As an SEO agency with teams specialising in all areas of digital marketing, we have an array of superpowers in our arsenal. Though our expertise spans from data to content and to digital PR, we all have one thing in common: creativity.

As a digital PR, you’ll already know just how important creative digital PR campaigns are to get those high-quality links rolling in. Sometimes, though, it can be a little tricky to keep those creative juices flowing day after day. That’s why we’re so passionate about finding new ways and original approaches to ensuring we consistently maintain maximum creativity in PR campaigns. 

 

The Why and How of Brainstorms

“Time for a brainstorm!” is one of those phrases that you’ll either love or hate to hear. Whether you thrive on the quick back and forth of your team flinging thoughts around and piggybacking one another’s ideas, or if you find the whole thing pretty stressful, brainstorming is a key part of the ideation process and an essential skill for a digital PR. 

If you’re in the latter camp, there are some things to bear in mind that can help you become a more creative brainstormer.

 

Quick Generation of New Ideas

There’s nothing quite like diving into a busy brainstorm bursting with ideas to get your brain firing on all cylinders. Even though you might not have any thoughts going into the ideation session, bouncing ideas off your team is a sure way to spark something new. 

Plus, we all know how time-sensitive campaigns can be, and getting those digital PR campaigns out quickly is key for capitalising on topical news and trends. 

 

Refinement of Ideas

We’ve all been there—you think you’ve struck gold with a fantastic new campaign idea, but you can’t seem to quite get things off the ground. Something’s missing, and your idea still needs a little more fine-tuning. 

That’s where your fellow digital PRs can swoop in to save the day. Whether it’s a slightly different angle, a more relevant set of journalists, or a different data focus, never underestimate the power of a fresh set of eyes on something you’ve spent too much time mulling over alone. 

 

Combining Ideas

What’s better than an amazing idea? Two amazing ideas rolled into one, that’s what. 

Building on each other’s work and communicating well as digital PRs will allow you to create the perfect digital PR campaign that encompasses the best your team has to offer. 

So, given that we now understand why brainstorming is so crucial, this is how you can make your sessions as creative as possible.

 

Use The Right Tools

While some people love simply speaking to the team to get their ideas out there, there are other people who may find it harder to express themselves verbally. This can mean that more introverted members of the group, or people who prefer to write their thoughts down, may have some fab ideas that are missed by the rest of the team. 

Even if you aren’t introverted, it can still be a struggle to make sure everyone’s thoughts are given the attention they deserve. 

That’s where being a resourceful digital PR and utilising brainstorming tools such as Miro or Asana come in.

Tools like this are a great way to help ensure everyone’s ideas can be seen by the team, meaning no one’s creativity is blocked by the intimidating prospect of a hectic face-to-face (or Zoom!) meeting. 

 

Implement a “No Bad Ideas” Rule 

If members of the digital PR team are worried about their ideas being criticised, you can bet that you’ll miss out on some stellar input. Being overly critical or dismissive is definitely going to stifle creativity. Even the wackiest ideas and concepts can serve as a springboard for getting some super original digital PR campaigns on the go, and respecting each other’s input is a surefire way to make sure the digital PR team feels more confident.  

 

Try Out Different Brainstorming Techniques

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to creative brainstorming. Trying out a variety of techniques and mixing things up from time to time can prove to be a valuable experiment when sussing out what does and doesn’t work for your team. 

There are heaps of ways to approach brainstorming, but amongst the most popular are:

● Mind mapping

Mind mapping is a way to visualise ideas. This is fabulous for collaborative working, as your team can expand on one another’s thoughts without anyone’s input getting lost in the process. 

● The “How Now Wow” method 

This method separates the team’s thoughts and ideas into three separate categories—how, now, and wow. The “how” focuses on ideas that may be a little tricky to execute, meaning the team will have to focus on how to get things in motion. 

Ideas fitting into the “now” category are the ones that you should be able to get done pretty quickly. As for the “wow’ ideas, these are fun and unique concepts that you’ll want to start working on ASAP. 

 

Think Outside the Box

Okay, we hear you. Thinking outside the box might seem like a bit of a vague, slightly clichéd direction—but hear us out. 

Thinking outside the box is all about shifting your perspective. You can do this by:

 

Changing Your Environment

Sitting within the same four walls for eight hours a day isn’t exactly going to fill you with inspiration. If you work from home, why not shift your scenery a little? Spend some time working in the garden, have a break in your local coffee shop, or even just shake up your routine a little. You’ll be surprised how a change of environment can inspire fresh thinking! 

 

Doing a Deep Dive Into The Thought Processes of Your Teammates

We’ve all found ourselves blindsided by a wild, super unique idea from a colleague. Instead of just complimenting their idea—or even being a little jealous of their creative prowess—try asking them about it! Learning more about their inspiration and thought processes can be hugely enlightening. 

This is way more helpful when it comes to improving creativity in PR campaigns than just thinking “I wish I’d thought of that”. 

 

Look At Things From a Different Point of View

As DB Boulevard so aptly phrased it in her noughties hit, life is easy when you consider things from another point of view.

Though she might not have been referencing digital PR specifically, we still think it’s pretty relevant. 

Try approaching your digital PR campaigns from the perspective of a journalist and their readership. If you were a journalist getting a flurry of emails every day, what would make a campaign stand out to you? Or, as a reader of a specific publication, what’s something novel you’d enjoy reading about? 

 

Utilise the Online World

One of the perks of working as a digital PR is that no one can tell you off for the odd scroll on TikTok or Twitter. As a digital PR, this really is research. 

From finding out what’s got Gen-Z talking on social media, to capitalising on big news stories that you can put your own spin on, our jobs are made easier by having access to 24-hour news and an endless stream of social media content—which is always there to provide inspiration for creative PR campaigns.

 

Don’t Forget Graphics 

We are always in awe of the sheer creative force of the graphics team here at Reboot. Though you might not be creating graphics yourself, or working closely with the graphics team as a digital PR, it’s important not to forget the importance of images in your piece.

As well as luring in journos with those bright pops of colour and sleek presentation of data sets, it’s also often easier for people to digest complex ideas if it’s presented in a visual format. 

We’ll round things off with some insight from one of the most creative minds at Reboot. Here’s what Anastasia from our graphics team has to say about the importance of creativity when it comes to graphics. 

“Graphic design is simply not possible without creativity. From generating original, informative and fun concept ideas, to planning eye-catching layouts packed with data—we need to really flex our creative muscles to design pieces that are interesting and engaging.”

 

Final Thoughts

Although Anastasia’s approach is particularly relevant to the graphics side of things, she’s hit the nail on the head when it comes to the importance of creativity in the world of digital PR, as well as digital marketing as a whole. 

In short, none of our roles are possible without creativity. Creativity is what makes our work stand out as original, engaging, and informative, which is exactly the kind of content a journalist needs—so give them what they want, and watch those links come pouring in!