In a media environment where attention is currency, digital PR has become not just an option but a necessity. While large corporations command the spotlight with expansive budgets and entire departments dedicated to brand management, small brands often operate with limited resources and lean teams. But if recent years have shown us anything, it’s this: in the world of digital PR, size doesn’t always matter. Nimble, creative, and authentic digital campaigns have allowed smaller brands to not only compete but to lead.
What Is Digital PR?
Digital PR is the online evolution of traditional public relations. While traditional PR relied heavily on press releases and media relationships to generate coverage in print and broadcast, digital PR broadens the approach to include online publications, blogs, podcasts, influencers, and social media platforms. The goal remains the same—build a strong, credible reputation—but the tactics and speed have changed dramatically.
Where traditional PR might wait for a weekly editorial meeting, digital PR allows for real-time engagement, rapid amplification, and direct communication with audiences. This shift is particularly empowering for small brands, who can harness digital PR to build visibility without the gatekeeping or prohibitive costs of traditional media.
Why Digital PR Levels the Playing Field
For small brands, digital PR is the great equalizer. With smart storytelling, effective use of social media, and the right amplification tactics, a startup can achieve visibility that rivals that of industry giants. Digital tools enable hyper-targeted outreach, measurable results, and agile campaigns that respond to the moment. It’s no longer about the size of the spend; it’s about the sharpness of the story and the skill in its execution.
Here’s why small brands should take digital PR seriously:
- Cost-effectiveness: Leveraging owned and earned media (e.g., blog posts, influencer mentions, media coverage) can yield high ROI without massive ad spends.
- Agility: Smaller teams can pivot faster, jump on trends more nimbly, and experiment without bureaucratic red tape.
- Authenticity: Consumers trust people more than corporations. Small brands can tell real, personal stories that resonate deeply with niche communities.
- Data and tools: From social listening to SEO-driven PR, small brands have access to affordable, often free tools that make data-driven strategies achievable.
Let’s explore how small brands have used digital PR effectively—and how others can replicate their success.
Case Studies of Small Brands Winning at Digital PR
1. Beardbrand: Owning the Narrative
Beardbrand, a grooming company focused on beards and masculinity, started as a blog and YouTube channel. Instead of pushing product first, they built a lifestyle brand around the urban beardsman—a persona that their target customer could identify with.
Their digital PR strategy was rooted in:
- Thought leadership: Founder Eric Bandholz became a public voice on male grooming and entrepreneurship, gaining media coverage on Inc., Forbes, and Entrepreneur.
- Content-first marketing: Their YouTube channel, featuring grooming tips and personal stories, became a media outlet in its own right.
- Community engagement: Beardbrand built a tribe rather than just a customer base.
By leading with content and values, they created a platform that naturally attracted media attention and word-of-mouth PR. Their authenticity and thought leadership made them media-worthy—even when their budget was small.
2. Glossier: Turning Customers Into Influencers
Before it became a beauty industry juggernaut, Glossier was a blog. Founder Emily Weiss used her Into the Gloss platform to build a community long before launching products. Once the brand launched, its digital PR strategy hinged on:
- User-generated content (UGC): Encouraging everyday customers to share their makeup routines and tag Glossier.
- Micro-influencer partnerships: Rather than paying celebrities, Glossier partnered with everyday influencers, creating authentic content that felt peer-driven.
- Exclusive previews: They made their audience feel like insiders, which fueled anticipation and media coverage.
Glossier’s approach exemplified a powerful PR lesson: turn your audience into your best PR agents.
3. Scrub Daddy: Viral PR Through Shark Tank and Beyond
While Scrub Daddy got its initial break on Shark Tank, the real digital PR magic happened afterward. Instead of relying solely on that flash of fame, the company sustained its PR through:
- Viral content: Funny, relatable cleaning content on TikTok and Instagram.
- Reactive marketing: Quickly responding to trends, memes, and pop culture moments.
- Engaging with press and customers: CEO Aaron Krause actively engages in interviews, podcasts, and YouTube appearances.
