Increasing brand authority with reactive digital PR

Distinctly conducted an ‘outreachable content audit’ that analysed UK Meds’ existing content to determine its suitability for UK press.

We also identified keywords that were relevant to UK Meds specialisms and expertise. We set up Google Alerts so that once the news was trending on these topics, we could supplement stories with insight from UK Meds that would add value to an existing story.

We spent time producing ‘master media lists’ that covered the following topics: health, lifestyle, men’s interests, nationals, celebrity and entertainment writers.

We were then able to utilise the content from the blog, using the insights as commentary to share with the media lists in reaction to trending, relevant and newsworthy stories, topics, or seasonal events such as Christmas hangovers, Winter colds, or the rise in cases of the flu.

The content was authored and positioned by Dr Alexis Missick, who, as a medical professional, gave the insights we were sharing greater credibility and therefore were more likely to be picked up by journalists.

Proactive outreach primarily included responding to journalist requests on Twitter or programs such as Response Source where we found journalists looking for commentary from a health professional. We pitched Dr Alexis to speak, once again using content from the blog or reaching out to her directly to provide insights.

We also suggested linkable content ideas we knew would be well-received and likely to gain journalist engagement. By creating and promoting further content, alongside our reactive strategy, we were able to generate additional coverage in national press titles.

Our reactive approach allowed us to establish UK Meds as experts in the industry. We presented them as up-to-date with industry trends as well as keen to share their knowledge and raise awareness about specific topics.

We’ve been able to deliver 100 pieces of coverage for UK Meds in total from July to December. We surpassed the target of 5-10 links per month, with an average of 16.6 per month over the 6 month period.

We’ve received coverage in a range of publications, including UK nationals, regionals and trade publications. The average DR of all coverage in the past 6 months has been 70.1.

When we initially started work in August, traffic was 125,819. In October, traffic to the site was 166,171, meaning traffic has increased by over 25%.

In all, our reactive approach has allowed us to establish UK Meds as experts in the industry who are keen to share their knowledge, raise awareness about specific topics, and keep up to date with industry news.