How PR stories can make marketing your local business easier

What is a PR story? When London-based comedian Helen Duff offered clowning workshops to women, I invited a Standard journalist to take part in a 1:1 workshop experience, resulting in a news article in the paper.

As a remote freelance PR and communications professional, I've been to several in-person networking events with other local businesses on Merseyside recently, and what's struck me is that little is known about the benefits of earned media (PR).

Firstly, I think there's a misunderstanding around what earned media is - that is - media coverage online, radio, TV and in print that mentions your business and provides genuinely interesting new information endorsed by a third party (the journalist) that builds trust and credibility. This could be:

• A strong visual or human story, great photography, an ordinary person doing an extraordinary thing, a quirky customer story - something surprising that immediately brings the story to life.

• Interesting data or insight - original research, advice, a warning, local statistics or expert knowledge that reveals something people would find useful or surprising about what your business has learned about the sector and local area.

• Community impact - work that is making a meaningful difference locally, tackling an issue or bringing people together, bringing to life with case studies.

• A significant or unusual development - a milestone, expansion, investment, partnership or new initiative that has a wider story behind it and the impact it will make, not just a purely 'pat on the back, aren't I great' business announcement.

• A clear reason for local people to care - a strong connection to the area, a change affecting the community or a story that says something interesting about what is happening locally.

PR is not the same as a paid-for advert carrying all of your marketing messaging. While that may be interesting to you, PR calls for deeper storytelling within the business that is not overly promotional and provides a value exchange with the journalist. In essence, you become part of the bigger picture of a topical moment, community campaign or trend that makes you relevant to people (e.g. industry peers or consumers) who gain a greater awareness of your mission and why and the impact of the work you're doing.

For example: "Golf club marks 50th anniversary" (promotional, may be missed by media) is not as interesting as "100-year-old golfer credits longevity to local club" (more newsworthy/human-interest and photo led.) There is a reason to read on - what is it about the club that has contributed to her longevity?

Summary: What makes a PR story different from a marketing story?

• A PR story helps earn the trust and connection with your local community, including those who aren't looking to buy from you immediately

• PR is not a paid-for advert coming from you directly, it is an article written by a third party (journalist) who has found information you've provided interesting, newsworthy and unique. The publication has not been paid to publish it, hence the term 'earned media' - it has to earn its place online or in print or on the radio or TV by being news.

• A marketing story lacks third party endorsement purely as it is shared directly to your audience. There has been no intermediary judgement on the validity of what you're saying. You miss the opportunity to gain trust as the consumer may think "well, you would say that as you want me to buy your product'.

• Marketing stories are very buyer focussed and also alienate 'overheard' audiences who may be interested in the wider stories behind your business (which is where PR builds credibility and trust

Make PR the centre of your content engine

Many local business owners I've met on Merseyside, Wirral and Liverpool get overwhelmed by juggling paid promotion, keyword focussed website content, social content planning, emails, newsletters and networking events.

What if good quality PR content could consolidate some of these areas to make life easier, across channels? The most newsworthy aspects of your business can work across your channels and benefit SEO, AI search when you generate earned press coverage.

Channel

How earned media coverage (PR) benefits each channel in the mix

PR	Increase third party trust and credibility, build relationships with media.

AI search

More credible information about your business across the web, online media coverage is used by AI search in references, recommendations and citations

SEO	Brand mentions, referral traffic and links to your website in earned press coverage articles boost your website presence and authority

Social

Share authentic content and conversation around PR stories in your content plan - there is also the opportunity for wider social content through other media outlets and accounts (e.g. filmed video clips shared through their social channels that tag you to amplify your presence)

Website

Engaging news and case studies content can be repurposed, with the opportunity to say "as featured in" third party publications

Email

PR content can feature in newsletter content planning to join up your communications and connect in a meaningful way with your community

Sales

Third-party credibility from journalist recommendations and round-ups (e.g. gift guides); direct click-throughs from links in press coverage to your website

Google Business Profile

Fresh business stories that have relevance to the local community

Paid adverts

More content to test, stronger PR creative, social proof

If you'd like to discuss how generating newsworthy PR stories can help your storytelling across the marketing and PR mix, drop me a line.

Celebrating Irish women in the beauty industry

Connecting Irish women in London.

The Women’s Irish Network is a community for Irish women, specifically women of Irish heritage, living and working in London.

I had the honour of volunteering to assist Nuala Ginty, Women's Irish Network's Community Manager, as an event photographer, capturing some very stylish guests.

