Digital Download with Paul Sutton

Facebook has taken a battering in the last few months from the media, from marketers and from legislators. And yet on the face of it, users don’t seem to care that much. Or do they?

In the opening episode of Season Four of the Digital Download podcast, MD of Third City PR Chris Blackwood and I debate one of the big issues of the digital marketing industry at the current time. Can Facebook survive an increasing torrent of criticism and falling user engagement? Is it already too late when it comes to marketers’ use of the platform?

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

In the final episode of the Digital Download Podcast of the year, I welcome back Arment Dietrich CEO and Spin Sucks head honcho Gini Dietrich to review the last 12 months and look ahead to the next year. We analyse some of the predictions we made back in January on S1E1 of the podcast, and we try to project where we believe the digital communications industry is headed over the next 12 months.

We cover areas including influencers, voice recognition, Facebook marketing, artificial intelligence, social purpose and, quite simply, being human.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

The public relations industry is one of the most insecure professions around. They might be universally despised, but traffic wardens believe in themselves more than PR people.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I address some of the conversations driving the industry over the last month and take the opportunity to voice some frustrations that have been building recently. It’s a very honest and forthright show containing some potentially divisive views. The intention is to help you think about your own role and where you would like to see the industry go in future.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

Every year the PRCA Digital PR report throws up some unexpected findings from the world of digital communications, and this year is no different. Among the headlines are that although PR teams are controlling more social and digital media activity, they’re less confident in measuring it!

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to Danny Whatmough, Chair of the PRCA Digital Group and MD for Integrated Media at Weber Shandwick, about some of the findings and what the implications are for the public relations industry in 2019. We also talk about his new book, Digital PR, which is one of the PRCA Practice Guides.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

Diversity is a hot topic in the public relations and communications industry. But while issues such as the gender pay gap and mental health receive a lot of attention, other issues such as racial equality, sexual orientation and disability do not. In addition, the industry does not appear to be making much, if any progress.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to Sara Hawthorn, hard of hearing owner of InFusion Comms and diversity campaigner, about how the industry can better tackle the issue. We discuss whether there is a hierarchy when it comes to different issues under the diversity banner and whether diversity itself has simply become a tick box exercise for many agencies and companies. Sara also presents some ideas on moving the conversation forward towards action.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

The convergence of public relations, social media and SEO is nearly complete, and one area where the lines are now completely blurred is that of authority link building. And yet PR professionals still question their ability to build links that impact search rankings and are confused by how to go about it.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to Andy Barr, owner of 10 Yetis, to address some of the key questions that public relations and communications people commonly ask about SEO and authority link building. We address the fundamental aspects of link building and discuss how PR can still take advantage of what is a very lucrative area of business.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

Advances in digital communications technology over the last few years have made the ability to work from anywhere at any time a reality. Whether it’s automated processes or a greater ability to share information quickly and effectively, the world of PR work is changing rapidly before our eyes.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to Rich Leigh, founder of Radioactive PR, about his decision to switch his agency to a four day work week without cutting pay. We discuss what prompted the initial idea, how clients and staff reacted after an initial trial, what enabled him to make the change a permanent one, and whether others should or will follow suit.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

It’s no secret that the media has changed beyond all recognition in the last ten years, with print circulations down by 50% and digital news sites struggling to turn a profit. As a result, the symbiotic relationship between journalists and public relations professionals has become even more strained.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I talk to veteran tech and business journalist Guy Clapperton about how digital has changed journalism and about how journalists now operate. We also talk about how PR consultants can best work with journalists in an age where maintaining a relationship is increasingly difficult.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

There are good PR stunts and there are bad PR stunts. The good ones create a massive groundswell of publicity and awareness that can help to propel a brand’s fame and reputation to a new level. The bad ones float something large down the Thames…

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I chat to co-founder of Young in Spirit Camilla Brown about Collagin, the collagen-infused gin that she and business partner Liz Beswick dreamed up as a PR stunt but that is now on sale in John Lewis and Ocado. She talks about where the idea came from, how the huge success of the PR stunt convinced her and Liz to do it ‘for real’, and about their journey up to and since an appearance on Dragon’s Den.

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.

There is no escaping the march of technology and the impact it is having on our professional lives. And yet some more senior PR and communications professionals are running scared when the simple fact is that we all have to embrace change to remain relevant.

In this episode of the Digital Download podcast I chat to author and founder of Zude PR, David Sawyer, about the journey he’s gone through in the last five years from digital dullard to writing a book about future proofing your career using digital technology. He speaks candidly about the challenges he faced when he saw the world moving on and what he did about it. And about his obsessive use of index cards!

Here’s what is discussed in this episode:

I’d love to hear from you with any comments or thoughts. I read and reply to every single email, tweet or message.

If you enjoyed today’s show, please email it to a friend and/or share it on your favourite social media channels. You might also want to check out Digital Download Membership, which is like having an army of expert mentors to turn to who keep you updated with the latest digital and social media developments and provide feedback and opinions on your ideas.

And finally, it would also be very awesome and hugely appreciated if you’d be able to take a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, as this helps others discover Digital Download.