This report is the fourth in our series of reports on media coverage of the 2016 presidential election. The first examined news coverage during 2015—the so-called “invisible primary” stage of the campaign. 5 The second study focused on news coverage of the presidential primaries and caucuses.
You have a great story that has been picked up by the press. Now is the time to use these 10 powerful techniques to amplify your media coverage.
Getting press coverage is hard work, so it is worth celebrating. But it is only the first step in getting your message out to your audience.
- Media Coverage The term media coverage is used to refer to all blog articles, RSS feeds, video content or other types of digital content (produced by individuals or organisations other than your own company) where your brand, products or services are discussed or shown.
- Media coverage means any photographing, recording, or broadcasting of court proceedings by the media using television, radio, photographic or recording equipment. Rule 1.150 (b) (1), California Rules of Court Sample 1 Based on 1 documents.
- Media coverage means any photographing, recording, or broadcasting of court proceedings by the media using television, radio, photographic or recording equipment. Rule 1.150 (b) (1), California Rules of Court Sample 1 Based on 1 documents.
It is important to make your coverage work as hard as possible by amplifying your content across a number of different channels. This way you can reach a more diverse audience over a greater period of time.
Here are a 10 practical ways to get the most out of your press coverage.
1. Promote via Social Media
The first thing you should do with media coverage is share it on your company’s social media pages on sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
It’s great to see @Lauren_Digital featured in @HuffPostBlog! Top tips on B2B Facebook advertising https://t.co/2LRzF59nWE
— Hallam (@HallamInternet) August 10, 2017
Bias Media Coverage
You can also reach out to influencers in your sector to encourage them to comment on and engage with the article. Why not thank people who shared it, and generally help increase the social buzz around the coverage? You can take advantage of engagement and discovery features like Twitter hashtags, or moments, to cite the journalist and/or publication you got coverage from. Thanking journalists on social media is the easiest thing to do, and they tend to appreciate it and may even respond by re-sharing your post.
Make it a habit of sharing each piece of coverage a few times throughout the following month or two. You can do this by varying the text and/or images for each post and using scheduling tools like HootSuite to automate the process.
2. Leveraging LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a great social media channel for promoting B2B content.
There is a good chance that your press coverage will be picked up by LinkedIn’s Mentioned in the News feature which automatically detects when members or organisations on the site are featured in the news.
Another easy win is to add a short list to your LinkedIn profile with all the places you’ve been mentioned. You can use the Experience section in your profile to link to the press coverage and generate high impact amplification of the content.
It is also worthwhile mentioning your coverage in a post on LinkedIn’s publishing platform. You can then use it to direct your LinkedIn connections to your coverage.
See the example below, where I published a post (not a status update) on LinkedIn with information about some coverage I generated on Search Engine Watch. The idea here is to encourage further discussion and put it on the radar of my LinkedIn connections.
3. Don’t Forget to Share Internally
Getting media coverage is exciting and whenever I get it I want to tell people. One of the first things I do when I get coverage is share it internally with my colleagues, and even sometimes with my family and friends. Ask your colleagues to share the news on their professional or personal social networks, if they feel comfortable to.
In this example, my colleague Tom is sharing the press coverage that another colleague, Lauren, got in Advertising Week:
How to Run #B2B Facebook Advertising. Great to see @Lauren_Digital featured in @advertisingweek#paidsocial#SMMhttps://t.co/DzraSsZl9S
— Tom Whiley (@TWhiley) August 9, 2017
4. Add An “As Seen in” Logo on Your Home Page
When you see the logo of a credible brand on a website, it immediately makes the site look more reputable. If you are mentioned on a well known publication, take a minute to add the logo to your home page. It doesn’t have to link to the article. In fact, it’s better if it doesn’t – you don’t want visitors to leave your website.
