Talk to the experts: How Digital PRs can future proof themselves this year 

Talk to the experts: How Digital PRs can future proof themselves this year 

In the ever changing world that is Digital PR, staying ahead of the curve is not just a strategy; it’s a necessity. To navigate the evolving landscape, we reached out to seasoned professionals who shared their insights and advice. Let’s delve into their perspectives on the challenges, trends, and strategies that will define Digital PR in 2024.

Alex Hickson, Head of Digital PR at TrunkBBI: user and audience interest is key

According to Alex Hickson, creating campaigns and content with a focus on user and audience interest is paramount. He observes a divergence in the industry, where some engage in a “race to the bottom” with irrelevant campaigns, while others emphasise quality, relevance, and engagement. In Alex’s words, “It’s more important than ever to be creating content that’s not only linked but engages with your brand’s key audiences in order to generate an actual conversation.”

Also commenting on the need to be right in the thick of where the audiences are, Amber Buonsenso, Promotion and PR Manager at The Evergreen Agency, encourages PR professionals to be present where their target audience is and to explore unconventional ideas. Amber goes on to say “journalists are writing articles which resonate with their audience, which is essentially your audience too. Make sure you are on the platforms they are using, following hashtags and topics that are of interest to them and fully understanding the niche so that you can come up with creative ideas and pitches which interest them and journalists will want to share.”

Diversify and think outside of the box as the number of media outlets are shrinking right in front of us

Highlighting a major challenge, he mentions the shrinking pool of media outlets. Alex advises PR professionals to target non-traditional media outlets and collaborate with website editors and content managers to maximise campaign potential. 

Hunker down on niche campaigns as opposed to one size fits all

Alex emphasises the importance of a deep understanding of the media landscape, journalist needs, and the formats that work in a client’s niche. He points out that even though “we’re seeing a lack of huge ‘hero’ creative campaigns this isn’t to say there isn’t a place for this type of content. It’s important to nurture journalist relationships and really understand what content they are prioritising, and understanding what formats work in your client’s niche.” He suggests focusing on campaigns with real community interest that address key issues in specific industries.

Think beyond links 

Amy advises against narrow thinking, urging professionals to consider broader outcomes beyond traditional link metrics. In her words, “To be at the top of your Digital PR game in 2024, it’s really important you’re reporting on the wider success of Digital PR beyond just link numbers.”

Matt Thompson, Head of Digital PR at Cedarwood Digital – leverage experts

E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has been crucial for SEO, and Matt Thompson believes digital PR can play a key role in enhancing it. He recommends leveraging spokespeople to provide expert commentary and insights, emphasising the importance of not limiting spokespersons to traditional roles.

So let’s talk AI ……..

Siobhan Congreve, Associate Director of Content & Digital PR at Bring Digital, anticipates the growing importance of AI in Digital PR strategies for 2024. She emphasises the potential of AI in personalising pitches to journalists, stating, “AI creates an opportunity to win the attention of journalists by helping them create super personalised pitches in a much shorter period than if PRs were attempting to do this manually for every publication.”

Siobhan envisions AI-assisted subject lines as a key weapon for PR professionals, offering the ability to tailor pitches to individual journalists or publication styles efficiently. In addressing challenges, she recognises the ongoing journalist layoffs and the need for ethical AI implementation. She notes, “making sure that PRs are adhering to the most up-to-date guidelines and regulations will be paramount, especially as this will change constantly as the industry evolves.”

To stay ahead, she underscores the importance of collaboration, continuous learning, and staying attuned to industry shifts, emphasising, “keeping an ear to the ground will be one of the most essential skills in each Digital PR’s toolbox.”

Also commenting on the topic, Amy Irvine who heads up Digital PR at Digital Loft, begins by underscoring the significance of relevancy in 2024, breaking it down into various dimensions, including keyword, brand, domain, and target page relevancy. She feels this needs to be considered first, and she warns about the rise of black hat link building accelerated by AI, leading to disinformation and a tarnished reputation for Digital PR.

