James' session from PubCon Cyber Week 2020 took a deep dive into ideation for digital PR campaigns that can deliver results even in the midst of a global pandemic...

1. #pubcon
PR Tactics to Help You
Build Better Links During
a Global Pandemic
Presented by:
James Brockbank - Managing Director & Founder, Digitaloft
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2. Digital PR evolved from a need for
SEOs to earn links from authoritative
and topically relevant sources...
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3. “We need to
make our
marketing budget
work harder.”
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4. Historically, SEOs have been building
links with...
Paid
Placements.
Guest
Posts.
Resource
Links.
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5. These are tactics that your
competitors can easily copy.
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6. Now more than ever, you need
to focus resources on gaining a
competitive advantage.
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This year’s news agenda is very
different to what we’re used to
working in...

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15. We need to
understand the
type of stories that
journalists want to
cover (and link to).
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16. Let’s look at a proven process
to launch campaigns that can
earn brand-building authority
coverage and links...
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17. Create something awesome &
make sure that everybody knows
about it!
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18. Link building
shouldn’t
take place in
its own silo.
The best
strategies...
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19. ● Earn links that are actually
clicked on by people who could
become your next customer.
Link building
shouldn’t
take place in
its own silo.
The best
strategies...
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20. ● Earn links that are actually
clicked on by people who could
become your next customer.
● Earn links from sites that your
target audience is visiting.
Link building
shouldn’t
take place in
its own silo.
The best
strategies...
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21. ● Earn links that are actually
clicked on by people who could
become your next customer.
● Earn links from sites that your
target audience is visiting.
● Earn links from within
content that positions
you as experts in your
sector.
Link building
shouldn’t
take place in
its own silo.
The best
strategies...
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22. It all starts with
a great idea...
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23. Having great ideas is the hardest
part of digital PR.
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24. A great story makes pitching so
much easier.
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25. There’s a
sweet spot
that your
digital PR
efforts
should sit in...
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26. Everyone has different ways of
coming up with ideas.
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27. Let’s dive deep into 4 proven
ways to come up with awesome
ideas…
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28. But first, let’s look at the key
things to consider when ideating
right now (during a pandemic)…
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29. ● Don’t talk about COVID-19 unless you have the
authority to do so.
What to
consider
when
ideating
during the
pandemic...
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30. ● Don’t talk about COVID-19 unless you have the
authority to do so.
● How are your customers feeling right now?
What are their biggest challenges?
What to
consider
when
ideating
during the
pandemic...
#pubcon

31. ● Don’t talk about COVID-19 unless you have the
authority to do so.
● How are your customers feeling right now?
What are their biggest challenges?
● How can you help your customers to overcome
these challenges? Show your human side.
What to
consider
when
ideating
during the
pandemic...
#pubcon

32. ● Don’t talk about COVID-19 unless you have the
authority to do so.
● How are your customers feeling right now?
What are their biggest challenges?
● How can you help your customers to overcome
these challenges? Show your human side.
● Don’t be afraid to have fun, show your human
side and entertain your audience.
People want a break from COVID-19
news.
What to
consider
when
ideating
during the
pandemic...
#pubcon

33. ● Don’t talk about COVID-19 unless you have the
authority to do so.
● How are your customers feeling right now?
What are their biggest challenges?
● How can you help your customers to overcome
these challenges? Show your human side.
● Don’t be afraid to have fun, show your human
side and entertain your audience.
People want a break from COVID-19
news.
● Remember that the news
agenda covers more than the
pandemic.
What to
consider
when
ideating
during the
pandemic...
#pubcon

34. Educate or entertain.
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35. 1. Inspiration-led ideation…
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37. How do we make a noise for a
startup in a competitive space?
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38. Lifestyle publications are driven
by product roundups & style
guides.
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39. Buzzsumo can help you find the
best performing content on any
topic.
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41. How could we
take inspiration
and make this our
own without sales
data?
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42. Public data that demonstrates
popularity...
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43. And influence.
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44. There’s a big difference between
inspiration and imitation.
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45. Multiple stories to maximize
coverage...
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46. Multiple stories to maximize
coverage...
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47. But how did this land in the
press?
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51. Result =
Topically relevant authority
linked coverage at scale...
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The Cosmetify Index was
organically shared by
@hudabeauty on Instagram to
48m followers!

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54. Top Takeaway #1:
Monitor what others are doing &
take inspiration from their
campaigns.
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57. 2. Launch something bigger and
better…
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61. Dogs worth millions?!
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62. Forbes Rich List?!
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63. Our ‘Pet Rich List’ went bigger
and better than the articles
already out there.
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66. Content can be FUN and
ENTERTAINING and still build
authority links...
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67. Be reactive to breaking news...
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70. Top Takeaway #2:
Read the publications you want
coverage from and make article
content bigger and better.
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71. 3. Data-led ideation…
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73. A trending topic...
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75. Every follower
is worth
£0.0043 to an
influencer.
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76. What could
we do with
this data?
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77. Every
marketer
needs a
Pinterest
swipe file of
formats...
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78. What’s your Instaworth?
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81. Create an evergreen asset and
links will still be earned long after
you stop promotion.
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83. Top Takeaway #3:
Build a swipe file of formats and
pair these with different data
sources.
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84. 4. Share your knowledge &
expertise…
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85. Journalists are looking for expert
advice & insights more than
ever…
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86. Position your business as
thought leaders by sharing tips,
advice & guidance with target
journalists.
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92. Create a piece of blog content to
earn links from expert tips and
insights...
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93. Don’t dismiss stories around your
products or the buzz about your
business...
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96. Top Takeaway #4:
Sit down with product or experts
within your business and build a
bank of tips & advice.
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97. You don’t always need to
reinvent the wheel.
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98. All ideas need to be validated to
maximise results...
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99. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
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100. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
● What could journalist’s headlines look like?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
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101. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
● What could journalist’s headlines look like?
● Is this idea relevant to the business’ target
audience?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
#pubcon

102. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
● What could journalist’s headlines look like?
● Is this idea relevant to the business’ target
audience?
● Can we get the data needed?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
#pubcon

103. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
● What could journalist’s headlines look like?
● Is this idea relevant to the business’ target
audience?
● Can we get the data needed?
● Has anything similar been done before?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
#pubcon

104. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
● What could journalist’s headlines look like?
● Is this idea relevant to the business’ target
audience?
● Can we get the data needed?
● Has anything similar been done before?
● Does it resonate with a wide
enough audience?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
#pubcon

105. ● What’s the main story we’re trying to tell?
● What could journalist’s headlines look like?
● Is this idea relevant to the business’ target
audience?
● Can we get the data needed?
● Has anything similar been done before?
● Does it resonate with a wide
enough audience?
● Which journalists could we
see covering this?
A 7 step idea
validation
process...
#pubcon

106. #pubcon

107. Pixel Mill,
44 Appleby Road,
Kendal,
LA9 6ES
Spaces,
77 Farringdon Rd,
London,
EC1M 3JU
james@digitaloft.co.uk
@BrockbankJames
/in/james-brockbank/
THANK YOU!
#pubcon