I also got to learn about the exciting entrepreneurial hot-bed of beauty innovation happening right now in Ireland.

The breakfast meeting panel event, held at the Bankside Hotel in London, had so much energy in the room.

See more of my photos from the event below!

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Gorgeous skin products from Nyrah Beauty have been meticulously developed by Mechanical Engineer Lorraine Corcoran, including a drenching hyaluronic acid serum that is by far the most absorbent that I have tried.

We were gifted a 7-step day and night mini sample set, and so far I have been really impressed by hard working nature of this skincare routine that just seems to plug the gaps left by other brands.

We also heard from the Cat Deeley endorsed Ella and Jo, created by Niamh Ryan, an advanced skin therapist and cosmetic scientist. This is a brand with a with a very strong proposition - connecting skin and mind. I loved their award-winning Melt Away The Day cleansing balm, which we were lucky enough to get in our gift bag!

Not forgetting brows, we heard from The Brow Specialists, founded by Annemarie, specialising in semi-permanent makeup, lash enhancements and brow shaping who have studios in Shoreditch, London, and Castletroy, Limerick.

To find out more about upcoming events and to join the Women's Irish Network, visit https://womensirishnetwork.com/

To discuss how I can help your next event, from planning to photography, drop me a line.

From AI fake experts to social media "brain rot" - are we cooked?

The PRCA recently wrote a letter to the Government urging them to stop using X as a public information channel in light of harrowing content and child safety concerns.

This catapulted itself from my LinkedIn feed as a welcome but rare incidence of the PR industry making an ethical stand in a sea of posts around half-baked takes on AI coming for us and New Year life lessons.

This came at a particularly important time as it acknowledged that we, as non-robots, (also known as humans) have a choice on how we consume, engage with and endorse social media.

It also felt like a North Star for what the industry should represent amidst a wash of sinister AI fuelled practices including the Press Gazette naming and shaming quite frankly odd practices whereby so-called 'PRs' are pitching completely fake entities to news outlets. And, worryingly, securing coverage for the likes of a completely made-up gardener on behalf of a dubious recruitment website. (Why not just ask Monty Don for comment - he exists and does the job well?). While I digress, I'd wager a bet that they are more towards the SEO end of the earned media spectrum, and in terms of personal characteristics - wholly unethical with no grasp of what it means to build real relationships and do good work.

It is good to see a professional PR body taking a stand on social media. But is it getting harder to crack for brands (particularly those without a huge social media budget)?

We have adapted social media use since the pandemic, curating and building communities both with brands we love and those content creators who share our interests.

However since AI videos have flooded the platform, I found myself shedding a tear watching a TikTok about a shelter dog choosing its new owner at an animal rescue centre, only to read the comments that it was AI generated. I felt silly and to be quite honest, played. But show me a video of a cat working as a barista and I'll know it's AI and find it funny as my cat wouldn't do that for me even if he could. But, I should really be spending more time with my real life cat than watching videos of fake AI generated ones.

Surely it's not all bad - but is social media fundamentally struggling amidst "brain rot" style content and endless paid ads? And where do we draw the line?

This week Instagram notified me with the option of paying £3.99 for a non-advert subscription and no use of my personal data. Those who can afford to pay the subscription may not be visible to the more premium brands keen to appeal to them. Some have likened it to playing gig to an empty room, if it is adopted. Give your money or consent to personal data being harvested doesn't feel like a good deal.

Deleting social media is now an act of social rebellion, a pathway to a new way of living in a utopia where we are not addicted to scrolling nonsense for 2 hours without even realising.

But what content can survive? What is clear is that native style content that embraces humanity e.g. unpolished behind the scenes moments still does well providing there is a degree of humour, entertainment, relatability and education. I'm not sure if a ChatGPT prompt could come up with that, as some things have to be felt before they are created and brought into being.

But we are at the sharp end of the attention-span economy. Showing your values, sharing something genuinely useful, and an understanding that it is a privilege to have the attention of someone following your brand or business, is important. Providing an antidote to doom scrolling and breaking the fourth wall builds trust.

Meeting people where they are has to acknowledge that all of us often feel powerless in an ever-more-distressing global picture - but maybe the answer is right in front of us - prioritising trust over reach is more important than ever. I do think a healthy dose of assuming knowledge is also important, along with embracing conversation.

Perhaps you're tackling a sensitive topic - be mindful that watch time, saves and shares will be a more impactful measure, as you are in essence speaking to people privately - building more trust - on a publicly visible platform.

Before you post that draft, ask yourself, is this worth distracting someone from their life for?