 Let’s not forget the importance of organic social when it comes to Digital PR

Ellie Mack, Digital PR Director at Wolfenden

Ellie Mack, Digital PR Director at Wolfenden, envisions a significant focus on the link between Digital PR and organic social in 2024. She emphasises the evolving KPIs for journalists, stating, “More and more journalists are being KPI’d against engagement, so when ideating for campaigns, it’s key for PRs to consider how a campaign angle might transfer onto social platforms.” Ellie sees this approach as a win-win, making campaigns more appealing to journalists while also leveraging social amplification for a wider audience reach.

Tamir Davis, Digital PR and Training Specialist

Tamir Davis, a Digital PR and Training Specialist, suggests leveraging social listening tools and following the trends on TikTok for a strategic approach in Digital PR campaigns. Tamir states, “typically, tips and tricks, DIY, surprising revelations and myth-busting videos tend to do well on TikTok, so you want to build out skeleton structured comments and releases that can be adapted as soon as you notice a trend beginning to murmur (and crucially before it goes viral if you can!). But remember to keep it relevant and topical to your client – think about what actionable tips and or insights they can add to the discussion.”

Addressing challenges, Tamir discusses the shifting metrics in Digital PR success and the need for adapting strategies to the evolving media landscape. To be at the top, she recommends regular campaign assessment, cultivating journalistic relationships, and embracing innovation in pitching techniques. Tamir encourages “going beyond your comfort zone and role description. With integrated strategies top of Digital PRs’ agenda for 2024, think about what you’d like to learn – whether it’s more technical SEO knowledge, optimising content, or even producing videos to complement your digital campaign. Whether you’re reading articles or enrolling on a course, these skills can carry you a long way, personally and professionally.

Sarah-Jayne Taylorson, Digital PR Consultant at NORTH – we need to lose the vanity metrics and start to focus on what is important at a time when journalists are in short supply!

Sarah-Jayne Taylorson discusses that, “it’s going to become increasingly difficult to cut through in 2024 as we’ve seen huge waves of redundancies at some of the UK’s leading publishers. This means that the imbalance between the number of PRs to journalists is likely to grow even more. Finding a way to cut through with engaging stories that are of genuine interest is going to be more crucial than ever.”

She emphasises the shift from vanity metrics to a focus on the quality of links and broader organic metrics, stating, “it’s no longer enough to just report on average DA or the number of links built. This year it’s all about looking at the bigger picture of the quality of links you’re building, their relevance and wider organic metrics like keyword movement, sessions and clicks. Quality over quantity is now more important than ever!” NORTH created a blog of their own digital PR and seo predictions for 2024 if you’re looking for more inspiration.

Challenges include the prevalence of affiliate links and AI-generated expert commentary. To stand out, Sarah-Jayne advises providing journalists with insightful and creative commentary.

Bethany Surridge, Senior Digital PR Manager at Reboot Online

Bethany Surridge, Senior Digital PR Manager at Reboot Online,talks about the significance of leveraging client expertise for quick-win campaigns. According to Bethany, “our clients can offer us valuable insights that aren’t available elsewhere. By tapping into your client’s knowledge, you can offer journalists an expert tip or comment on their niche to ensure quick wins on any trending topics.’ 

To succeed in Digital PR, Bethany recommends a three-pronged strategy. First, she highlights the need for ongoing campaign evaluation, stating, “regularly assess campaign performance and dissect factors contributing to success.” Secondly, she underscores the importance of building and maintaining journalist relationships, emphasising, “cultivating connections and understanding journalists’ needs is crucial.” Lastly, she advocates for innovative pitching, asserting, “adaptability is key in DPR. Experiment with novel approaches to stand out.”
In summary, mastering Digital PR in 2024 involves the likes of prioritising relevance, leveraging AI strategically and not in a scatter gunned manner, and fostering strong journalist relationships. As these experts suggest, adaptability, continuous learning, and innovative pitching techniques are the keys to success in an ever-changing landscape.

A huge thank you to all our PR experts that provided their i