Executive Summary
Rod Skyles, founder of The Unconventional Economist weekly blog, sought to expand his online presence and strengthen his reputation as a trusted voice in economics, policy, and financial trends. While he had an existing following, his challenge was breaking through the crowded digital landscape to gain broader recognition and credibility. Engagement PR & Marketing developed a media relations campaign that secured him repeated placements in top-tier financial outlets including U.S. News, Yahoo! Finance, GoBanking Rates, International Business Times, and Insurance News Net. These appearances elevated his authority, improved his search visibility, and reinforced his brand as an industry thought leader.
Client Background
Rod Skyles is an independent economist and blogger based in both Utah and Idaho. Through his blog, The Unconventional Economist, he offers analysis of financial markets, economic policy, and consumer trends. His unique perspective has attracted a modest audience which he would like to grow to scale his credibility and reach and to establish himself as a leading voice in the financial and policy conversation.
Challenge / Opportunity
The challenge for Skyles was not a lack of expertise or content — he was already producing thoughtful, unconventional economic insights — but rather visibility and authority.
Key objectives included:
- Build media credibility that positioned him as a trusted expert.
- Increase online discoverability through media-driven SEO.
- Expand his audience reach beyond existing blog followers.
- Elevate his personal brand to compete with more established commentators.
Strategic Approach
Engagement PR & Marketing designed a media relations strategy focused on earned placements in financial and economic outlets. The approach leveraged Rod’s expertise and distinctive perspective to secure both online articles and expert commentary features.
The strategy included:
- Targeting finance, economics, and policy-focused outlets aligned with his subject matter.
- Positioning Skyles as an “unconventional” voice providing unique takes on economic issues.
- Prioritizing digital-first coverage to maximize SEO and ensure his commentary would be discoverable long after initial publication.
- Secure a cadence of ongoing contributions to reinforce his presence in the media landscape.
Implementation
The campaign executed several key tactics:
- Tailored Media Pitches – Positioned Rod’s expertise within timely economic stories, including inflation, consumer finance, and global financial trends.
- Press Features & Commentary – Secured commentary in widely read financial outlets.
- Repeat Placements – Ensured Rod appeared multiple times across select outlets, reinforcing his authority and credibility.
- Digital SEO Strategy – Focused on outlets with strong domain authority to improve The Unconventional Economist’s search engine presence.
Results & Metrics
Engagement PR & Marketing delivered strong outcomes for Rod Skyles:
- Multiple features in respected financial publications, including U.S. News, Yahoo! Finance, GoBanking Rates, International Business Times, and Insurance News Net.
- Placement in emerging business media, like Economic News and Blue Tech Wave (BTW Media).
- Repeat exposure across outlets, solidifying his reputation as a trusted commentator.
- Significant SEO lift, with his blog ranking higher on search for key economics-related queries.
- Audience growth driven by referral traffic from national financial media.
Media Coverage Highlights
Rod’s expertise was featured repeatedly in media outlets such as:
- U.S. News
- Yahoo! Finance
- GoBanking Rates
- International Business Times
- Insurance News Net
- Economic News
- Blue Tech Wave (BTW Media)
Lessons Learned
Three insights emerged from this campaign:
- Thought leadership PR is essential for solopreneurs – Even highly knowledgeable experts need media validation to expand their reach.
- Consistency across multiple outlets builds authority – Repeated exposure in diverse but respected publications cements reputation faster than sporadic appearances.
- SEO value compounds over time – Digital-first placements create a long-lasting impact by continually driving traffic and visibility to the client’s brand.
Conclusion
Through a targeted media relations strategy, Engagement PR & Marketing elevated Rod Skyles’ profile as The Unconventional Economist, securing multiple features in high-profile financial media, driving both credibility and discoverability. The campaign helped transform his blog from a niche platform into a recognized voice in financial commentary, giving him the visibility and authority needed to continue scaling his audience and influence.