR agencies, other third party agencies which claimed to offer Digital/Web PR as their USP, and of course lots and lots of online reading.

While, I received a lot of scattered information and methodology on digital PR, it was still not making much sense to me as we were already doing most of it for the client. The challenge was to create a niche offering and supersede our own expectations. But, how? I tried revisiting our marketing strategy and created many notes, only to dump them in the recycle bin.  My Eureka moment came, when my seven- year-old son asked me to help him learn a poem.

P.O.E.M . That was it! We had done a good job on the ‘Paid’ and ‘Owned’ Media. It was time to focus on Earned Media now.  The rest will follow in the form of below ‘gyaan’ J

What is Digital PR?

Digital PR is nothing but applying conventional PR tactics to content marketing, social media and search - thereby transforming static information or news into conversations. This means conveniently bypassing media to directly address your target audience online.

What is the goal?

The goal of Digital PR is to create and build an online presence that correctly reflects what your brand stands for and to amplify its innovations and campaigns.  It is intended to build relationships with its customers, stakeholders and influencers so that it can develop and foster the favorable operating atmosphere.

What are the techniques?

The technique is to focus and enhance  your ‘Earned Media’ via SEO, content marketing, native advertising, online newsrooms, partnerships, influencer management, blogger outreach and online media coverage.

What is Earned Media?

Earned Media is nothing but the fruit of your labor on owned, paid and other interactive media programs. It is often echoed in the status updates, Facebook messages, tweets or blogposts of your consumers, supporters, influencers and peers. Earned media is linked to your owned media campaigns and feeds on its sharability or WOM factor. Once there is considerable buzz, the success lies in contextualizing the campaign and gaining the attention of bloggers, influencers, online journalists and thought leaders through a planned PR and communication exercise. This is critical in Digital PR because these are the people who hold the power to influence consumer awareness and behavior.

An exclusive Digital PR service offering should include –

• Influencer Management - Bloggers & Online journalists engagement and participation
• Content or Native Advertising
• Forum management
• Creation, optimization and distribution of press releases online (web releases)
• SEO management and optimization
• Search and Social media monitoring
• ORM