• 22 Jun 2022

My first three months at Glass Digital: Beth Clayton, Outreach Executive

• by Beth Clayton

I graduated from Teesside University in 2020 with a Journalism degree, and spent a few months as an admin assistant before landing a role as a Digital Marketing Executive for an office supplies company. After a few months in this job, I decided I wanted a more fast-paced role where I could put the skills I learned during my degree into practice. That was when I spotted the Outreach Executive vacancy at Glass Digital — it was everything I’d been looking for.

As an Outreach Executive, I’m responsible for using content and digital PR techniques to build SEO-boosting links for our clients. During the first three months, I learned so much about every aspect of digital PR, including taking part in ideation and planning sessions to help create content that secures great exposure for our clients. I’ve learned how to answer media requests, often on a short deadline — it can be very fast-paced. I’ve also been writing pitches to send to different publications, putting the skills I learned during my journalism degree to good use.

Before joining Glass, I knew a bit about the basics of SEO, but it’s safe to say that my knowledge of this sector has grown considerably over the past few months. I’ve learned how to use industry tools to analyse a website’s backlink profile, and gain insights into the latest Google trends. I’ve also learned a lot about how to apply these tools in a digital PR context, such as using trending topics and search data to create compelling content that gets covered in the national press.

One of my proudest achievements so far was thinking on my feet to turn a recent trend into a popular and successful release. I’d noticed a trend on TikTok that I thought could be relevant to one of our clients and brought this up with the rest of the team during an ideation meeting. We then pitched this topic to various publications, and it was picked up in the national news, earning some great coverage for the client. I was so proud to see an idea of mine translate directly into a fantastic result for our client.

I’m also very proud of learning how to react quickly to get ahead of the curve. Not too long ago we had a pitch that was relevant to some breaking news, so I worked quickly to update the content and sent it to relevant journalists in a matter of hours. This ended up being picked up the same day, securing great coverage for our client and putting them right at the heart of a major trend. By re-angling an existing piece of digital PR, we were also able to build great links while minimising spend for the client.

It’s not just the work that I’ve enjoyed, either: I also really like the working culture here at Glass. I love the remote and flexible working — it makes it so much easier to fit work around your other plans and commitments. I’m also an early bird by nature, so starting my working day a bit earlier means I feel more productive and have more time and energy to enjoy my evenings.

Our remote working policy means we aren’t always in the office, but we use Teamwork Chat instant messaging software to stay in touch throughout the day. It’s really nice knowing there’s always someone to talk to, and you never feel lonely. I live too far away to commute to the office every day, but I have travelled in for the odd day and it’s been really nice to see the team in person. The last time I went in, we all went out for drinks after we finished work and that was lovely end to a busy day!

For anyone else looking to get a role in digital PR or digital marketing, my advice would be to always keep learning. The industry is always changing and expanding, and there are so many ways you can improve your skills. I would also say to keep a record of everyone you contact, as you may find a contact that isn’t quite relevant for a current project but might be ideal in future.

Are you looking to carve out a career in digital marketing? Take a look at our careers page to view our latest opportunities.