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digital media

August 10, 2021 By ZB Group

How to Cultivate Media Coverage During Sea Change

geralt/Pixabay

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, wrote more than 2,000 years ago that change is the only constant in life. We can all relate to his sentiment. This is apropos to the media business which has experienced a tsunami of changes. To cultivate coverage, a well thought out plan, strategy and skillset is required to achieve your goals.

Here’s a brief inside look at a few of the elements integral to garnering effective results in this fluctuating environment.

Consider the Span of Options

It was simpler to plan a media relations strategy in the predigital days when the media universe was comprised of far fewer outlets. Today’s modern media landscape encompasses many platforms with new ones constantly launching. It’s important to first identify and then reach out to those for which your story is a good fit.

Thoughtful consideration of the options, keeping abreast of journalists’ beats, and staying current on new shows, sections, publications, columns, etc., are important factors in determining the outlets and reporters who may be interested in your story.

Journalists may also work as independent writers or producers at their own companies. Some freelance and contribute to several different outlets on a range of topics. They too are important to consider for media opportunities.

Create the Target List

Creating the media list is a fundamental key step. There are a myriad of media to consider such as digital or internet media, podcasts, newsletters, content creators or influencers, blogs, TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and wire services.

For example, if your product or service is geared towards consumers with a special interest, then a platform, podcast, newsletter or website intensely followed by a smaller audience may be better to approach with relevant story ideas than an outlet with a larger more general audience.

Or, perhaps the local TV news media and newspapers would be a good fit for your story and target audience. For the first year in their data, total estimated circulation revenue for publicly traded newspaper companies in 2020 surpassed advertising revenue according to this Pew Research Center report.

Monitor Changes and Evaluate New Opportunities

Note changes as media outlets close, merge, launch and get reinvented on a regular basis. New ones may be added to your target list for evaluation, inclusion and potential outreach.

For example, Puck is a new digital media company with several big-name reporters which will launch in September. Details about it are here.

These articles by media reporters for CNN, The New York Times and Axios respectively, illustrate how media opportunities continue to arise including at the Los Angeles Times, with new media ventures that have sprung up to fill voids, and due to NBC News’ major push into streaming.

NBC News NOW plans to expand its weekday live programming throughout the fall and add to its weekend live programming beginning in the first quarter of 2022.

We’ve summarized a few aspects pertinent to cultivating media coverage but there are many others to consider and ensure your goals are met. Contact us to learn how our skillset can benefit your company in these changing times.

Filed Under: General Articles, Journalism, Marketing, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: Axios, digital media, Dot Dot Dot, Happy Bones Happy Life podcast, Los Angeles Times, media coverage, media landscape, media list, media platforms, NBC News NOW, newspapers, NJ Tech Weekly, Pew Research Center, Puck, The Profile

June 23, 2021 By ZB Group

Chamber LIVE Interview Featuring a Successful Client Collaboration

Debbie Bayes, co-founder and communications director of ZB Group was interviewed on Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber‘s “Chamber LIVE” show with Mary Passalacqua, owner of Woolverton Inn.

Christine Curnan, host of Chamber LIVE, led the spirited conversation inquiring about their collaboration’s accomplishments, Mary’s advice for new entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners, Mary and Debbie’s career paths, the inn’s interesting history to its modern-day evolution, the affect of the pandemic on the inn, and more timely topics.

The entertaining show, produced by New Jersey Buzz, is set to upbeat background music and enhanced with colorful images of the inn and the lovely surrounding area. Examples of the stories published online and in print about Woolverton Inn as a result of our working together, are featured and discussed.

Video of the full conversation is above with a list of timestamps to listen to specific topics below.

{.41} Mary, after a long successful career in finance, five years ago you became an owner of Woolverton Inn. How and why did you make this career and lifestyle change?

{3:42} Debbie, how did you meet Mary?

{4:48} Mary – The Woolverton Inn is a very historic location can you tell us about the history of the Inn?

{8:13} Mary – What are your favorite parts about running the inn?

{9:21} Mary – Last year was really challenging for many small businesses but especially for those in travel and hospitality. How did you fare when the pandemic hit and are you feeling optimistic about 2021?

{12:20} Debbie – Can you tell us a little about you and the services that your company offers?

{14:18} Debbie – What did your collaboration with Mary entail and what did you accomplish?

{18:11} Mary – What’s your best advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs or for people who may want to buy an existing business like you did with your husband Mario?

For more information about our custom marketing communications services, please email Debbie at dbayes@zbgroupinc.com or call (609) 514-0966.  

Filed Under: General Articles, Marketing, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: brand story, business media, Chamber LIVE, client collaboration, digital media, lifestyle bloggers, networking events, online content, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber, social media influencers, Woolverton Inn, ZB Group

October 26, 2020 By ZB Group

How to Keep Your Brand in the Limelight

Are you staying connected with clients and customers, driving awareness and trust for your brand and building relationships to keep your business in the limelight? If not, you should be.

Opportunities for in-person meetings with clients, prospects and customers have been curtailed. Before COVID-19 consumers could learn about your brand, company or organization by attending live conferences, networking events, trade shows, social gatherings, large community events or during spontaneous interactions out of the office.

Now with several in-person activities on hold due to public health concerns and many working remotely, consumers are spending more time online reading, watching and listening to news outlets to stay informed, make purchase decisions or to learn something new. Attending virtual events and classes for work, exercise, personal or professional enrichment, have become routine.

