Before digital media, PR (public relations) was limited to either traditional print media or a personal connection with journalists. Now, the landscape looks quite different – people aren’t staring into a broadsheet every morning over their breakfast. Social media, online publications, and other digital channels are where people spend most of their time. This has changed the way PR works, and as such, the approach to PR has also evolved. In this piece, we look at some great examples of digital PR and explain in more detail how digital PR typically works.
What is a Digital PR Campaign?
A digital PR campaign refers to the strategies and tactics used to promote a business, brand, or product through online channels. This includes social media, influencer partnerships, content marketing, and other digital platforms.
Typically, a digital PR campaign aims to increase brand awareness, improve online reputation, and drive traffic and leads. It usually combines the traditional methods of public relations with more creative digital marketing techniques to reach a wider audience and achieve specific objectives.
What is An Example of a Digital PR?
Let’s say you run an eco-friendly clothing brand and you want to launch a new line of sustainable swimwear. A traditional PR campaign would involve reaching out to fashion magazines and newspapers, sending press releases and product samples, and arranging interviews with key journalists.
This can still work, but now, you can also utilise digital PR strategies to reach a larger audience and create a bigger buzz around your brand. For example, you could send out a press release that highlights a recent statistic on the negative impact of fast fashion on the environment and use it as an opportunity to link back to your new collection. This is the most common method of digital PR.
Some of the Best Digital PR Campaign Examples
Here are some creative examples of digital PR that we loved:
1. ‘The Future Worker’: Direct Apply
Direct Apply, a job search platform, launched a digital PR campaign called ‘The Future Worker’. It’s a tongue-in-cheek campaign that imagines what the remote worker of the future will look like. Complete with nightmarish CGI images of the typical remote worker in 25 years – a woman in her pyjamas called Susan – the campaign went viral and was picked up by major websites such as HuffPost and the Daily Mail.
2. ‘The Sexiest Bald Men’: Reboot
The ‘Sexiest Bald Men’ campaign by Reboot Online was a clever play on celebrity culture, creating a list of top bald men in the limelight ranked by various attributes like ‘shine factor’ and public search interest. The campaign caught significant media attention, stirring debate and conversation across platforms, along with clicks for Reboot Online. That being said, it didn’t escape controversy, with discussions arising about the methodology and data accuracy used to crown the ‘winners’! Nevertheless, the campaign still created some great publicity.
3. ‘The Best Value Airport Lounge in the World’: Netflights
Netflights.com created this popular digital PR piece, which compared the value of airport lounges worldwide. It challenges the notion that such spaces are exclusively for the well-heeled traveller. The campaign showed that lounges could actually be economical – something many readers were unaware of. This smart angle grabbed attention by highlighting a travel hack and then used this to promote their flight and accommodation website.
4. ‘Just Plane Wrong: Celebs with the Worst Private Jet Co2 Emissions’: Yard
Yard’s digital PR campaign, ‘Just Plane Wrong’, puts a spotlight on the environmental impact of private jets, with a focus on celebrity CO2 emissions. The study, drawing data from public sources like the CelebrityJets Twitter page, stirred the pot by listing celebrities whose private flights have pumped out staggering amounts of CO2. This bold move by Yard sparked a much-needed conversation about sustainable travel choices, getting their website more clicks in the process.
5. ‘The world’s most stressful cities to drive in’: HiyaCar
The ‘Most Stressful Cities to Drive In’ campaign, led by Eskimoz alongside Digital Uncut for HiyaCar, provided a data-driven look into the stress levels of driving in various cities around the world. The study ranked 36 populous cities, evaluating factors like traffic congestion, road quality, and vehicle density to determine stress scores. This creative campaign got picked up by digital media outlets such as Time Out London, earning HiyaCar a significant increase in website traffic and brand visibility.
6. ‘13 common appliances costing £1,000 a year on standby’: JustServicesGroup.com
Eskimoz and Digital Uncut’s campaign for JustServicesGroup.com highlighted the hidden costs of ‘vampire’ appliances. This digital PR initiative revealed that keeping devices like game consoles and dehumidifiers on standby could stealthily add up to £1,000 to annual household energy bills. The piece was run by local media outlets like the Liverpool Echo and gained traction on social media, getting JustServicesGroup.com more attention for their home maintenance services.
