Generating media coverage is no easy task. Celebrate your media win, and expand the reach and impact of the coverage.
Generating earned media coverage in today’s age of newsroom staff cuts and the 24-hour news cycle is no easy task, so when your company is featured in print or online, don’t miss the opportunity to maximize the story’s reach.
70% of consumers say that they prefer to learn about a product or service through content and articles rather than straight advertising, and consumers and decision-makers alike feel that articles in renowned publications can be trusted more. Thus, it’s in your best interest to make sure as many people as possible are aware of any media coverage featuring your company, product, or service.
So, how do you go about ensuring that your news today doesn’t get left behind tomorrow?
Here are our top four tips:
1. Get social
Social media is a constantly changing landscape, but it’s one that can be relied on to get your message to a wide audience, efficiently. While your article is still hot off the presses, amplify its impact by uploading it to all of your social media accounts, and encourage engagement among your followers. (Because of the way social media algorithms work, the more people engage with your content, the wider its reach will be.)
Use relevant hashtags and tags as a means of sharing your content with others, whether people you want involved in the conversation, other companies, or influencers whose attention you want to attract.
And, keep in mind: your online or print article doesn’t have to remain in its original format. Video content goes a long way, so consider setting up your iPhone in the office and having someone – either the business owner or an employee ‘expert’ – spend 20-30 seconds discussing the content and highlighting a link to the article. This video can then be uploaded to your company’s YouTube channel, company website, and other social media pages. Given that social video generates 12 times the shares than text and images combined, and 59% of executives would rather watch video content than read text, it could be well worth the effort!
2. Extending your reach
So, you’ve uploaded your new content to the usual suspects of social media, and it’s being viewed and digested by your audiences there. With that step done, how do you now grow the reach of your media coverage even more?
Consider tapping into your own contacts. Send personalized emails to close business and personal contacts, and encourage them to share the news piece on your behalf. Taking the time to personalize each email will pay off, since personalized calls to action convert 202% better than default ones. Include shareable links to make the task quick and easy and, of course, offer to return the favour in the future.
Encourage and reward employee advocacy. If your employees are willing to do the same with their own circles, you can watch the reach and impact of your earned media continue to grow. You can even incentivize employees for being part of your publicity task force. LinkedIn found that the employees of a company tend to have 10 times more followers than the company itself and that while just 2% of employees typically share the content their companies share, they’re responsible for 20% of overall engagement with that content. Harness the power in the room!
3. Email marketing
Although it’s a powerful means of communicating with almost any audience, social media should be considered just one component of a well-rounded publicity strategy. Email marketing, while less new and shiny, is still a highly effective way to get in touch with clients and customers.
Forrester Research reminds us of those ever-changing algorithms that plague marketers: 90% of email gets delivered to the intended recipient’s inbox, whereas only 2% of a company’s Facebook followers will see a post in their news feed. And, according to a report by McKinsey & Company, email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter. Campaign Monitor says businesses are six times more likely to get a click-through from an email campaign than a tweet.
So, now that you’re convinced of the power of email marketing, what should you send by email?
The simplest idea is the tried-and-true company newsletter. A company newsletter can take many forms, from a detailed document sharing industry or product-specific news, opinions and advice, to a brief that simply shares the most relevant company ‘win’ or piece of industry news at the time. Given that 61% of consumers say they prefer to be contacted by email, some type of newsletter is an excellent way to keep your organization front-of-mind with your target audience.
And, when you do put together your next e-newsletter, make sure to include a section highlighting your recent media coverage.
4. The company website
Often overlooked, yet hugely vital to your overall strategy is your company website. Your website is often your first impression with potential clients or customers – 70-80% of people will research a company online before deciding to buy a product or service. Don’t miss the opportunity to share your media coverage – effectively a third-party endorsement – on your landing page (within a week of publishing), and then as part of a larger media centre on your site.
Share your media wins, and watch people celebrate with you!
Interested in public relations for your organization? Contact us at info@418communications.com to talk about how we can help!