Table of Contents
I first heard of Nicole DeLeon and the content marketing agency North Star Inbound when my former Siege colleague Alex Heinz took a job there. Since Alex is a fantastic marketer and someone I credit for my growth in the field (shout out to Alex), I kept close tabs on what North Star was working on.
After I published our podcast discussion with Will Hobson about the differences between digital PR in the UK and the US, Nicole contacted me to provide the reverse perspective. So, of course, I scrambled to find time to get Nicole on our podcast.
What started as a discussion about the UK vs US digital PR turned into a thrilling conversation about almost every facet of digital PR.
This episode contains great digital PR examples, outreach, content ideation tactics, and strategy.
Summary
I’m trying this with some recent podcasts for those who don’t have time to watch or listen to the entire pod.
What’s a Cool Piece of Content You’ve Seen Lately?
Nicole highlighted an innovative New York Times “scrolly-telling” article, emphasizing the growing trend of interactive, visually immersive content in digital media.
Have You Seen Brands Successfully Use Scrollytelling?
Not really, due to budget concerns. But Nicole is confident brands can still utilize scrolly-telling techniques effectively, particularly in digital PR campaigns that focus on strong, visually-driven narratives.
What are Your Thoughts on Infographics?
While infographics are no longer the trending tool they once were, Nicole believes they still hold value when executed with high quality and relevance, especially in content that requires clear and impactful data presentation.
How Do You Leverage AI in Your Campaigns?
Nicole shared her experience using AI tools like MidJourney to create compelling visual content, showcasing how AI can enhance digital PR by generating unique, attention-grabbing imagery.
What’s the Biggest Difference in U.S. Digital PR vs. Worldwide?
Nicole highlighted the importance of understanding and adapting to cultural differences in global PR efforts. She cautioned against the direct translation of content, advocating instead for culturally tailored strategies (and working with local agencies to hone the content to that specific location.)
Is Digital PR a Universal Strategy?
Yes, but there are many nuances in the size and effectiveness of different regions. (The UK is a very active journalistic community condensed into a small area. The US poses an ample opportunity.)
How Does Pitching Differ Between the UK and the US?
Nicole highlighted the differences in pitching practices between the UK and the US, noting that the UK’s more intimate media landscape allows for a more relationship-based approach. At the same time, the US requires a broader, more segmented strategy.
What Are the Benefits of an SEO-Led Approach?
Nicole explained that an SEO-led digital PR approach helps ensure that content garners media coverage and contributes to long-term search engine visibility, making it a dual-purpose strategy.
How Do You Approach Storytelling with Data?
She encouraged exploring a variety of data sources to craft narratives that resonate deeply with audiences.
How Do You Validate Media Contacts?
Finally, Nicole discussed the importance of regularly validating media contact databases to ensure that outreach is effective and targeted, which is crucial for maintaining successful media relations.
Timestamps
In case you want to follow along, here are the time stamps.
- 00:02:14 – What’s a cool piece of content you’ve seen lately?
- 00:04:34 – Have you ever seen a brand pull off a scrollytelling or parallax piece for digital PR?
- 00:07:58 – What are your thoughts on the effectiveness of infographics?
- 00:09:14 – How have you used MidJourney or other AI tools in your campaigns?
- 00:11:07 – What do you feel is the biggest difference in the U.S. digital PR scene versus worldwide?
- 00:13:45 – Can you just take content and translate it into a different language for international pitching?
- 00:14:45 – Do you feel like digital PR is universally accepted as a strategy worldwide?
- 00:17:45 – Is this the time to go all in on digital PR in the US?
- 00:19:45 – How is the mindset in the UK different when it comes to digital PR?
- 00:20:00 – Is digital PR accepted as a practice universally?
- 00:22:59 – Do you do a lot of pitching in the UK vs US?
- 00:23:13 – Is the pitch process different for UK vs US?
- 00:24:42 – How do you select media contacts during your outreach process?
- 00:29:03 – Can you talk about integrating your digital PR campaign with the rest of the product?
- 00:30:53 – How would you integrate digital PR with a product launch?
- 00:31:38 – What are the benefits of an SEO-led approach?
- 00:35:41 – How do you approach storytelling with data?
- 00:39:35 – Besides proprietary data, what are other data sources that make sense?
- 00:40:09 – Do you leverage survey platforms for data?
- 00:42:43 – How do you think about outreach markets?
- 00:46:49 – Do you validate/confirm your media database?
Resources Mentioned in the Piece:
Nicole discussed AI-driven visual content created using MidJourney: StyleSeat: AI Imagines Women in 100 Countries, All Star Home: AI Imagines a Typical Home
New York Times “Scrollytelling “Piece: NY Times: Asian Language Movies and Subtitles
Preply Studies and Content: America’s Subtitle Use, Smartest CEOs in America
Although not directly mentioned in the discussion, JobSage’s surveys align with the type of data-driven content Nicole advocates: Quiet Promotions Survey, Companies and Social Issues Survey, Authenticity in the Workplace Survey
Nicole talked about achieving good coverage for lesser-known brands. An example of such work is: NY Times Coverage for All Star Home
Don’t miss Nicole’s newsletter, Content Caffeine
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