In our data-driven world, the value of PR is often questioned ⁠— and quite rightly so. Some see it only as a channel for occasional bursts of activity, while others get bogged down chasing links. Underpinning all this tends to be slow reporting focused on meaningless metrics like AVE (advertising value equivalent). The good news? There's a better way! - As presented at Search Leeds, June 2019.

1. PR that drives
performance

2. -PR that drives performance
Hello
2
Introduction
8 years’ experience working on national consumer
brands including ScS, Ann Summers, Maryland
Cookies, Aunt Bessie’s & Leeds Building Society.
Beth Nunnington
PR Director at Journey Further
@BethNunnington
Performance marketing agency
delivering clarity at speed.

3. -PR that drives performance
Challenges
3
• To be data-driven and prove ROI
• When PR is used as a stand-alone channel
• When PR is an afterthought or just used for ad-hoc bursts of activity
• Being too focused on links and losing sight of other key performance benefits of PR
Introduction

4. -PR that drives performance
What you’ll learn
4
5 steps to creating a performance-led PR strategy
1. Considering the power of PR as a channel, not just for links
2. Use SEO & programmatic insight to create media lists
3. Devise a data-led, relevant content strategy
4. Avoid big expensive campaigns
5. Implement a newsroom mentality
Introduction

5. PR is PR

6. -PR that drives performance 6
PRisPR
Great
PR
Reach &
awareness
Advocacy
Purchase
intent
Quality
links

7. -PR that drives performance
We’re NOT link builders
7
• Link building isn’t a process, it’s the outcome of great PR
• Google algorithm is more than just links - citations, user behaviour metrics and
brand awareness can also affect performance
• Linking content that is irrelevant and not on brand can do more harm than good
PRisPR
We are storytellers and brand guardians…

8. The right media list…

9. -PR that drives performance
A data-led approach
9
Targeting

10. Data-led content strategy

11. -PR that drives performance
And your target media need!
Create content that your
audience wants to read…
11
Content
• Don’t just guess – use the same data to
inform your content strategy
• Brainstorm around these key themes
• Sense check everything with the media

12. -PR that drives performance
Use tools to analyse the
relevancy of your link profile
12
Content

13. -PR that drives performance
Validating coverage & proving relevancy
13
Content
Entities Keywords Concepts

14. -PR that drives performance
Building your own script to do this en masse
14
Content

15. Avoid big expensive campaigns

16. -PR that drives performance
Keeping it simple
16
• No need for big expensive campaigns
or onsite tools
• Monitor the type of content the
media do cover again and again – and
get in there first
• Test and learn everything
Simplicity
16

17. Form a newsroom mentality

18. -PR that drives performance
Know what your journalists want
18
• Invest serious hours getting to
know your key media – meet
them face to face
• Know the days to avoid
contacting them, find out if
they prefer to be pitched via
text, Twitter, email or phone
Newsroommentality

19. -PR that drives performance
Reacting to the news agenda
19
• Daily 9am newsroom meetings to
quickly review all media
• Create a dashboard that
evaluates activity
• No third party cost– you just need
to be able to turn things around
FAST
Newsroommentality

20. We know this works!

21. -PR that drives performance
SEO-led PR
Airtasker
21
The brief
Secure high quality, linking pieces of coverage to drive sign
ups in Leeds and Manchester through a low budget
campaign
Our approach
• Teaming up with the Head Chef at The Botanist in Leeds,
and the Oast House in Manchester
• Created a job advert for a ‘Yorkshire Pudding Taste Tester’
and ‘Pigs in Blankets Taste Tester’ to drum up excitement
and create a buzz around the Airtasker launch
Casestudy

22. -PR that drives performance

23. -PR that drives performance
CaseStudy

24. -PR that drives performance

25. -PR that drives performance
Combined…
The results
25
• 77 pieces of PR coverage achieved
• Over 21m people reached through PR coverage
• Thousands of social media shares and engagements
• 59 links – average DR of 64
• Campaign featured nationally by Metro, Daily Mirror,
UniLad, Lad Bible, Red, Prima, Good Housekeeping,
The Tab, OK magazine and more
• Broadcast mentions on Heart, BBC Radio and
Gogglebox
• Won most effective use of PR for SEO at the Drum
Awards
• Average keyword rank increased by 20 places
Casestudy

26. -PR that drives performance 26

27. -PR that drives performance
Actionable takeaways
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• Ensure PR campaigns and tactics deliver more than just links
• Use existing data and insight to validate your outreach lists,
content strategy and therefore coverage
• Maintain an always on press office to secure regular, useful
coverage and links at a lower cost

28. Thank you!

29. Get in touch
contact@journeyfurther.com
+44 (0) 113 827 0163