Breaking through in a thriving capital: how Edinburgh businesses can gain attention

Edinburgh Reporter

6 days ago

Experts at leading public relations agency share their top tips for gaining visibility in Scotland's busy capital
With Recent figures finding that Edinburgh's economy is outpacing London's, local businesses need visibility to match their ambition.
Edinburgh's economy has hit a historic high. For the first time ever, the Scottish capital's GDP per head has overtaken London's, with output per person now sitting at £69,809, compared to £69,077 in the UK's traditional financial centre.
It's a proud moment for the city who is showing itself to be not just a cultural hub but a serious player in business, innovation, and growth.
But with growth comes competition. As more businesses are drawn to the capital's thriving economy, the landscape is becoming increasingly crowded. In a city bursting with opportunity, the challenge lies in claiming your space and making your voice heard.
So how do you cut through the hustle and bustle and establish yourself in the Edinburgh market?
Our experts have been living and working in Edinburgh at a leading PR agency for over two decades – so it's safe to say they know a thing or two about standing out in this thriving and bustling city.
We asked our experts for their top tips on how businesses can break through in one of Scotland's busiest and most exciting business environments. Here's what they had to say.
Harness the power of local media
Building trust in the local community matters, especially in a small city where businesses are often driven by relationships. Whether you're a Leith start up or an established firm in the West End, building a reputation as a trusted reliable brand within the local community can make a key difference in driving growth.
Local media coverage allows you to establish this local reputation and build a name as a respected presence within the community. Edinburgh's local media—like The Edinburgh Reporter—still holds incredible influence. While national coverage is always desirable, local features often yield better engagement and loyalty, especially for businesses rooted in the community. Pew Research has found even found that people tend to trust local news outlets more than national ones, particularly when it comes to getting the facts right and covering their community fairly.
Through our decades of experience in the industry we've found that localised media campaigns, with locally relevant stories can produce fantastic results:
Highlighting how your work impacts the city, supports local people, or ties into wider regional developments
Tapping into regional events and milestones, creating a timely, relatable message rooted in the city
Positioning your team as go-to experts for media comments on relevant local issues or industry trends
Harnessing the power of the local media doesn't just build visibility, it creates deeper trust and strengthens community ties, opening the doors for new partnerships and local business Opportunities.
Show the people behind your business
With nearly 23 years of experience creating campaigns, we've found the key to building connections is highlighting the people behind the businesses.
Storytelling lies at the heart of every powerful PR campaign. A skilled PR agency crafts compelling narratives that highlight your brand's purpose, people, and impact. These aren't generic marketing messages – they're human stories that audiences relate to and remember.
Whether it's turning everyday life at a care home into an uplifting, shareable story, or highlighting the actions of a plumber turned local hero after a storm, strategic PR transforms the mundane into feel-good content that travels far beyond your website.
This people-first approach to storytelling is what helps brands build lasting reputation within the community and stand out from the competition. It's often the everyday moments that deliver the biggest impact when framed with the right narrative. For example, Holyrood PR has consistently brought these moments to life through campaigns that turn ordinary business activity into memorable media stories, such as:
Turning a care home photoshoot into a viral good-news story
Highlighting a plumber who went above and beyond during severe weather
Sharing a family butcher's journey to win sustainability awards
Celebrating a long-serving staff member's 30-year anniversary as a story of loyalty and culture
In a small, yet busy city like Edinburgh reputation matters and word of mouth still holds weight, showing the human side of your business isn't just a nice-to-have – it's essential. By putting people at the centre of your PR strategy, you not only gain media coverage, but also strengthen your brand from the inside out.
Be a leading voice in local conversations
Edinburgh is a fantastic city full of history, culture, and educational and career opportunities. But, like anywhere else it also has several social issues that deeply impact community members at an emotional level.
From high housing demands and short-term lets and Airbnb saturation leading to climbing rental prices, growing concerns over the impact of the tourism industry on the local environment there are many relevant challenges at the forefront of the community's mind.
Making your team a leading voice in these conversations can have an impressive impact on both public perception and long-term brand trust. By actively engaging and addressing local challenges you can establish your position as a socially responsible, authentic, and community focused brand.
Providing thought leadership pieces expert commentary, or industry insights aligned with these local issues indicates that your business understands what matters to the people of Edinburgh. Whether you're offering a solution or simply bringing awareness to the conversation, this type of local engagement earns valuable trust within the local community and establishes your business as a leading voice within your sector
Conclusion
The Edinburgh business community is thriving now more than ever, providing an abundance of opportunity. But with great opportunity comes increased competition. With so many new businesses entering the Edinburgh market it's easy to fall into the background. It's no longer enough to simply offer a great product or service – you need to be seen, heard, and remembered.
Failing to engage with the community by harnessing the local media and showcasing your business's unique voice can leave you lost in the noise unable to cut through in an ever-growing marketplace.
By following these tips and investing in a strategic public relations strategy, you can ensure that your business doesn't get left behind and instead is a leading voice within the city.
From securing meaningful media coverage to telling powerful, people-first stories and contributing to the conversations that matter most in Edinburgh, PR is not just about visibility – it's about building influence, trust, and lasting impact.
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