7. ‘Millions of homes in the UK have slower broadband than the 20Mbps average available at London Underground stations’: USwitch
Londoners know that the Tube’s wifi isn’t always reliable, so this piece comparing Underground Internet speeds piqued people’s interest. USwitch was able to cleverly tie this into their own services by highlighting the not-so-fun fact that millions of homes in the UK have slower broadband than what’s available on the London Underground. This campaign landed coverage in publications like The Metro and gained traction on social media, prompting readers to check out USwitch’s broadband comparison tools.
8. How Much Does Your Home Know About You?: TechShielder
TechShielder’s digital PR campaign, “How Much Does Your Home Know About You?”, capitalised on people’s privacy concerns in the era of smart homes. It gave readers an insightful look into how interconnected devices collect and use personal data, prompting people to think about their digital privacy. This was perfect for TechShielder, a tech magazine that focuses on cybersecurity and consumer privacy. The campaign earned their site more traffic and loyal readers.
9. ‘World’s first pumpkin spice spa day’: SpaSeekers.com
If you love pumpkin spice lattes, then this campaign from SpaSeekers.com is right up your alley. The spa search engine knew how to stir up buzz for their brand by presenting the “world’s first pumpkin spice spa day” right before Autumn kicked off. People found it both amusing and a little enticing, leading to coverage in publications like Metro and TheManc.com. This campaign also got people talking on social media, which, of course, gave SpaSeekers.com more exposure and potential customers.
10. Scientists reveal the best formula for dunking biscuits in tea & coffee: McVities
Major biscuit brand McVities partnered with scientists to find the perfect formula for dunking their biscuits in tea and coffee. Even going so far as to hire their first “Chief Dunking Officer”, McVities’ quirky and fun campaign sparked a lot of interest from people who love a good biscuit-dipping session. It resulted in coverage from major publications like The Sun. The perfect combination of hard, cold data and lighthearted humour made this campaign a viral success.
How to Increase Backlinks Through Digital PR Campaigns
Backlinks are what digital PR is all about. They are links from other websites that direct readers to your website, and they are a critical factor in improving your SEO ranking. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more Google will value your website as an authoritative source of information. But how do you get these coveted backlinks? One way is through well-executed digital PR campaigns.
Let’s look at an example of a successful digital PR campaign we led for one client and break down the elements that worked. When we partnered with TRG Datacenters, a data centre company, we knew that it would be difficult to present the niche topic of data centres in a consumer-friendly and newsworthy way. As a result, we focused on the topic of crypto – something that is never far from the headlines but also relates to their industry.
We looked at the environmental impact of cryptocurrencies by researching how much energy each transaction consumes (measured in KWh). The campaign’s landing page, launched in April 2021, gained significant attention when Elon Musk’s announcement about Tesla and Bitcoin in May 2021 led to its research being used as a resource. This resulted in over 2,600 backlinks and extensive coverage in publications like Market Watch, LA Times, the Independent, New Scientist, and Business Insider. The result? 114,816 organic sessions on the landing page!
How Eskimoz Can Improve Your Digital PR Strategy
As you can see, a well-executed digital PR campaign can deliver impressive results. But it takes a lot of planning, creativity, and expertise to achieve this level of success. Our digital PR agency specialises in creating and executing innovative and impactful digital PR campaigns for our clients.
Here are some ways Eskimoz can improve your digital PR strategy:
- Targeted and Relevant Pitches. We have a team of experienced PR professionals who know how to create pitches that grab the attention of journalists and publications in your niche.
- Creative Storytelling. Our team excels at finding unique angles and narratives for our clients’ campaigns. By making your brand’s story interesting and newsworthy, we increase the chances of media coverage.
- Relationship Building. Our team has established strong relationships with journalists and publications in various industries. This allows us to have a better understanding of their preferences and increases the chances of coverage.
We’re proud to say that our approach has helped numerous clients achieve their PR goals.
Get Advice on Digital PR Strategy from Eskimoz
If you’re ready to launch your next campaign and need assistance getting the right coverage, then Eskimoz is at your service. We’ll help you build an effective digital PR strategy that will boost your visibility. Get in touch to start the process of making your brand more of a household name.
