How Eutrema secured 30 articles in six months through expert-led PR
Client: Eutrema
Sector: Gardening, horticulture and plant care
Campaign: Expert PR and consumer brand PR
Campaign length: Six months and ongoing
Results so far: 30 published articles (including Woman & Home, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful and many others).
Website authority: Ahrefs Domain Rating increased from 13 to 16
At a glance
30
Published articles
Six months
Of sustained PR activity
Nine-plus
Recognised media brands
Five
Average published articles per month
DR 13 to DR 16
Growth in Ahrefs Domain Rating
The client
Eutrema is a UK plant-care company founded by plant scientist and innovator Dr Russell Sharp.
The business develops science-led products for gardeners, growers and agricultural customers, combining specialist knowledge with a practical understanding of how plants grow and respond to different conditions.
Russell holds a PhD in Plant Physiology, specialising in flowering in rhododendrons. He previously worked as a Senior Lecturer in Horticulture at Moulton College and the University of Northampton, where he shared his expertise with the next generation of plant professionals and enthusiasts.
His areas of expertise include:
— Gardening
— Horticulture
— Agriculture
— Hydroponics
— Vertical farming
— Plant physiology
— Lawn and crop care
Outside his professional work, Russell remains deeply hands-on with plants. He serves as Head Groundsperson at his local village sports field and experiments with growing giant vegetables and super-hot chillies in his own garden.
This combination of academic expertise, teaching experience, commercial knowledge and practical gardening made Russell particularly well suited to an expert-led PR campaign.
The objective
Eutrema joined Fair Public Relations on 18 January for an initial six-month campaign.
The goal was to use Russell’s genuine expertise to increase awareness of Eutrema and strengthen the credibility behind its products.
The campaign was designed to:
— Increase recognition of the Eutrema brand
— Establish Dr Russell Sharp as a trusted gardening and horticulture expert
— Build third-party credibility and social proof
— Introduce Eutrema to larger consumer audiences
— Secure relevant editorial backlinks
— Strengthen the company’s online authority
— Build a larger body of independent references supporting SEO and GEO
— Support long-term interest in Eutrema’s products
Rather than relying entirely on direct product promotion, the strategy focused on making Russell’s expertise useful to journalists and their readers.
The challenge
Eutrema operates in a competitive consumer market where customers are presented with a wide range of products, claims and gardening advice.
The company had strong scientific foundations and a highly credible founder, but needed more independent media coverage connecting that expertise with the Eutrema brand.
At the beginning of the campaign, eutrema.co.uk had an Ahrefs Domain Rating of 13.
The website already had an established backlink profile, but there was room to improve both the strength and relevance of the publications linking to it.
The campaign therefore needed to achieve several things at once:
— Translate specialist plant science into accessible consumer advice
— Position Russell as a credible expert without making the coverage overly promotional
— Connect Russell’s media profile naturally with Eutrema
— Create a regular flow of timely and useful gardening stories
— Capitalise on seasonal media opportunities
— Build links from respected homes, gardening and lifestyle publications
— Maintain momentum beyond a single press release or article
Our strategy
We positioned Dr Russell Sharp as an approachable, practical and highly qualified expert for journalists covering gardening, homes, consumer lifestyle and sustainability.
The campaign combined proactive story development with reactive media opportunities.
Building Russell’s expert profile
Russell’s credentials gave the campaign a strong foundation.
He was not being presented as a gardening expert simply because he owned a plant-care company. His PhD, lecturing experience and practical work gave journalists clear reasons to trust and use his commentary.
We developed a media profile that clearly communicated:
— Russell’s academic qualifications
— His specialist areas of knowledge
— His experience teaching horticulture
— His practical growing experience
— His role as founder of Eutrema
— His availability for commentary and media appearances
This helped journalists quickly understand who Russell was, what he could discuss and why his insight was credible.
Identifying media-friendly gardening topics
Gardening is highly seasonal, but it also offers a large number of evergreen consumer questions.
We developed ideas around the problems, trends and decisions readers were already likely to be considering.
These included:
— Seasonal pruning advice
— Lawn care
— Planting schedules
— Common plant problems
— Garden screening
— Low-maintenance planting
— Companion planting
— Sustainable garden practices
— Soil and fertiliser advice
— Advice for novice gardeners
— Explanations of popular gardening trends
— Common gardening mistakes
The objective was to provide journalists with practical, timely advice that was useful to their audiences while reinforcing Russell’s authority.
Turning technical knowledge into accessible commentary
Russell has detailed scientific and horticultural knowledge, but consumer media needs information that is clear, engaging and easy to apply.
Fair PR handled the editorial work involved in turning that expertise into publishable material.
This included:
— Identifying subjects with strong media potential
— Developing headlines and story angles
— Asking Russell focused questions
— Structuring his knowledge into concise commentary
— Removing unnecessary technical language
— Writing press releases and pitches
— Tailoring content for different publications
— Managing journalist outreach
— Following up on live opportunities
— Responding to relevant media requests
— Tracking coverage as it appeared
Russell remained the expert voice, while Fair PR handled the substantial work required to package, pitch and manage the campaign.