Their digital strategy shows how consistent, creative content can turn a product into a household name—even years after a TV appearance.
Digital PR Tactics That Work for Small Brands
Now that we’ve seen examples, let’s break down practical tactics small brands can implement:
1. Build Media Relationships—Before You Need Them
PR is about relationships. Use tools like LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and even Instagram to follow journalists who write in your niche. Engage with their content thoughtfully, share insights, and build rapport. Then, when you pitch a story, it’s coming from a known name—not a cold email.
2. Create Newsworthy Content
A common pitfall for small brands is assuming their product alone is interesting. Instead, think about what makes a story:
- Is there a human angle (e.g., founder story)?
- Is it part of a larger trend?
- Are you solving a unique problem?
Use tools like Google Trends or Answer the Public to tie your brand to broader conversations.
3. Leverage Owned Media
Your blog, newsletter, podcast, or YouTube channel is a media outlet. Use it to:
- Establish credibility
- Drive SEO traffic
- Create content that journalists can reference or republish
Small brands that invest in owned media build long-term PR engines that don’t rely on external validation.
4. Collaborate with Micro-Influencers
Influencer marketing isn’t just for fashion and beauty. Whether you’re a DTC startup or a local artisan, partnering with micro-influencers (1,000–50,000 followers) can bring niche reach and high engagement. These partnerships often come at a fraction of the cost of big influencers—and deliver more trust.
5. Use Digital Tools to Your Advantage
Some valuable tools for small brands include:
- HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Connects you with journalists seeking expert quotes.
- Muck Rack: Helps identify and pitch relevant journalists.
- Canva: Create visuals that make your content and pitches more engaging.
- Google Alerts: Track mentions of your brand or industry keywords.
- Notion or Airtable: Organize your media contacts and campaigns.
6. Respond to Cultural Moments
One of digital PR’s biggest advantages is speed. If a news event, social media trend, or cultural moment aligns with your brand values, you can jump in quickly—adding value, humor, or insight. Think of how fast-food brands like Wendy’s have used Twitter snark. Even small brands can stand out this way, if done authentically.
Pitfalls to Avoid
1. Spray-and-Pray Pitches
Mass emailing the same press release to dozens of journalists rarely works. Customize each pitch, showing you understand the journalist’s beat and why your story fits their audience.
2. Being Too Self-Promotional
Media and audiences alike are turned off by constant sales messaging. Good PR provides value—whether through insight, inspiration, or entertainment.
3. Neglecting Measurement
Digital PR isn’t just about vanity metrics. Track:
- Backlinks generated
- Website traffic spikes
- Social mentions and engagement
- Earned media value (EMV)
Tools like Google Analytics, Moz, or SEMrush can help quantify your PR impact.
The Future of Digital PR for Small Brands
As we move deeper into an era defined by AI, decentralization, and audience-first platforms, digital PR will only grow in importance—and complexity. Authenticity will remain paramount. Consumers and journalists alike are getting savvier; they can spot manufactured narratives and hype. What will stand out is vulnerability, mission-driven messaging, and content that genuinely informs or entertains.
Audio platforms (like podcasts), video (especially TikTok and YouTube Shorts), and interactive media (like AR filters or live streams) offer new frontiers for PR storytelling. Small brands that experiment now will be ahead of the curve.
AI and Automation
AI tools can help small teams do more—from writing media pitches to analyzing sentiment. But human intuition and creativity remain central. The best digital PR combines the analytical with the emotional.
Conclusion: Story Over Spend
At its core, public relations is about storytelling. And in the digital age, good stories spread faster than ever. For small brands, this is a golden opportunity. You don’t need a million-dollar budget to earn media attention or customer loyalty. You need clarity of message, authenticity of voice, and consistency of effort.
Digital PR done well isn’t about chasing headlines. It’s about becoming a brand people want to talk about, share, and support. In a world overflowing with noise, the small brand that tells its story best wins.