This week (Thursday 25) is World Penguin Day – a day chosen to align with the magnificent animals’ migration north. So today, I’m reflecting on my own journey into becoming a fully-fledged member of Penguin PR, writes Kirsty Green.
When I joined the agency two-and-a-half years ago, I was confident my journalism and PR background made me a perfect fit for an agency focused on telling clients’ stories and sharing their news.
But, I must admit, in the early days there were still one or two imposter syndrome moments.
Those moments occurred when clients and colleagues talked about ‘digital’ PR. My PR background had been working for large organisations with teams dedicated to analysing website traffic, digital marketing and social media. What did I know about digital PR?
Well, to best honest, a lot more than I thought. Because, when you investigate, PR, ‘however it is labelled ‘traditional’ or ‘digital’, is about getting the right information, in front of the right audience, and, very importantly, making sure the audience wants to read it.
And how do you do that? By writing engaging stories people want to talk about which are published in the places the people you want to reach, are.
You can replace the words however you wish; you can say ‘content’ instead of stories, you can talk about ‘followers’ instead of audience and you can boast about ‘shares and engagement’ instead of readership or listeners. But really, it’s the same goal and it’s good storytelling which will get you there.
Yes, there are specific techniques and steps needed to write for a digital platform, but understanding these should be within the scope of any PR professional’s abilities. We are used to adapting our writing style and process based on the intended audience and the needs of the publication we are targeting.
At the core of it all is a good story. When you look at the data for social media or traditional media you see the same. Which are the posts which perform best? Which are the articles which make the newspapers? They are the well-written, interesting stories.
So now, just like a penguin is comfortable on land and in water, I feel my time at Penguin PR has taught me I don’t need to dip my toe into Digital PR, because I’ve been equipped to swim in it quite confidently all along.
This blog was written and shared by Kirsty Green. Do you want to find out more about how a blog can help your business? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
