Motive’s Digital PR Execs Reflect on Their First Month

Starting a new role is always exciting, especially in those first few weeks when everything feels unfamiliar.

It comes with its own set of surprises, lessons, and “aha” moments, but our newest team members have hit the ground running. From mastering the art of press release writing to diving into the big, wide world of link building and media outreach, Digital PR execs Laighton, Millie and Amy have been learning the ins-and-outs of everything it takes to build and execute a successful digital PR campaign in a range of industries and sectors.

In this article, our new team members reflect on their journey so far and reveal what it’s really like to work in digital PR, the skills they’ve developed, and a few obstacles they’ve encountered along the way. You’ll gain insight into the challenges of balancing creativity with data, the art of effective outreach, and the valuable lessons learnt from working closely with clients and the media.

What’s in this article:

What I’ve learnt in my first month of PR: Laighton Powell
What I’ve learnt in my first month of PR: Millie Bird
What I’ve learnt in my first month of PR: Amy Millington

What I’ve learnt in my first month of PR: Laighton Powell

My first month working at Motive and in the world of Digital PR has flown by. The team here at Motive are a fantastic and welcoming group and it has helped me feel at ease straight away and settle in.

Despite graduating in 2017, this is my first graduate role after a non-linear graduate path saw me take on sales roles, Southeast Asia, and having the pleasure of being “stuck” in Australia for four years due to the pandemic!

But writing has always been a passion of mine and I knew that I wanted to land a job that would also allow me to show creativity in my work. Now, having swapped the beaches of Sydney for the lovely Motive offices in Lenton, I feel like I have landed the dream job that I had envisioned.

There are many parts to the job, whether that be ideation, research, writing, pitching or coverage logging, and over the month it's been fascinating to see how all these different elements tie together in order to service our clients as best as we can. It may be a cliché when workplaces say ‘no two days are the same’, but for working at Motive and in Digital PR it's certainly true.

Three of my key learning points:

1. Tools and software

During my first few days, I was introduced to tools like Ahrefs and Mozbar, which are essential to my role as a Digital PR Account Executive. These tools are particularly valuable for keeping client reports up to date and tracking coverage, as they provide insights into a website’s Domain Rating (DR). Understanding DR has been a key aspect of the job – the higher the DR, the better! The work we do in securing quality backlinks plays a significant role in improving our clients’ SEO metrics.

2. The writing process

It was exciting to get stuck into writing my first press release on only the third day – I had expected for this to happen a little later on! By the end of my first week, I had written my second, and by then, I felt like I knew everything there was to know about squirrels and radiators. There’s a clear structure to our writing, and understanding this was crucial. “KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid” generally underlines the entire process.

As the month progressed, I began to see the stories I’d written get approved and pitched. Before long, they started appearing in the national media. Aside from feeling immensely proud, it was a real buzz to see my work published in outlets I’ve read for years. Securing coverage in publications like the Huffington Post and The Mirror has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s fueled my motivation to get my future work into my ‘dream publications’.

3. Media relations

Towards the end of my first month I have been able to get a bit of experience in media relations as well by outreaching a client of ours. It was different from the work I had done so far, and plenty of questions had to be asked to ensure I was doing the process correctly! However, it was an exciting opportunity, and I was rewarded by securing several interviews for the client, including one with The Telegraph.

Over the past month, I’ve also started to pick up on what certain journalists and outlets prefer to see in a story. This understanding plays a crucial role when pitching and targeting specific publications to secure follow links or new domains.

What I’ve learnt in my first month of PR: Millie Bird

In the past month, I’ve learnt to be a “sponge” – to soak everything up and just get involved. One phrase that stands out for me is, “You don’t know what you don’t know until you do it.” By putting my best foot forward, I’ve gained valuable insights and skills through hands-on experience. The digital landscape is constantly evolving, so I’ve realised that learning in this industry is an ongoing journey and staying on top of the latest news and trends is essential to keep up.

My first month in digital PR has been one of huge growth. From honing my skills in crafting attention-grabbing press releases to gaining a deeper understanding of the technical side – like how backlinks boost search engine optimisation (SEO) for clients and the importance of organic links – I’ve learnt so much in the past few weeks alone.

Working for an agency is very rewarding. Being part of the PR achievements and growth of clients across a range of industries, from sweets to motoring, makes every day exciting. It’s especially been interesting to see how different strategies are tailored to meet each client’s unique needs, making every campaign a valuable learning experience.

