IBA’s latest recruit gets to grips with the PR lifecycle – It’s a content stack but not as we know it, look beyond likes for social engagement, and the art of media profiling (it’s not a list!)
Introducing a new face to the Level Pitcher this week. Hi, I’m Daniel Bellamy, IBA’s freshest recruit! I started my new role as a Graduate PR Executive for IBA international just shy of two weeks ago and it’s been jam packed. Media coverage tasks are stacking sky high and the thrill of the pressure is on. It’s now my turn to keyboard up and pitch in on the team’s PR duties – so let’s dig in and see what I’ve been up to so far as I take my first steps into the PR world!
It’s been a whirlwind introduction to the team’s day-to-day responsibilities, but first up on my introduction to the PR lifecycle was content drafting:
Cracking the content stack
Despite my undergraduate journalist background, my introduction to the content stack has been a learning curve! Articles and blogs go hand in hand. I’ve learnt how blogs can be the stepping stone for articles and vice versa. I’m grasping how white papers can be a visually compelling yet formally insightful document that provides a rundown of everything you need to know to deal with a fascinating tech-related issue.
Currently I’m dipping my toes into the Aerospace and Defense waters (actually land, sea, air and space), where the temperature is hot and so is my first content writing engagement, an introductory blog to one of our client’s new aviation thought leaders, who has an impressive background including time as a U.S. ex-military helicopter pilot. I’m still getting up to speed on the industry-specific lingo, but this has certainly given me new insights into the Aerospace and Defense sector!
Looking beyond the likes – an introduction to social media strategies
I’m beginning to see first-hand how social media plays a crucial part in the content stack and the importance of knowing where and how to distribute social media content across the various key platforms, which cater to different target audiences.
As part of my training on IBA’s unique brand equity, I’ve taken the reins over the @IBAengage X account, so be sure to give us a follow! I’ve been busy drafting tweetsheets (aka the social media posts on IBAengage) and it’s been insightful to look behind the curtain at the analytics to see how we can track engagement and understand which topics can help us tap into key trends and vice versa.
I’ve also had a chance to use the social media management tool Buffer to understand how scheduling social media posts at certain times can raise interactions and engagement levels, dependent on the audience we’re trying to target.
Pitching to 10 geographies in 3 days all rests on perfecting the media profiles
I’ve learnt one very crucial lesson at IBA – having the right media contacts for pitching can be a make or break for coverage. This is where media profiling comes in…
I have learned that IBA has its own relational database of global media and influencers tagged by geography, interest and preferences.
This week I’ve been tracking down target media contacts in the life sciences market ahead of a press release distribution for our health and clinical research client, who has recently won an award for one of its business projects this year.
It’s certainly been a baptism of fire as I’ve created profiles for ten different geographies, spanning the UK, North America, and Europe. And I can’t wait to see the hard work pay off! It’s all in the coverage.
A look back at my PR crash course
So just ten working days into the job, I’ve done a lot, learnt a lot, and only too aware that there are endless media and marketing activities for me to delve into in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back in and see how I get on!
Note to future self – on video conference calls, no highlighter yellow jumbo-sized picnic drinks bottle on display in front of the meeting camera!
Daniel Bellamy is Graduate PR Executive at IBA International.