Connecting Russell’s expertise with Eutrema
The campaign was not designed to build Russell’s personal profile in isolation.
Where editorially appropriate, his expertise was connected with his role as founder of Eutrema.
This meant each article could potentially contribute to several objectives:
— Establishing Russell as a credible gardening expert
— Increasing familiarity with the Eutrema name
— Strengthening confidence in the knowledge behind Eutrema’s products
— Securing relevant backlinks to the company website
— Creating independent references connecting Eutrema with plant science and horticulture
This allowed Russell’s media visibility to support the wider commercial brand.
The results
Within the first six months, the campaign generated 30 published articles, with further pitches and opportunities continuing to develop.
This represents an average of approximately five published articles per month.
Russell’s commentary appeared across recognised national homes, gardening and lifestyle publications, including:
— Woman & Home
— Homes & Gardens
— House Beautiful
— Country Living UK
— Ideal Home
— MSN
— Yahoo! Life UK
— Yahoo! Life Canada
— Yahoo! Shopping
The campaign created a sustained body of independent coverage rather than relying on one isolated article or announcement.
You can view Dr Russell Sharp's published articles in our Media Coverage database, alongside hundreds of other articles secured for our clients across a wide range of industries, sectors and areas of expertise.
Coverage highlights
Russell’s expertise was used across a wide range of seasonal and evergreen gardening subjects.
Published topics included:
— When to prune roses
— How to prune roses to maximise blooming
— Why jade plants drop their leaves
— Essential February gardening jobs
— Why spider plants develop yellow leaves
— Garden hacks using common household items
— Low-maintenance plants that thrive on neglect
— The best self-seeding flowers
— Plants for north-facing gardens
— Companion planting
— When to plant tomatoes outdoors
— How to make grass greener
— Growing marigolds
— Fast-growing hedges for screening
— Companion plants for hydrangeas
— Viburnum as an alternative to hydrangeas
— Hibiscus compared with peonies
— Plants for screening unattractive garden areas
— Using wood ash as garden fertiliser
— What to plant in the garden during June
The variety of subjects demonstrated the breadth of Russell’s expertise while keeping the campaign relevant to the Eutrema brand.
Repeated use across major publications
Russell was not featured only once by individual media brands.
Woman & Home used his expertise across multiple articles covering pruning, houseplants, seasonal gardening, planting, lawns and low-maintenance gardens.
His commentary also appeared across Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Country Living UK and Ideal Home.
This repeated use is particularly valuable because it can indicate that journalists see an expert as useful, responsive and credible enough to return to for further features.
Additional reach through syndication
Some expert contributions also generated additional placements through syndication or republication.
For example, advice on fast-growing hedges appeared through House Beautiful and was also published by MSN and Yahoo! Life Canada.
Other coverage was republished through Yahoo! titles in the UK and Canada.
This meant that one strong media contribution could sometimes generate several published articles, increasing the reach and value of the original opportunity.
Ahrefs Domain Rating increased from 13 to 16
At the start of the campaign, Eutrema’s website had an Ahrefs Domain Rating of 13.
After six months, the website had reached a Domain Rating of 16.
Domain Rating is an Ahrefs metric that estimates the relative strength of a website’s backlink profile. It is not a direct Google ranking factor, and the increase cannot be attributed solely to PR without considering every change made to the website and its wider marketing during the same period.
However, it provides a useful indication that the website’s backlink profile strengthened during the campaign.
Many of the campaign's editorial links are now among the strongest backlinks in Eutrema's entire link profile, including links from Woman & Home, House Beautiful and Country Living.
This is significant because the articles were published by established homes, gardening, lifestyle and consumer media brands rather than low-quality or unrelated websites.
Supporting SEO through editorial links
The campaign produced more than brand awareness alone.
Many of the published articles included links to Eutrema or Russell’s expert profile, helping to build a stronger network of relevant third-party references.
Editorial coverage can support SEO by:
— Expanding a website’s backlink profile
— Securing links from relevant publications
— Increasing branded search visibility
— Creating more online references to the company and its founder
— Reinforcing Eutrema’s connection with gardening and plant science
— Supporting the discovery of the brand through articles that continue to rank and circulate
PR cannot guarantee rankings, traffic or sales. However, strong editorial links can become valuable long-term assets within a broader SEO strategy.
Building a stronger GEO footprint
The campaign also increased the amount of independent online material connecting:
— Dr Russell Sharp with gardening and horticulture
— Russell with his academic and professional credentials
— Russell with Eutrema
— Eutrema with plant science and plant-care products
— The brand with advice published by recognised media outlets
This may help search engines and AI systems better understand who Russell is, what he is qualified to discuss and how he is connected to Eutrema.
