Episode #71: Build a Moat Using Content-Led PR with Hannah Smith
“For some people, part of the reason they're more keen to do asset-less or reactive digital PR is they think it's quick to execute, results are quick and it's comparatively cheap, whereas content-led or hero digital PR is slow to execute, slow results and it's expensive, right? And I think that that's kind of, for some people like all they're seeing, they think that's the whole picture.”
-Hannah Smith, on why some companies prefer asset-less/reactive PR
We have a repeat guest joining us today. We’ll talk about something that’s been on her mind, which is the growth of asset-less PR in lieu of hero/content-led campaigns. We’ll discuss potential reasons why this may be, and what the potential opportunity cost is of forgoing the use of content in your PR strategy. Plus, she makes a pretty strong argument for “building a moat” and how to go about doing this to set your client or company apart from the competition.
In this episode, you'll learn…
Why many companies should not solely rely on asset-less PR
The benefits of hero (aka content-led) PR
What “building a moat” means and how to get started
Our guest:
Hannah Smith, Director of Worderist-- a company that offers consultancy, coaching, training & support to help develop and grow Creative, Production, and PR teams, improve processes and deliver results. Smith is an award-winning creative who's been deep in the trenches of content and PR for more than 15 years.
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Summary:
In this conversation, Hannah Smith discusses the differences between asset-less and hero/content-led digital PR strategies. She explains that asset-less PR involves only a press release or pitch email, while hero/content-led PR involves creating something on the client's site that journalists can link to. Hannah emphasizes the importance of building defensible assets and creating content that journalists associate with the client. She also provides advice for PR professionals starting new projects and dealing with competitors in annual studies. In this conversation, Hannah Smith shares valuable tips and insights on content creation and SEO. She emphasizes the importance of understanding user intent and creating content that meets their needs. Hannah also discusses the role of data in content creation and provides strategies for optimizing content for search engines. Overall, the conversation highlights the key factors to consider when creating effective and impactful content.
Show Notes:
00:00— Introduction and Technical Discussion
01:37— Introducing the Guest
02:29— Defining Asset-less and Hero/Content-led Digital PR
03:15— Differentiating Asset-less and Hero/Content-led Digital PR
04:27— The Relationship Between SEO Agencies and Reactive PR
05:13— The Influence of Cost on PR Strategies
06:34— Building a Moat: The Importance of Defensible Assets
08:26— Performance Comparison: Asset-less vs Hero/Content-led Digital PR
11:12— Examples of Hero/Content-led Digital PR
16:43— Transitioning from Reactive to Content-led PR
18:27— Overcoming Challenges in Content-led PR
21:58— Creating Assets in Reactive PR
25:19— Advice for PRs Starting New Projects
27:06— Dealing with Competitors in Annual Studies
31:42— Differentiating Annual Studies and Real-time Updates
39:20— Final Advice and Insights
Things we talked about…
Connect with Hannah Smith
Connect with Jackie & Britt
