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Online media and digital platforms are giving businesses of all sizes an incredible opportunity to build robust and effective public relations campaigns. However, a chronic lack of in-house skills has sent thousands of UK businesses into the growing market for digital PR training.
There have never been so many training and development opportunities for businesses and individuals searching for ways to leverage the full power of digital PR. But before we take a look at just a few of the best options out there right now, let’s address some of the key skills and attributes needed to deliver successful digital PR campaigns.
Our Top Picks:
- CIPR
- PR Academy
- Digital PR Course
- Impression
- PRCA UK
- Digital Marketing Institute
- AAFT Online
- Hallam
- BrightonSEO
- Heels and Tech
Today’s digital PR training courses delve into three key areas: the channels, used, engagement methods, and measurability. The best strategies combine the principles of both SEO and digital PR to ensure messaging is appealing to both search engines and humans.
The average digital PR course will address many different strategies and related tasks, but most will centre on these four:
- Keyword research
- Content creation
- Link acquisition
- Monitoring and improvements
The world’s most successful digital PR strategies embrace the basic principles of SEO to ensure their key messages resonate with the target audience, enhance online authority, and improve search engine visibility.
As well as having the knowledge and skills required to execute digital PR strategies effectively, you need the hard and soft skills needed to administer them. But what are they?
Clear and effective communication is crucial for conveying messages to target audiences. Who are you talking to? And what’s the best way to resonate in a way that leads to engagement and, ultimately, conversion?
Strong writing skills are essential for crafting compelling press releases, pitches, and content for various platforms. It’s also important to think of creative ways to reach out to people when there’s so much white noise online these days.
Innovative thinking aids the development of engaging campaigns and strategies. Once a digital PR strategy has been proven to work, everyone in the industry jumps on the bandwagon. That’s why it’s important to always be thinking about the next strategy.
The ability to analyse data and metrics helps in measuring campaign success and making informed decisions. If your digital PR campaign isn’t delivering a return on your investment, you must identify the reasons for the failure and address them quickly.
Managing social media platforms effectively is vital for engaging with audiences and promoting brands. Social media has never been more popular or influential than it is now. However, it’s constantly evolving, so it’s a good idea to stay ahead of the curve.
Add soft skills such as problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork to the digital PR pot, and you’ve got a recipe for success. However, you still need the know-how, insights, and experience of experts to ensure your efforts are well-planned and executed. And that’s why digital PR training is so important.
If you’re searching for digital PR training courses in the UK right now, check out the following impressive options. Or if you don’t have the time, resources, or energy to take on such a laborious task, keep reading to learn about a cost-effective alternative.
Based in the UK, all of these digital PR courses are designed to give people and organisations the skillset they need to grow their online presence.
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is one of the UK’s leading providers of SEO and digital PR training courses. Interestingly, the organisation’s PR course is combined with SEO — giving attendees a well-rounded education designed to maximise the reach of online messaging.
The CIPR’s digital PR course includes an introduction to the basic principles of SEO, a module on how to use leading SEO tools, and experienced-based advice and tips on the best ways to maximise the chances of featuring in the upper echelons of search engine ranking pages (SERPs).
This particular course is currently one of the most popular in the UK because it leans heavily on real-world examples, offers live demonstrations of the digital PR tools being used and takes place completely online.
It’s worth bearing in mind that these courses offer nationally recognised qualifications — although they are on the expensive side.
This online school for all things Public Relations offers a range of nationally recognised qualifications, including the CIPR Professional PR Diploma and the CIPR Professional PR Certificate. Other options to choose from include the Public Affairs Diploma, the PR Certificate, and Foundation in PR. Not sure which one’s right for you? PR Academy offers a discovery service that helps you choose the ideal option.
If you’re searching for a great digital PR training programme, PR Academy’s Digital Communications Diploma is a good option. Designed to give attendees a deep understanding of social and digital media, this online course allows you to study at your own pace. However, it takes around six months to complete — longer if you have lots of other commitments. And at a price in excess of £1,300 (excluding VAT and CIPR fees), it’s most likely to appeal to large businesses hoping to enhance their in-house PR teams.
If you do decide to enrol on this course, you can expect various live interactive workshops, one-to-one tutorials, and a huge library of learning resources. You’ll also get a dedicated tutor who will be there to guide you through the course and help you with any difficulties you encounter.
This is an independent online school wholly dedicated to digital PR training. With a heavy focus on link building, Digital PR Course has been featured on various mainstream TV channels, including ITV and the BBC. One thing that sets this particular training provider apart is its personal approach. Owned and operated by a former digital PR executive who quit the rat race to sell Christmas trees, the organisation takes pride in tailoring solutions to the needs of the individual.
Digital PR Course offers two online courses. The first, and least expensive, is called Ideation and Creation. It’s based on the premise that ideas are the backbone of digital PR. The second course is called The Digital PR Course, and it covers everything from ideation and creation to pitching and writing press releases. The fact that this course has been developed by one of the industry’s high achievers makes it one of the most popular right now.
