Digital identity verification platform IT startup VIDA provides services from verification, authentication, to digital signatures. The company wanted its brand awareness to be more widespread, particularly in terms of organic SEO (search engine optimization) results when searched by internet users in search engines such as Google. For example, VIDA’s objective was for its website to appear at the very top when internet users search using key words such as ‘digital identity’ or ‘VIDA’ itself without the need of putting advertisements, which would incur additional expenditures. Other digital security features that VIDA provide are: internally assisting contact tracing mobile applications such as the Indonesian government’s PeduliLindungi in contract tracing individuals entering public places during the COVID-19 pandemic and the identity verification and authentication onboarding processes when applicants create accounts in digital wallets such as GOPAY or OVO. VIDA had chosen ID COMM as its PR Agency to engage in a number of methods with the media and associations in order to achieve VIDA’s objective of increasing its brand awareness. The most notable obstacle to tackle for ID COMM is not only attracting various media to participate in media engagement activities, but also explaining the relatively new ‘digital identity’ sector to the media, in which many people still do not fully understand the industry.

The ID COMM team and VIDA agreed on two approaches, which were media engagement and media relations. 1-on-1 interviews were arranged between VIDA’s CEO and its director with a number of media. Furthermore, ID COMM also arranged webinars and invited Indonesia Fintech Association (AFTECH) and Indonesia Cyber Security Forum (ICSF) members as well as the media to promote VIDA and also educate the participants on the digital identity segment. In addition, ID COMM also prepared and disseminated press releases to the media during the collaboration period. In terms of media relations, ID COMM accompanied VIDA in conducting media visits to build good media relations with some of Indonesia’s most renowned media.

Throughout the partnership period, SEO organic searches showed that the brand name VIDA had appeared more frequently and further on top of the search engine’s webpage, in comparison with VIDA’s competitors that offer similar services. All of this was done without the need to spend on advertisements.