No campaign can guarantee that a business or expert will appear in AI-generated answers. However, consistent third-party coverage can provide a stronger body of evidence than relying entirely on claims published on a company’s own website.
Building credibility and social proof
The media coverage gives Eutrema a growing body of independent credibility.
Instead of telling potential customers that its founder is knowledgeable, the business can point to articles in respected publications that have used Russell’s expertise.
The coverage can also be reused across Eutrema’s wider marketing, including:
— Website trust sections
— Product pages
— Social media
— Email campaigns
— Retailer conversations
— Partnership discussions
— Sales materials
— Founder biographies
— Media kits
— Presentations
— Future journalist pitches
This allows each article to continue delivering value after its initial publication date.
What the client said
“Great team, amazing results.”
“Great team. Genuinely flabbergasted by the level of support they provide. Results have come in a matter of weeks. You have to put some work in to help them with their task, but they do the donkey work for you.”
Dr Russell Sharp
Founder, Eutrema
Why the campaign worked
Genuine expertise
Russell had a credible foundation for media commentary.
His PhD, teaching experience, commercial work and practical knowledge gave journalists confidence in the information he provided.
Useful rather than promotional ideas
The campaign did not depend on asking publications to write directly about Eutrema’s products.
Instead, it made Russell’s expertise useful to readers. This created more natural opportunities to mention his role as founder and link back to the business.
A strong range of seasonal opportunities
Gardening changes throughout the year, giving the campaign a steady flow of relevant subjects.
Pruning, planting, lawn care, houseplants, garden screening and seasonal jobs all created opportunities to provide timely commentary.
Accessible scientific explanations
Russell could explain not only what gardeners should do, but why particular approaches work.
That scientific grounding helped distinguish his commentary from generic gardening tips.
Consistent client collaboration
Expert PR requires input from the spokesperson.
Russell provided the knowledge, responses and approvals needed to keep opportunities moving, while Fair PR developed the angles, produced the material and handled outreach.
As Russell explained in his review, the client still has to contribute, but the agency completes the majority of the campaign work.
Sustained media activity
The results did not come from one press release.
They were built through a pipeline of proactive ideas, seasonal commentary, journalist relationships and ongoing outreach over six months.
What happened in six months
| Campaign measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Campaign started | 18 January |
| Campaign period covered | Six months |
| Published articles | 30 |
| Average articles per month | Approximately five |
| Recognised media brands | 9+ |
| Starting Ahrefs Domain Rating | 13 |
| Current Ahrefs Domain Rating | 16 |
| Domain Rating increase | +3 |
| Campaign status | Ongoing |
The campaign continues
The first six months generated 30 published articles and helped strengthen Eutrema’s backlink profile.
However, the campaign remains ongoing.
PR articles can continue to appear after an idea is initially pitched, particularly where journalists retain commentary for future features or where an article is syndicated by another publication.
The next stage can build on the authority already established by:
— Developing new seasonal gardening campaigns
— Expanding Russell’s presence across larger national publications
— Pursuing more detailed interviews and founder profiles
— Creating stronger links between expert advice and relevant Eutrema products
— Targeting further authoritative gardening and consumer websites
— Building deeper relationships with journalists who have already used Russell
— Continuing to strengthen Eutrema’s body of independent online references
The first 30 articles provide a strong foundation from which the campaign can continue to grow.
The outcome
In six months, Fair PR helped turn Dr Russell Sharp’s existing expertise into a sustained media campaign that generated 30 articles across recognised homes, gardening and lifestyle publications.
The campaign:
— Increased Russell’s visibility as a gardening and horticulture expert
— Connected his expertise with the Eutrema brand
— Generated repeated national media coverage
— Secured links that now sit among the strongest in Eutrema’s Ahrefs profile
— Coincided with an increase in Domain Rating from 13 to 16
— Created valuable credibility and social-proof assets
— Expanded the company’s independent online footprint
— Built a stronger foundation for continued SEO and GEO activity
The results show the value of combining genuine founder expertise with consistent, journalist-led PR.
About Dr Russell Sharp
Dr Russell Sharp is a plant scientist and innovator, best known for developing the range of plant-care products offered by Eutrema.
He previously served as Senior Lecturer in Horticulture at Moulton College and the University of Northampton, sharing his expertise with the next generation of plant enthusiasts and professionals.
Russell holds a PhD in Plant Physiology, specialising in flowering in rhododendrons.
His areas of expertise include gardening, horticulture, agriculture, hydroponics and vertical farming.
Outside his professional work, Russell serves as Head Groundsperson at his local village sports field and experiments with growing giant vegetables and super-hot chillies in his own garden.
Russell is based in Northamptonshire and is available for relevant media commentary, interviews and appearances.
View Dr Russell Sharp’s expert profile
Could expert-led PR support your business?
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Our team develops the angles, prepares the content, approaches journalists and manages the campaign, while you provide the insight that makes the coverage possible.