5. Reference The Coverage in Your News or Blog Section
If you have a blog or news section on your website, use it to link to the piece too. Depending on the article’s topic, it may be perfectly natural to link to the media mention from a page or post on your site. But if you don’t have a suitable area to post your coverage, you should perhaps think about creating a media room, where you can post and log your best coverage.
Be sure to design the media room so that one of the sections only features the media coverage. Some recommended names for this page may be “In the News,” “Media Coverage,” or “News Coverage”. The following example shows Newell Brands’ Press Room, which has all the information customers, clients, PRs, and journalists would want.
When you add the coverage, you should provide a link to the original article online. Then share the page with them, letting them know that you’re doing everything possible to drive traffic their way.
Top Tip: To avoid losing your coverage, if the media change it, grab a screen shot of the original article and convert it to a PDF which you can then host online.
6. Include The Coverage in Your Email Newsletter
If you have a list you regularly send email newsletters to, you should add the article to your next email. After you issue your email, forward a copy to the writer and let them know that you shared the article with your audience. If you contribute to the success of a piece, the reporter will be more willing to talk to you again. PR is all about maintaining good relationships after all.
I’ve seen some businesses go one step further, and include their latest coverage in their email signatures.
7. Don’t Forget to Look for the Link
Getting online media links to your website is great for your search engine optimisation. Links improve your website’s domain authority, which increases the likelihood that further content on it will rank. This is why digital PR pros have the power to affect search rankings.
However, to capitalise on this, you must understand the value of links and capture the opportunities press mentions give you. If you get a brand mention and no link, ask for one. I often just ask the editor or media contact for a link. If you don’t ask, you don’t get! What’s the worst that can happen? If they give you a link, celebrate. If not, move on.
You should actively seek mentions and links to your website on a regular basis. I often find that when PRs, journalists and clients understand the value of external links and off-page SEO and how they impact search rankings, they look at media coverage differently. They begin to strategically create content that is worthy of online coverage and links!
Top Tip: Use Google Alerts to find the online coverage you’ve received.
8. Share with Clients
Sometimes a more personal touch is needed. You should share all good news with your clients, customers, and suppliers. You might want to personally acknowledge their role in your success. This can really strengthen your business relationships. It will remind them why they chose to do business with you in the first place.
9. Tell Your Prospects
Coverage helps generate new business. So, tell your prospects about the good media coverage you’re getting. Press coverage gives you third-party credibility. Armed with a brand new editorial article, your sales team can easily prove your brand’s credibility. You are telling your prospects that you are an expert, and you are doing something that’s gained the interest of others , so your company is worth watching.
If there are leads already in your pipeline, you may be looking for reasons to reach out to them. A press mention is a perfect reason to do that.
10. Use It to Generate More Coverage
Create a snowball effect. Your PR team should try to include a link to your recent coverage in their pitch to show credibility, especially when pitching to a new editor. Showing them your previous coverage will help convince them that your business is newsworthy and may make them more inclined to cover your story, and hopefully give you a link too!
Whether you’re looking to raise your public profile, or hoping to get the word out about a new product, media coverage is one of the best ways to get your company noticed.
Unfortunately though, obtaining press coverage isn’t a simple matter of firing off pitches and hoping for the best. Like all good things, successful media publicity is the result of hard work, and careful planning.
PR professionals now outnumber journalists five to one. In order to stand out in today’s information-saturated world, you’re going to need a plan – one that will help you land the coverage you need. Here are five steps that will help you develop a strategy to get your company into the news.
Step 1: Start With Your Story
15Five has a compelling story and strong core values that run through the organization and it’s customer base. They openly share their philosophy as a way to understand their purpose and the problem they solve. http://www.15five.com/about/
What’s the secret to landing press coverage? Doing something that will get the media’s attention. Big-ticket stars use this tactic all the time. From celebrities to startups selling widgets, the idea is the same: the media want something that will get their reader’s attention. Give it to them, and your chances of coverage will soar.
Forty-four percent of journalists get pitched a minimum of twenty times per day. The best way for your startup to get into the press is by having an amazing company story, one that will help you to stand out from the crowd.
