The UK is currently seeking to redefine its global standing as a hub for innovation, productivity and growth. Despite the fallout from Brexit, it is evident that the UK remains one of the world’s leading markets for tech companies, from seeking investment through to acquiring new customers. It is the reason why more and more international tech companies are preparing UK launch strategies, hoping to establish a foothold in the market and make their presence known. Importantly, in places like Europe and the Middle East, we are seeing the rise of scaling companies seeking a UK entry strategy.
Content is core to PR, communication and marketing activities, particularly in the UK. At PHA, successful content is thought-provoking, contextual and informative.
Language is an important part of this. For a time, the theory was that English would eventually give way to other major languages through the proliferation of new technologies and the economic rise of non-English speaking countries. There has been a clear spike in the diversity and exposure of the general population to non-English languages. Yet English is still regarded as the global common language used to facilitate conversations between English and non-English speaking cultures, as well as between non-English speaking groups.
In the EU, English has been the most commonly studied foreign language at upper secondary general education, with 96% of European students learning it. It’s a similar story in the Middle East. With places like Dubai forging their reputation as global hubs for commerce, English is recognised as the region’s business language.
This is certainly the case with PR and communications. Companies with an international focus, be it for customer acquisition, investment or market expansion, will use English as the primary language to ensure its mission can be disseminated to a global audience.
At PHA, our portfolio of international clients is growing. Each is driven by a desire to secure English-speaking coverage in international trade outlets, and also be featured in top-tier English language publications to build brand credibility and trust. Local market insight is vital – companies need to have on-the-ground insight to ensure their launch strategy in the UK is positioned for success.
The UK media landscape is highly regarded across the globe. Rather than being focused on paid opportunities and media, the emphasis lies on organic PR. Editors and journalists are naturally critical. Rather than publishing press releases and adverts, they want to receive engaging content that provokes discussion and offers new perspectives. It is why opinion articles and reactive commentary published in UK titles are highly regarded. Working with clients to establish a perspective on trending events in their own verticals or more generally, and developing a position that resonates with their brand is core to any effective media campaign.
Engaging, media-facing content is what makes any PR strategy successful. This is particularly true when it comes to the UK press, and while AI can reduce the amount of time it takes to draft content, it cannot yet provide the type of engaging content required by the media. There are subtle nuances, tones and contexts which can drastically transform how content is presented, and in doing so, hold much greater appeal to stakeholders and media outlets.
For international tech businesses looking to expand beyond their local markets, striking partnerships with agencies which can deliver native-English speaking coverage and content also offers significant advantages.
The globalisation of communication has diversified society’s exposure to different languages, yet English is still regarded as the business language in the Middle East and Europe. Commanding the language as part of a PR and communications strategy is key. This is particularly true for those businesses preparing for a UK launch, producing engaging content that resonates with brand values and is able to position the brand in front of a global audience.
Get in touch today to speak to one of our technology PR experts about how we can your international tech business with your UK launch.