Brief
Verizon is among the two largest telecommunications companies in the U.S., offering a variety of products and services nationwide. In recent years, the company has shifted its tone from being the largest telecommunications network to one that connects the most people for the greater good.
In the brief, Verizon aspired to drive brand reputation by becoming a more trusted resource for parents—a partner—shifting the brand’s focus from transactional to more purposeful while also addressing a critical pain point for their audience: the fact that parents are overwhelmed by the number of apps, services and devices available to their children today.
Parents needed a one-stop shop for proven resources and information. And so, Pace launched Verizon’s Parenting in a Digital World online portal in July 2019 to meet those needs.
Parenting in a Digital World educates and informs parents about the challenges and opportunities of parenting responsibly in the digital age while offering tools, guidance, and technology to support them.
Solution
Pace designed this subdirectory site to house a new series of research-based articles to help parents become better digital parents. Through a mix of independent research, best practices from parents, a partnership with the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), and a research partner, Magid, Parenting in a Digital World offers a variety of fresh thinking for families.
As a parenting partner, the site answers top questions, provides guidance, and shows the creative and educational potential of apps. Through a strategic mix of content, the publishing hub reinforces Verizon’s unique position as the only telecommunications provider with solutions for children, from toddlers to eighteen years of age. Pace also migrated existing, relevant content spread throughout Verizon’s ecosystem to this single B2C destination.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, Pace’s year’s worth of editorial pitching, strategy and planning dissolved in March 2020. Pace shifted to a tighter turn of newsier stories on a 90-day plan—not the usual 12-month plan—with permission to adjust as headlines and priorities changed.
For up-to-date insights, Pace reached out to their research partner on the portal, Magid, and submitted questions to their monthly pulse surveys. Every 30 days, parents were asked how their tech needs were changing, and we tweaked story pitches as the findings came in. For example, “What’s Fortnite?” became “Should I be worried my kid is gaming too much?” and “The new rules of dating” became “Our kids are finding love online with teenage dating apps. But don’t panic.”
This newsroom approach—reviewing monthly parenting surveys, talking with parents, and keeping our client priorities front and center—shaped a story series that is still helping parents navigate the pandemic with confidence.
Results
Since its inception, the body of content in Verizon’s Parenting in a Digital World has continually trended upward and consistently served to position Verizon as a partner to parents navigating the digital world. Within Verizon’s target audience, the portal has earned a coveted spot within the brand’s key product and service offerings mix.
Success has primarily been driven by a strong focus on SEO as well as a 360-degree approach to creative with cross-functional platform integrations, CRM, in-app associations, employee advocacy, and social media distribution.
