Chapter 10: The Integration Hub

Key Takeaways - Your website is your most important owned asset: It is the destination you control and where you convert interest into action. - The hub-and-spoke model is key: Your website is the center; all other channels drive traffic inward. - In the AEO era, your hub is answer infrastructure: Your website must be structured for AI retrieval. - This is where DPRI outcomes are captured: Every spoke activity should produce measurable outcomes at the hub.

The integration hub is the central point where all your channels connect. For most businesses, this is the company website or blog. It is the foundation of your owned media and the place where business actually happens—where leads are captured and sales are made.

How to Use Your Website as an Integration Hub

Your website should be a living part of your Digital PR strategy, not a static brochure. - Host Your Content: Use your blog for reports and case studies. - Create Landing Pages: Design pages for specific purposes, like webinar sign-ups. - Capture Leads: Offer valuable content in exchange for email addresses. - Showcase Earned Media: Use an "as seen in" page with publication logos to build immediate credibility.

The Hub-and-Spoke Model

Think of your website as the center of a wheel and all other channels as the spokes driving traffic inward: - Social Media: Profiles and posts should link back to your blog. - Media Relations: Always ask for a link to your website in news stories. - Influencer Marketing: Influencers should share links to specific landing pages. - Paid Ads: All ads should drive traffic to the hub.

Chapter 10 Toolkit: Building Your Hub

Exercise: Hub-and-Spoke Mapping

For your brand, map your hub and your spokes. Define exactly how each spoke drives traffic to the hub and what specific action you want the audience to take once they arrive.

Exercise: Website Audit

Review a brand's website. Identify how they showcase earned media, how they capture leads, and whether their content is structured for AI retrieval (e.g., FAQ sections).

DPRI CONNECTION

The hub is where PR activities become measurable business outcomes. This chapter completes Module 2 by showing where all DPRI results—from referral traffic to lead generation—are captured and measured.

Module 2 Summary: You now understand the DPRI Method, the key channels, integrated planning, and the hub where success is measured.

Next: Having mastered the channels and frameworks, Module 3 moves to the creative engine of PR: Content Creation and Storytelling.