Your story is your chance to present your news in a way that’s irresistible to the press. It’s your raison d’être, your reason for existence.
Develop your personal story alongside your startup story. This will help to give your company a face, and add a level of human interest, very important for making it into the news. Go beyond the traditional “why I started this business…” Instead, be compelling. Show the world why your company needs to exist. Mention what problem you’re solving, or what you’re doing to change the world.
By developing a strong and compelling story, you’ll be off to a great start. Your story will lay the groundwork for facilitating media coverage. So spend some time on this and make sure your story’s a good one.
Step 2: Establish Goals – Reasonable Ones
Create a checklist of tasks you need to accomplish weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually.
Next, you’re going to want to focus on setting clear, reasonable goals.
It’s important to focus on smart goals, not merely vanity metrics. Set your objectives carefully, with the big picture in mind. Instead of, “become famous,” be specific. Set goals that will help you to reach your higher objectives: “Increase brand awareness by targeting well-known publications,” or “Alert potential customers to a new product by seeking coverage in niche publications that our target market frequents.”
Having clearly defined objectives will help you to know at a glance if you’re on-track, and will show you when you need to adjust your strategy. Use a spreadsheet to categorize everything, and build a tactical media list. Choose journalists and publications that you would like to have cover your company, and opt for outlets that will help you to reach your publicity goals.
Less is always more. You’re busy and don’t have endless hours to pour into media outreach, so make your efforts count. At this point, it’s not so much a numbers game as it is about the quality of your strategy. Two or three solid connections will far outweigh one foot in the door at dozens of publications.
Step 3: Build Rapport With Journalists BEFORE You Need Them
Short and straightforward questions to writers and journalists are best. Before sending this email, Crystal made sure that the writer covered this type of content first and that she was offering her help, as opposed to giving her more work.
Would you walk up to a complete stranger and ask for a favor? Most of us cringe at the thought. But what about asking a friend for a favor? Less pressure, right?
When pitching to the press, it’s the same thing. By pitching to journalists, you’re essentially asking them for a favor – to cover your company. But without establishing a rapport ahead of time, you’re just asking strangers for favors.
Journalists are people too. Before you start pitching to them, it’s important to engage with them ahead of time. In fact, sixty-four percent of writers think that it’s important to establish a personal connection before pitching. Ideally, you should start connecting with them long before you need them, and at the very least, two months before you pitch.
Successful media outreach is all about relationships. Your best chance of coverage will hinge directly upon your relationship with the writers in question. Since you know them, it will help you to pitch news that they’re actually interested in. And since they know you, they’ll be more inclined to read your pitch.
Start Connecting With Journalists:
- Follow Them on Twitter – Most journalists can be found on Twitter; almost 60 percent have a Twitter account. So follow them, and engage in conversations about day-to-day life, a TV show they’re live tweeting, a sports event, or their daily coffee shop visit.
- Connect With Them or In-Mail Them on LinkedIn – Some writers prefer LinkedIn. If the writers you’re targeting are on there and the timing seems right, pick their brain about how they prefer to be pitched. Ask them what type of stories they look for and how much notice they prefer to have when covering your news or announcement.
- Connect Locally – If a journalist is local, it’s important to connect in-person. On a local level, attend events, conferences, or trade shows to get some face time.
- Make Their Life Easier – A great way to connect with journalists is by making their life easier. Help them with a piece they are working on, one that’s unrelated to your company, by referring them to a business or product that you know of. HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is an excellent resource.
One major win we recently secured was due to diligence in pursuing connections before pitching. Our Director of PR found a female reporter who fit our client’s demographic, and started following her on Twitter. She began engaging with her over things they had in common for several months. Only after establishing a connection did she pitch her. The reporter gave us an email that put us in touch with the right producer, and four months later our client secured an incredible interview that sent their website traffic skyrocketing!
