Taking Notes Blog Series: Insights and Stories from the World of Marketing and PR
Welcome to TAKING NOTES, our revamped blog series where we dive into the latest insights and stories from the world of Marketing and PR. Formerly Insider’s Insight, we’re back with a fresh name and an exciting guest to kick things off.
Get ready for real industry wisdom, straight from the experts!

Name: Becca Tee
Profession: Digital PR Lead at Repeat Digital
Location: Nottingham, UK
How did you get into your chosen career?
I started my career in journalism, having studied it at university. After three years working at a local newspaper, I decided to join ‘the dark side’ and try my hand at PR. It seemed like the natural next step for me; instead of having PRs pitching stories to me, I’d be the one doing the pitching! I’ve been in this industry for eight years now and I still have a huge passion for it.
What do you love about your experience in digital PR?
There are two things I love most about PR: writing, and creative freedom. It might sound cheesy, but there’s something satisfying about having a seed of an idea, or a blank page in front of you, and shaping it into something unique. Even with the same brief, no two people will come up with the exact same campaign, or create the exact same piece of content.
There’s also something very rewarding about being a ghostwriter. As a journalist, I used to love seeing my byline on articles. I still get that same enjoyment when I write on behalf of others, and see their articles published.
What are some campaigns/work you’ve participated in?
I’ve tried my hand at everything from thought leadership and proactive PR, to newsjacking and larger data campaigns. One of my favourite campaigns was for an e-learning client, looking at Ministry of Justice (MOJ) figures for employment tribunals. Specifically, we discovered what workers are most likely to take their employer to tribunal over, which turned out to be in relation to working long, excessive hours.
I liked the serious and hard-hitting nature of the campaign, and with so much data to hand, we were able to generate multiple angles and press releases. While it didn’t get hundreds of pieces of coverage/links, it did receive publicity in reputable and relevant business and sector press.
Have you noticed or faced any key challenges in your field of work?
It certainly used to be easier to get coverage/links for clients, and I’m sure many other longstanding PR professionals will agree. Many websites I’d have pitched to eight years ago have ceased, or not published anything for a number of years, and journalist numbers are dwindling. As a result, more publications are now charging for coverage to stay afloat, and editors are becoming savvy to link building practices which contributes to this frequent request for payment.
How did you overcome or plan to overcome these challenges?
It’s tricky, but this is where it’s important to understand your clients’ goals before crafting a PR strategy. If a client is happy for both coverage and links, then there’s no need to discount publications that have a site-wide rule not to link out.
If a client is specifically focused on links, then due diligence will need to be taken to make sure the websites we’re outreaching to are likely to link out. These will ideally be followed, but even with the ‘no-follow’ tag, there are still benefits.
This may be controversial to some, but if my client is happy to pay for editorial (in publications that charge), then that’s fine by me! If it’s for a dream publication where there’s no other way of getting featured, and it gets them in front of a core audience, then the pros far outweigh the cons. I simply tell the client in this scenario to ask the journalist either not to link out, or to use the ‘no-follow’ tag. PR is give and take - without publications, where will we be?
What do you wish was different about the PR industry?
I wish there was slightly less emphasis on links being the be-all and end-all. Links are great and can help with rankings, but PR has always had brand awareness at its heart. I’m really lucky to work with clients who value coverage just as much as links, and are bought in to the wider benefits that come with PR.
What are your favourite tools to help you with your work?
Oh, so many! I am pro-AI and believe it can definitely help us with our jobs, so long as that’s all it does - helps (not do our job for us). It’s particularly good for ideation, alongside platforms such as Reddit, AlsoAsked, Answer The Public and Google Trends/Glimpse.
In terms of outreach and distribution, some of my favourites are Buzzstream, Prowly, Hunter (free Chrome extension), and Rocket Reach. These help me to build dedicated media lists, send pitches, and monitor open/response rates.
What kind of skills do you need to excel in your job/ field of work?
I think being an excellent writer is an underrated skill in PR. You can’t be sending copy to clients riddled with spelling and grammatical errors! If it somehow gets past the client, then are journalists going to have time to correct all the mistakes? You may also risk your reputation.
Creativity is also important, of course, and it’s essential to be solutions-driven and have that ‘never give up’ mentality. Campaigns can always be revisited, re-angled, or repurposed, and if it doesn’t generate any coverage then it’s a lesson learnt - not a failure.
Do you have any advice for young people who want to get into PR?
My biggest piece of advice would be to create a ‘swipe file’ full of different types of marketing/PR campaigns that inspire you. I use Trello for this, with columns for campaigns broken down by sector. It’ll give you an idea of different PR tactics and formats that can be done, and the headlines that different types of publications use (i.e. nationals will use clickbait more). If you sign up to The PR Insider and The Grapevine, you’ll have a wealth of campaigns sent to your inbox each week/month.
Also, check out the newly published The Digital PR Playbook by JBH. As far as I’m aware it’s the first book on digital PR and is a must-read for those looking to get into the industry, with an easy-to-understand explanation of how digital PR came to be, and how it works hand-in-hand with search engine optimisation (SEO).
A massive thank you to Becca Tee for sharing her wealth of experience and fantastic insights into the world of digital PR. Her journey is a reminder that the industry is ever-changing, but with creativity and perseverance, success is always within reach.
Were you taking notes? Then stay tuned for more interviews, tips, and industry stories in our TAKING NOTES series.
Don’t forget to connect with Becca on LinkedIn to get even more insider knowledge!
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