Impression’s Digital Training course includes modules on Digital PR strategies, story development, press release writing, and media relations. Interestingly, the team also offer bespoke training plans tailored to your needs. Most of the training modules are delivered by in-house talent with a track record of successful digital PR campaigns.
With offices in London, Manchester, and Nottingham, Impression is one of the few agencies offering in-person digital PR training.
If you’re looking for a quick fix in terms of your digital PR training journey, the Digital Masterclass from PRCA UK could be perfect for you. Taking place over two days, this intensive seminar includes modules on creativity, using social media, and running fully integrated digital PR campaigns. There are also sessions dedicated to the use of AI and delivering ROI.
Taking place in a virtual classroom, Digital Masterclass condenses a wide range of related subjects into just four sessions. As a result, it’s hard to see how the course leaders can give attendees the level of knowledge and understanding they’ll need to go out and create their own high-performing digital PR campaigns. That said, the trainers are all accomplished and experienced PR experts who have delivered various successful campaigns for the likes of IBM, P&G, Huawei, and Arsenal Football Club.
If you’re someone who already has a basic understanding of digital PR and wants to learn from the experiences and insights of proven professionals, this could be the course for you.
The Digital Marketing Institute is one of the world’s leading digital marketing certification providers. Having trained and certified digital PR professionals at the likes of Amazon, Google, and Disney, there isn’t a more trusted or respected training brand out there. Among the most popular courses available at DMI include the Diploma in Digital Marketing, Certified Search Marketing Specialist, and Certified Digital Marketing Expert.
The DMI’s Digital PR and Social Media course is designed for influencers and advocates who want to maximise their reach using proven strategies. The course purports to teach students the principles of word-of-mouth marketing and amplifying marketing messages. And, incredibly, this course is free. While it offers no more than an introduction to the basic principles of digital PR, it’s a great place to start your learning journey. It may also provide you with a clearer understanding of what your digital PR company does for your business — and why their services are so valuable.
AAFT Online is an online marketing school that provides training in a range of related subjects including journalism, photography, and corporate communications. What sets this particular digital PR training provider apart is its mix of academic and real-world experience. Bringing together the intellectual principles of PR and the insights of people who’ve succeeded in the industry is a great way to engage attendees.
The Digital PR course from AAFT Online is a six-week programme that includes online brand management across various digital channels. Curated by experts and featuring various video lectures, electronic workbooks, and personalised career guidance, this comprehensive training package touches on several related areas, including influencer marketing, PR best practices, and the changing role of digital PR in the ever-evolving marketing landscape.
However, the organisation is based in India, so getting access to quick, tailored advice and guidance may not always be easy.
The Digital PR training workshops on offer at Hallam are designed to give people the practical skills and know-how required to create internal strategies that are tailored to the needs of the organisation. In other words, they cater to employees who need to further their understanding of digital PR. However, they don’t go into the kind of detail you’d get from an experienced third-party digital PR specialist.
A series of interactive workshops keep things interesting and engaging for learners. With a heavy emphasis on “securing backlinks”, some might regard these training sessions as a little one-dimensional. That said, the workshops are delivered by real digital PR pros with extensive real-world experience. And with both fully customisable solutions and in-person training, Hallam is a great choice for companies that wish to enhance the skills of their in-house marketing teams.
BrightonSEO is an annual search marketing conference that also offers a range of practical training courses. The great thing about the digital PR training provided by this organisation is that it’s continually evolving. Every year, SEO and digital PR professionals from around the country gather together in order to share best practices and predict what the future holds. The insights and discussions from these gatherings feed into the organisation’s training packages.
BrightonSEO’s Digital PR for Link Building Training course is a foundation training module that focuses on the various ways PR can be used to build high-quality links. What sets this particular course apart from the others currently available in the UK is its inclusion of Google’s latest search algorithms — and how they affect search marketing techniques.
Heels and Tech is an organisation that’s committed to increasing the number of women entering tech-related sectors. Focused on facilitating learning journeys, this growing training brand delivers its courses via instructor-led live online sessions.
One of Heels and Tech’s most popular tech courses right now is Digital PR. Learners cover a broad range of topics, including leveraging social media, analytics, building relationships, telling compelling brand stories, and executing digital PR strategies. All that’s required to sign up is a computer and internet access. The course involves one four-hour session every week for seven weeks, so you can easily fit your learning around your other commitments.
It doesn’t matter how you explain digital PR, it always boils down to one thing: high-quality link-building. While just about anyone can learn the basics, finding the time isn’t always easy. And when you’re growing your online presence, you’re not looking after your customers. That’s why more and more businesses are turning away from digital PR training courses in favour of outsourced solutions.
Cupid PR is a white-label digital PR agency that tailors solutions according to the needs and challenges of the client. So rather than spending time and precious resources training people who might not be in your organisation next year, why not contact us instead?
No sales techniques here. I'll let you know what we can do for you. And if I don't think your website is right for Digital PR, I won't try and sell you anything you don't need.
DLM Marketing - FZCO Trading As Cupid PR - Dso Ifza, Ifza Properties, Dubai Silicon Oasis, إمارة دبيّ, United Arab Emirates
