Clara Kelly, Digital PR Executive, Legacy Communications
Starting out as a freelance journalist at the age of 16, Clara has had seven years of experience in Irish media, moving from freelance work to roles at the Irish Mirror, RSVP Magazine, and JOE.ie, to name a few.
With a BA in Journalism and an MA in Creative Writing from DCU, Clara decided to use her skills for Digital PR, taking on a role as Digital PR Executive at Legacy Communications in 2021.
During her time at Legacy, Clara has delivered multiple campaigns which have landed successfully with upwards of 50 brand mentions, dedicating her time to using her media experience to cut across the noise and deliver what journalists really want based on her knowledge of the news agenda.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
TikTok or Twitter for very different reasons.
TikTok because it's one of the fastest-growing social media sites right now (and a great way to market yourself or your brand) - plus it's very accessible and easy to use compared to other social media sites.
Twitter because it's an excellent way to look for trending topics journalist requests and keep up with the news agenda - which is key in digital PR.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
Last year, I joined the Digital PR Hub at Legacy Communications as a Digital PR Executive. I was a digital journalist, and this role really excited me as, firstly, it was one of few true Digital PR roles in Ireland. Secondly, it is clear Digital PR is about to explode as one of the missing ingredients in many marketing strategies. The Digital PR team at Legacy, consisting of myself, and the brilliant Claire O'Grady (Director of Strategy) and Micheal Brennan (Head of Search), has built a really strong offering in the space; focused on how we can really drive business results for our clients by creating impactful PR campaigns that drive fame; links and ultimately sales. Our KPI's are always focused on making our clients more successful.
What I really love about our approach is always putting creativity at the centre of the campaign; to create something people want to share from the journalist to the target consumer. Then we supercharge the idea with data, a world-class link building strategy to create campaigns that are a powerhouse of results.
In a short space of time, we are already working with some seriously ambitious brands both nationally and internationally, which is really exciting.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
With digital PR, you have a lot more time to deliver creative campaigns, especially when compared to fast-paced journalism. In a newsroom, you're often under pressure to deliver an article every hour, meaning the time to conduct long-form research just often isn't there. Whereas in Digital PR, nothing is too out there and oftentimes, the crazier the idea, the better once you can sense-check the data to deliver it.
Working at Legacy with such an amazing team has really meant that every day has been a learning experience. Spending time and resources on ideation, data, and delivering coverage and links for our clients is always rewarding. Seeing something you thought of coming to life is amazing, and if we can secure tons of links and brand mentions in the process - then even better.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"Your biggest obstacle is yourself." Most of the time, people rule out opportunities for themselves before anyone else even has the chance to because of imposter syndrome or the fear that they won't be good enough. If you're afraid to apply to your dream job because you feel like you're not going to get it anyway, then you will never be able to get where you want to be.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
As cliché as it sounds definite, my support network, family, friends, and even co-workers are all constantly blowing me away with their successes and dedication to trying to be the best versions of themselves.
Surrounding yourself with a strong network who are always trying to improve and encouraging you to do the same is so crucial to getting where you want to be. Having genuinely happy people and being supportive of your achievements and vice-versa definitely inspires me to move forward.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Getting through both of my degrees and secured a job that I genuinely love. Being from an area like Tallaght, not everyone even graduates from secondary school. I was the first person in my own family to go to college.
The education system in Ireland is unfortunately still very flawed and under-funded, especially in lower-income areas, making it difficult for people growing up in these areas to get through school at all.
Being able to get through university, secure national by-lines, and land my dream job in Digital PR that I love doing, is definitely something I'm proud of.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
Although Covid has made it a bit more complicated, I do think the best way to network is by getting out into the world, going to events when you can and meeting people face to face. I'm hopeful that there will be fewer zoom events in 2022 because while LinkedIn is a great resource, I don't think anything really compares to getting to sit and have a chat in real life with someone.x
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
In my current role in Digital PR, I think every skill I learned as a journalist helped me massively when it comes to pitching to journalists, ideation, data, or just crafting the press release. Knowing what I used to look out for as a journalist is a massive advantage. The key in Digital PR is to really understand the news agenda, how fast it moves, how cyclical it can be.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
It's okay to fail. Not everything you do will succeed, and that's completely okay. I feel like when you first start in journalism, PR, or any other industry, tiny mistakes can feel massive - but they're not.
Especially when you're new to something and trying to learn the ropes, any error can feel earth-shattering and make you step back a bit, but it's important to remember that absolutely everyone, including your bosses and the people you look up to, have been in your shoes at one point in time. So, don't let it stop you from trying things again.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
That's such a difficult question. There are so many people I really admire; from a business perspective, the entire Legacy team is a massive inspiration. All of them are constantly trying to push themselves and me to succeed, which is always exactly what you want in a job, especially the Digital PR team.
I also really admire people like Marissa Carter. I love seeing Irish women and influencers turn their platforms into a brand that can stand entirely on its own and create something so successful.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
In terms of hobbies, I love writing, reading, and trying to stay active by going to the gym at least a few times a week. But in terms of areas of my life that are of real importance to me, it's definitely my family and my friends; having people around you who are always willing to cheer you on no matter how small the accomplishment makes a massive difference.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
It definitely changed the landscape of media as a whole; Covid became such a key part of the daily news agenda, and now more than ever, you really have to be constantly switched on. In addition, topics are now separated on a pre and post-Covid timeline. It just means that you have to be willing to focus on more difficult topics as well as find the much-needed space for the more light-hearted stuff.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
Definitely, there have been so many talented people who have taught me so much during my career. Currently, I've been learning a lot from Legacy's Digital PR Team. Our Head of Strategy, Claire O'Grady and Head of Search, Micheal Brennan, have been so supportive since I joined the team.
Especially coming from a background that was primarily focused on journalism, starting a new career path can be incredibly daunting, especially during a pandemic, but they have both spent so much time teaching me new skills and techniques.
The whole team is constantly trying to learn from each other, and learning from such creative and talented minds has helped me grow and develop my own skillset.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Say yes to everything. Start out as early as you can, ask around for internships, work experience, shadowing days, opportunities to submit work, ways you can incorporate what you want to do into your current job, and freelance. Experience and the ability to show that you're willing to work hard go such a long way when eventually looking for jobs in the industry.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Taking every no as a failure on your part. Sometimes you won't get the position you want, your boss might not approve your idea, something you worked really hard on might not do as well as you thought it would, but that shouldn't stop you from trying again.
Acknowledge what you did wrong, learn from it, grow from it, and then try again with a different approach. Every setback is just an opportunity to learn, and just because it didn't work out this time doesn't mean it won't eventually.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"What would you do if you weren't afraid?" - Sheryl Sandberg.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
There are so many really impressive Irish companies right now. If I had to point out one, Ryanair's marketing strategy is nothing short of brilliant, and I think it's a less formal approach but still very tuned-in to the news cycle. I think that type of self-aware, playful marketing style is something that a lot of brands have tried their hand at and is going to become huge over the next few years.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I define success as the willingness to always keep improving. Nobody is perfect, and everything is a learning opportunity, knowing that is what makes the difference between someone who is good at what they do and someone who is great at it.
This is key to working in a role where you need to connect with audiences in the digital sphere. The digital world is in a constant shift when we think of what is coming in terms of Web 3. If you're not willing to make every day a learning day, you will never be at the top of your game.