It is easy to assume that SEO, Digital PR and Marketing are all the same across European countries, from the U.K. to Southern Europe.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. And as a Digital PR professional focussing on the DACH market, I wish you were right. If you want to learn more about the differences in Digital PR and the media landscape in the DACH and the U.K. market, this is the right article for you.
What is the DACH market
As a German native who worked in the U.K. across various roles focussing on the German-speaking market, I realised that people often are slightly unaware of the differences between these markets and cultures.
The three countries that form the DACH market – Germany, Austria, Switzerland – have different cultures, languages, currencies, and media landscapes.
As members of the EU, Germany, and Austria have the Euro as their currency, Switzerland has Swiss Franc. And whereas people in Germany and Austria speak German in various dialects, Switzerland has three official languages: French, Italian and German, the different languages separate the country in three regions where the languages are spoken. So despite being part of the German-speaking market, only a third of Switzerland speaks German as its primary language and consumes German-speaking media.
The DACH media landscape
There are a lot of cultural differences between the three countries, but it is most important to understand that the media landscape and media relations in these three countries are significantly different to the U.K.
There are fewer media outlets and fewer red top newspapers, and a strong focus still lies on print. Therefore, the online posting frequency is often much lower compared to the U.K., and turnaround time is longer.
To make every Digital PRs life even harder, journalists are much more selective about pitched content. Reactive PR opportunities through services like HARO, Response Source or Twitter are not very common in the DACH market. Professional ethics, pride, and independence are values held up by journalists.
Digital PR in the DACH market – does it exist?
Digital PR, also referred to as Content Marketing or Seeding, is still an emerging practice in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Only a handful of agencies offer PR as part of an SEO strategy. And with a more traditional media landscape, Digital PR work can be a challenge in these markets – but also offer a lot of opportunities for the future for brands and agencies alike.
If you want to find out how to navigate these challenges, read our 5 top tips for Digital PR work in the DACH market.