We Make Websites

London-based We Make Websites, a Shopify Plus agency for international brands, had never worked with a PR agency prior to hiring Forberger Communications. We were chosen based on our ecommerce expertise and results for digital agencies.

We Make Websites wanted to increase inbound leads, raise the company’s public profile in North America, have leadership perceived as influencers in the Shopify space, and be seen by legacy retailers and growing DTC brands in the U.S. A strategic PR program was the solution.

Within the first few weeks of launching PR campaigns, the agency saw feature stories in marketing, advertising, and retail publications such as MediaPost and Econsultancy. Months into the relationship, Forberger Communications was asked by We Make Websites’ Co-founder Alex O’Byrne to co-develop original content for its well-known company blog and social media accounts.

Build and launch a thought leadership program

Highlight recent client work and results (distribute wins to reporters)

Position We Make Websites’ executives as guiding voices on international ecommerce on Shopify Plus (i.e. secure bylined articles, Q&A’s)

The initial pitch that went to reporters was behind an international growth and business expansion story, which generated coverage in:

• MediaPost
• Campaign US
• Fast Growth Brands
• We Make Websites’ partner blogs

Weeks later, we leveraged the growth story and new client signings to secure executive profile interviews in Econsultancy and Prolific London.

We coordinated introductory calls with only relevant reporters at top-tier and trade publications including Bloomberg, Modern Retail, Adweek, Total Retail, Digital Commerce 360, and more. The long game was important to We Make Websites versus short-term, self-promotional stories.

Within 30 days of our partnership kicking off, we rolled out a thought leadership program and increased brand awareness by securing interviews for the company’s co-founders in meaningful outlets and publications that We Make Websites’ clients, partners, prospects, and future employees consume.

While feature stories and client interviews with journalists were happening that resulted in case-study articles, Forberger Communications secured multiple bylined articles to highlight leadership expertise. Media outlets included:

• Retail TouchPoints
• Total Retail
• Digital Commerce 360 (formerly Internet Retailer)

As the relationship continued, Forberger Communications was tapped to ideate content pieces such as blog posts and LinkedIn articles for We Make Websites’ executives that generated hundreds of social interactions each, and in turn, spurred new business discussions and kept staff in front of prospective customers and partners.

Forberger Communications conceived and developed an in-depth, blog series interviewing DTC founders based on a field marketing/community event, which was never intended to be content online.

By providing unbiased commentary on trends to reporters, We Make Websites became a reliable source for journalists covering breaking DTC news and general ecommerce.

Forberger Communications also transformed several educational and timely blog posts into contributed posts with industry publications.