DUO has been working with Ecentric since 2024, and this year, the core strategy has centred on aligning PR with commercial outcomes: combining consistent editorial insights, SEO optimisation, and targeted product campaigns to drive long-term credibility and lead generation.
Launched in 1998, Ecentric Payment Systems processes 20% of South Africa’s card transactions and serves as a trusted payments partner to 65% of JSE-listed retailers, serving their in-store, online, mobile, and omnichannel payments requirements.
Over the past 12 months, DUO has worked with Ecentric to deepen its market presence by addressing key digital and content opportunities. The strategy prioritised consistent monthly commentary, continuous website SEO updates, and tailored editorial content. Combining executive profiling across multiple leadership voices with targeted paid campaigns, the integrated approach ensured Ecentric remained visible, searchable, and authoritative in South Africa’s evolving payments landscape.
This integrated approach delivered strong results across earned, owned, and digital channels.
Results
Over the 12-month period, DUO achieved:
- 186 published articles generated from 17 pieces of content, exceeding the previous year’s results and averaging almost 11 published articles for every article pitched to the media.
- More than 9.2 million audience impressions over the year, averaging more than 770,000 impressions every month.
- 190 positive media mentions with no negative sentiment, reinforcing Ecentric’s reputation as a trusted payments provider.
- Six exclusive ITWeb Insights articles covering key payments and fintech trends, consistently performing above the platform’s average readership and positioning Ecentric’s executives as trusted industry voices.
- More than 160,000 organic LinkedIn impressions, extending the reach of Ecentric’s editorial content among business and retail audiences.
- The second Ecentric Black Friday Index, which secured 77 published articles and a further 44 independent media references.
- Paid LinkedIn campaigns promoting Ecentric’s Consumer Services offering to targeted retail decision-makers.
- Ongoing SEO and website optimisation, including regular website reviews, keyword updates, and working closely with Ecentric on blog content to strengthen Ecentric’s online visibility.
- Messaging support for Converge Africa, helping align the event theme, speaker messaging, and workshop framework.
Highlights
One of the year’s biggest successes was the second Ecentric Black Friday Index. By publishing original payment data ahead of Black Friday, Ecentric became a trusted source for journalists reporting on South Africa’s busiest retail period. The campaign generated widespread media coverage while also encouraging independent media to reference the Index in their own reporting, significantly extending its reach and credibility.
Thought leadership continued to play an important role throughout the year, forming a significant part of Ecentric’s published coverage and reflecting a deliberate focus on sharing practical industry insights rather than relying solely on traditional media releases. This helped strengthen Ecentric’s reputation as an expert in the payments and fintech industry.
Website content and SEO also became a greater priority as search behaviour continued to evolve. Through regular collaboration with our digital partners, keyword optimisation, ongoing blog development, and recommendations to enhance website content, DUO helped ensure Ecentric’s expertise remained visible and easy for customers to find online.
By combining earned media, digital marketing, and strategic content, DUO helped Ecentric strengthen its brand, increase its visibility, and build a strong foundation for future growth.
