1.
How to build digital PR
links without launching a
single campaign
Louise Parker | Propellernet
SLIDESHARE.NET/LOUISEPARKER7
@LOUISEVPARKER

2.
Hi, I’m Louise!

3.
I’ve been building links
using digital PR for 7
years now

4.
I want to demystify digital
PR, and help you feel
confident about building
links using this tactic

5.
What is digital PR?
How I’m using the term
‘digital PR’

6.
For me, digital PR is creating
content and stories that
online media want to talk
about

7.
Because if online media are
going to talk about your
brand, they will (99% of the
time*) link to you too
*source: my experience

8.
But…
“just create
content online
publications
want to link to” is
easy to say
What if you don’t
have the time or
money to come up
with a campaign like
those ones you see
on Twitter?

9.
Well luckily for you,
journalists don’t only care
about fancy assets or huge
data sets

10.
They want a story that’s
going to interest their
readers

11.
This talk is all about finding
digital PR stories, rather than
creating them

12.
1Use news from
within the brand

13.
It doesn’t need to be
‘news at 10’ news

14.
New hires
Office move or expansion
New app
Business updates
Financial results
Award wins
Product launch or update

15.
PureGym launched a
new app which
included workouts

16.
Updated their rules
due to coronavirus

17.
Launched ads
which featured
local members

18.
If people are getting excited about
something in the business –
chances are journalists might get
excited about it too

19.
What’s the
key with
this?
Finding the right
publication &
journalists

20.
Not everything is national news, but
regionals love a local story

21.
Not everything is national news, but
regionals love a local story

22.
And nearly every industry will have at
least one trade publication that will
be looking for stories

23.
And nearly every industry will have at
least one trade publication that will
be looking for stories

24.
Read these publications and
look out for story styles that
your brand could replicate

25.
2Use content that
already exists

26.
Blogs are often a
goldmine

27.
Especially…
Tips
How tos
Interviews
Or Reports

28.
These are
the stories
There’s a myth that journalists
won’t accept something that’s
been published somewhere else

29.
What’s the
key with
this?
Finding a hook
Find a topical reason to
talk about your content
Find a National Day or
seasonal event

30.
National Day = National Yoga Day
Seasonal Event = Ultra-Trail du Mont-
Blanc (UTMB)

31.
Journalists will be looking
for stories around these
topics

32.
So tying your story into
these days or events is
really effective

33.
These resources
have done the
hard work for
you
Daysof The Year Calendar
DaysOfTheYear.com
NationalDayCalendar.com

34.
3Use PR stories that have
already happened

35.
PR people like
shiny coverage

36.
They are probably less fussed about
sites outside their region or smaller,
niche-r sites

37.
But these sites can
still be great for links!

38.
Basically, take the PR scraps to
squeeze all the links you can out
of them

39.
What’s the
key with
this?
Thinking broad
with your media
targets

40.
If the campaign got coverage in
UK travel sites,
Will other travel sites be
interested too?

41.
Your digital PR
stories can be
found in:
1. Brand news
2. Current content
3. Previous PR

42.
Okay, this is all well & good but…
How do I approach journalists?

43.
Find the right
publication

44.
Find the right
publication
Find the
journalist’s
contact details

45.
Find the right
publication
Find the
journalist’s
contact details
Write & send
pitch email

46.
Mark out the type
of sites that will
be interested

47.
Company: Construction business in Brighton
Story: New CEO has been hired

48.
Company: Construction business in Brighton
Story: New CEO has been hired
Targets: Regional, building trade publications

49.
Company: Cleaning company in Bristol
Story: 10 green cleaning materials that you can
make at home

50.
Company: Cleaning company in Bristol
Story: 10 green cleaning materials that you can
make at home
Targets: Home, lifestyle, cleaning trade, green
publications (international)

51.
Use Google search parameters
to find your sites
Intitle: [search by keywords in
the title tag]
Inurl: [search by keywords in
the URL]

52.
Company: Construction business in Brighton
Story: New CEO has been hired
Targets: Regional, building trade publications

53.
Company: Cleaning company in Bristol
Story: 10 green cleaning materials that you can
make at home
Targets: Home, lifestyle, cleaning trade, green
publications (international)

54.
Now you need to find
the right journalist to
contact

55.
Make sure it’s someone that
has written something
similar

56.
Find their contact details…
On-site Twitter Free tools

57.
Then send them a
pitch email.
Here’s my template

58.
Make it
personalised
Hi [name]
I’m getting in touch because I have a story that might
be of interest, [what the story is]
I thought it might be of interest as [insert reason they
would want to cover it]
Please find full information below. If you do choose to
cover this, please could you include a link to [insert
your target URL] as credit.
Best,
[your name]
[insert all the information on your story]

59.
Friendly but
to the point
Hi [name]
I’m getting in touch because I have a story that might
be of interest, [what the story is]
I thought it might be of interest as [insert reason they
would want to cover it]
Please find full information below. If you do choose to
cover this, please could you include a link to [insert
your target URL] as credit.
Best,
[your name]
[insert all the information on your story]

60.
Give them a
reason
Hi [name]
I’m getting in touch because I have a story that might
be of interest, [what the story is]
I thought it might be of interest as [insert reason they
would want to cover it]
Please find full information below. If you do choose to
cover this, please could you include a link to [insert
your target URL] as credit.
Best,
[your name]
[insert all the information on your story]

61.
Give them
everything
they need in
one email
Hi [name]
I’m getting in touch because I have a story that might
be of interest, [what the story is]
I thought it might be of interest as [insert reason they
would want to cover it]
Please find full information below. If you do choose to
cover this, please could you include a link to [insert
your target URL] as credit.
Best,
[your name]
[insert all the information on your story]

62.
Ask for the
link
Hi [name]
I’m getting in touch because I have a story that might
be of interest, [what the story is]
I thought it might be of interest as [insert reason they
would want to cover it]
Please find full information below. If you do choose to
cover this, please could you include a link to [insert
your target URL] as credit.
Best,
[your name]
[insert all the information on your story]

63.
As long as you’re polite, considered and
don’t spam journalists – you’ll be fine
Give it a go!

64.
You might think this style of
digital PR is a bit hack-y
But this is actually the way I
think the industry is going

65.
Fully integrating within brands
to see the digital PR value that
is already there is just savvy
marketing

66.
It’s a great place to start with
digital PR…

67.
…but it should also be part of your
digital PR strategy if you’re not
already using these tactics

68.
Thank You!
Louise Parker | Propellernet
@louisevparker slideshare.net/louiseparker7