Three of my key learning points:

1. SEO and domain strategy

One of the most important things I’ve come to understand is the real purpose behind our work as digital PRs: how our efforts boost clients’ websites and SEO performance.

Search engines use scoring systems to rank domains, so enhancing SEO is how companies achieve high rankings and appear at the top when people search using relevant keywords. I’ve learnt how backlinks optimise clients’ SEO by increasing their domain score and rating (DR), and why organic links from various domains are more valuable than numerous fake or paid links.

2. Story creation

A big part of my role in digital PR involves writing press releases (or stories) to send to journalists. Learning the right format, tone of voice, and phrasing to catch a journalist’s attention has been a major learning curve. Initially, writing my first story took almost an entire day, but now I’ve managed to streamline the process to just a few hours of combined research and writing. I’ve gained a better grasp of the writing style specific to digital PR and how to tailor my work to meet each client’s needs effectively.

3. Pitch process

Distributing, or “pitching,” stories is a straightforward concept, but figuring out who to send it to, when to send it, and what to send takes some strategy. The “what” is usually the easiest part: a story that meets our client’s needs, ties into current affairs, or jumps on a relevant trend (reactive PR).

Once that’s sorted, identifying the right journalists and timing the pitch requires extra attention. Tools like Vuelio have been invaluable, helping me find journalists and understand their areas of focus. Journalists often have profiles on their publication’s website that outline their specialisms, so researching the right contacts for each story is essential.

As for timing, I’ve learnt to consider time zones. For instance, 9 a.m. GMT is 4 a.m. in Washington, DC, so it’s better to hold off on pitching to U.S. journalists until later. For those in your time zone, it’s ideal to pitch first thing in the morning – before their inboxes are flooded and they’ve chosen what to publish that day.

What I’ve learnt in my first month of PR: Amy Millington

My first month in digital PR has been both exciting and challenging. The team at Motive has taught and trusted me throughout my transition into my first ‘proper’ job as a recent graduate. During my first week, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the information – from building media lists to crafting the perfect pitch and tracking domain ratings – but I was eager to lean into this new experience and learn everything I could.

Jumping headfirst into digital PR was intimidating yet thrilling. With little prior experience, I initially felt uncertain about tackling daily tasks, but the Motive team has been incredibly supportive. I’m grateful to be treated as a full-time team member, not just an intern. My role has involved client interactions, skill development in writing, conducting research, and participating in team ideation sessions. Seeing my work published in titles like the Daily Express has been a fantastic achievement, and I’m especially proud to have accomplished this in my first month.

Three of my key learning points:

1. Relationship building

I’ve learnt how essential it is to understand our clients and maintain strong relationships with them. It’s our responsibility to deliver a service that exceeds their expectations, and dedication to achieving the best outcomes for our clients is vital.

Relationships within the team are equally important. At Motive, the team has been incredibly welcoming and patient – everyone is quick to lend a hand without hesitation or frustration. I believe the friendly environment here is why the company is so successful, alongside the strong work ethic displayed by every team member. Having a supportive, positive team creates an environment where everyone can thrive, which I see as a key to success.

2. Research and writing

I’ve particularly enjoyed researching topics for our clients’ campaigns and gaining knowledge about subjects I might not have encountered otherwise. Being part of an agency with lots of clients allows for a wide range of research, covering everything from gardening and lifestyle topics to motoring and public safety stories.

The entire process – from being assigned a research topic to seeing the final article published – has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve enjoyed diving into the research, learning about new subjects, adapting to the team’s press release style, and sharing stories with journalists. This journey is something I’m truly proud of progressing on.

3. Data handling

A few weeks into my role, I was given a project for one of our clients that required a lot of independent responsibility. The project was partly done, and my job was to keep gathering data from city councils, submit FOI (Freedom of Information) requests, and keep the data document up to date with any new responses.

This meant following up on emails, double-checking data entries, and keeping an eye on my inbox for new info. Since I was relying on council responses, I quickly learnt to be patient, stay persistent, and make the most of what data I had. It was a fun, challenging project that introduced me to new tasks and gave me some solid learning experiences.

Want to know more about digital PR? Check out our blog posts for actionable tips and strategies on boosting your digital PR efforts, or get in touch with us to have a no obligation chat about how we can help further.