Never underestimate the importance of connections. Take the time to connect with journalists on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or in-person. Introduce yourself, and establish a connection. You’ll have much better results that cold pitching.
Step 4: Build the Perfect Pitch
If you take the time to research the right outlet, journalist, and equivalently spend time on crafting the right pitch, you can turn one media mention into longtail exposure for yourself. Brenton Hayden (Renters Warehouse founder), contributed content to Entrepreneur.com, which got syndicated to Yahoo Finance and thus led him to numerous interviews and even a spot on the Steve Harvey show.
Most startups view every achievement as exciting – because, truthfully – they are! But as easy as it is to be thrilled with your own news, it’s important to look at it from the media’s perspective. Ask yourself if the story will be just as exciting to them.
Look at your news from a 1000-foot perspective, and try to imagine a headline that your customer would want to read. This will help you to craft a pitch that will be more likely to capture the writer’s attention.
This is where the relationships that you’ve been building with the press will come into play. Before you pitch, it’s important to ask permission, or to learn how the journalist prefers to accept pitches.
Ideally, you won’t even have to pitch at all. You will have built rapport over time, and from there you’ll have a good idea about what type of stories they cover. You’ll be able to ask if you can share some news that you believe they’ll be interested in. If you’ve done your homework right, you’ll be met with open ears.
If your news doesn’t have a built-in story – create one. Coordinate an influencer campaign to generate excitement, and use that momentum to justify a press mention. Or adjust the angle of the pitch so it will be appealing to the journalist in question. For example, if the writer typically covers business success stories, be sure to highlight this aspect of your story in your pitch.
Step 5: Close the Deal
Create beautiful and detailed assets for the media. Be prepared to provide the information they request. Time is of the essence, so anticipate their questions and stockpile your answers and assets accordingly.
No one wants to be thought of as pushy – visions of the clichéd used car salesman spring to mind. When closing the deal with writers, don’t be aggressive. Your goal isn’t to pressure a writer into covering you; you’re just confirming interest.
Follow up only after two or three days. Even if you’re in a time crunch, it’s important to wait at least 24 hours.
When a writer responds with a “not interested,” don’t be discouraged: it happens. Instead, try to use no’s as an opportunity to learn what you can do differently next time. Maybe the timing was wrong, or the story was a poor fit for the publication. Whatever it is, be sure to respond to the writer, thanking them for their consideration, and if the timing’s right – consider asking if you could pitch to them again in the future. Always treat a no like a future yes.
Media Coverage Of Hunter Biden
When a writer does respond positively to your pitch, make sure you’re available to give them everything they need to tell your story. If you’re launching, make sure your website is ready. If they ask for an interview, make yourself available for one. Have your press assets on hand: founder bios, photos or videos of the products in action, and your company story or media release. A few great pieces can be extremely impactful, so focus on quality over quantity.
Media Coverage Bias
It can be easy to come across as rude, even without meaning to be. So stand by your promises and keep to deadlines. If you promise someone an embargo, give it to him or her. Don’t change your mind. Be mindful of the fact that you’re building your reputation. If you make life easier for the journalists, chances are they’ll be receptive the next time you approach them with a story.
Successful coverage isn’t landing a one-time feature; it’s about finding a way to facilitate continual coverage for your company. This is where all of those relationships that you’ve been building with the press will come full circle. Since they’ve featured you once, they’ll be more likely to cover you again in the future.
Too Much Media Coverage
Keep up with journalists who feature you. Follow them on social media, comment on their articles, and share leads that you think they’ll find interesting. Work hard to maintain the relationships that you’ve established. You never know when you might have more news to share.
Media Coverage Definition
About the Author: Renée Warren is the CEO and Co-founder of Onboardly, a demand marketing agency that helps startups fast-track visibility, brand awareness and lead generation. We work at the intersection where public relations, content marketing, and social media meet, to deliver marketing that gets results. Follow her @renee_warren on Twitter, LinkedIn and her blog.