During this time, a concerted media outreach effort that is tailored for your specific goals can help you achieve them. For example, it can relay what’s new, describe your products or services’ benefits, authentically share your leaders’ expertise or personal story, increase interest and credibility, or announce new business initiatives. I explain our proven approach with three key elements in this brief video.

According to a new report from journalism professor Damian Radcliffe at the University of Oregon, COVID-19 has boosted subscription numbers for a range of publishers. Make sure your brand is part of the narrative where and when your audience is consuming their news and information.

Here are 8 ways to do this effectively:

  • Draw attention via media interviews on Zoom, email or by phone
  • Schedule socially distanced in-person interviews, if possible
  • Use eye-catching video and images to supplement interviews
  • Coordinate reviews and giveaways with lifestyle bloggers and writers
  • Get featured in holiday gift guides, roundups, “Best of” and “Top 10” lists
  • Participate on podcasts which your audience follows
  • Arrange for profiles in newsletters
  • Engage with social media influencers to share your story, spotlight your products or services or create original content for their communities.

To discuss how we can collaborate using the above strategies and others that will successfully meet your needs, please reach out.

Filed Under: Consumers, General Articles, Journalism, Marketing, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: audience engagement, digital media, digital storytelling, lifestyle bloggers, media coverage, social media influencers, virtual interviews, YourTownTube

September 8, 2020 By Debbie Bayes

When it Comes to Media Outlets, Why Thinking “small” can Have a Big Impact.

The various ways to share a media placement online including on social media, in blogs and on websites

Interviews on national outlets are indeed valuable, but in the digital age, it’s important not to dismiss media opportunities with smaller outlets as Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent experience illustrates.

In the spring when the coronavirus outbreak surged in the U.S., Dr. Fauci was a frequent guest on all the major TV talk shows. However, by August, the New York Times reported most interviews were with outlets like Instagram Live, an online education platform, a local TV affiliate and podcasts. Continuing this trend, Dr. Fauci was a guest on Sirius XM’s Doctor Radio, in early September.

He realized smaller outlets could be instrumental in promoting his public health messages to their audiences and may even be picked up by larger ones. According to the article, “His appearances are widely watched by reporters from large outlets, who then quote him in their news reports.”

Obviously not everyone has the clout that a prominent health expert like Dr. Fauci does to weigh in during a global pandemic, but here are eight reasons to consider opportunities with smaller outlets for a positive impact.

  1. Present, Explain and Expand Your Message. Connect with your target audiences where they spend time which includes smaller channels.
  2. Accrue Online Visibility. Journalists looking for sources on a subject and consumers alike can find the interview, story, feature or content.
  3. Ability to Share on Multiple Channels. Social media, subscriber-based newsletters, websites or company blogs, all provide more eyeballs.
  4. Lend Credibility to Your Brand, Company, Product or Service. Conveying your story on their platform, relays its importance for their community of readers, viewers, listeners, loyal followers and fans.
  5. Raise Local Awareness. Depending on where your customers are based, recognition by local media outlets may be preferable vs. national media.
  6. Engage with Niche Audiences. For certain products or services, blogs, websites or publications that appeal to specific interests may be best to target. For example, ones comprised of health or eco-conscious consumers, fashionistas, home cooks, entrepreneurs, cyclists or golfers.
  7. Express Thought Leadership. Via bylined articles and interviews with reporters at trade publications, promote expertise and convey influence.
  8. Reporters, Editors and Producers Change Jobs. Someone working at a smaller outlet today may leave for a larger one tomorrow, or start their own one day. Connections and positive impressions made in the past, will help build relationships with media professionals that may be advantageous for your business or organization in the future.

For a recent project, we arranged for the owner of a bed-and-breakfast, Woolverton Inn, to be quoted in the Associated Press, but we also intentionally selected to pitch smaller outlets that are a good fit for their messages and various audiences. As a result of our efforts, blogs geared for baby boomers and millennials, a meetings and events publication and a New Jersey business magazine, among several others, featured the inn.

There are many factors to consider when planning a media outreach strategy but keep in mind that smaller outlets may yield big rewards.

Filed Under: Consumers, General Articles, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: Brown Eyed Flower Child, digital media, Dr. Anthony Fauci, media interviews, media relations strategy, New York Times, podcasts, target audience, Woolverton Inn

January 24, 2017 By Debbie Bayes

New Digital Outlets Present PR Opportunities: Don’t Miss Out

digital media

As we dive into 2017 new digital outlets abound and surely the trend will only continue. Mainstream news organizations like The New York Times and NBC News to niche online magazines like Hodinkee (which caters to male wristwatch geeks) are embracing digital to be profitable and meet reader and advertiser demands and interests. Time Inc. is centralizing its digital operations creating 10 digital desks to help it grow audience faster by pooling its editorial resources.

But at the same time, print is NOT dead! People are still reading print books, newspapers and magazines as an antidote to countless hours spent looking at screens. Hearst will soon introduce two new print magazines, Airbnb and The Pioneer  Woman, the later is a partnership between Hearst, the Food Network and Scripps.

“Magazines of the Year 2016” in Ad Age says magazines such as AARP, EatingWell, HGTV, The New Yorker and Women’s Health are thriving in print and digital due to new partnerships, contributors, influential writers and podcasting. Bon Appetit just introduced Healthyish, a new food vertical.

You may be wondering, does digital change how PR practitioners work with journalists and bloggers for the earned media part of the PESO (paid, earned, social, owned) model?

Not really. The process we implement to arrange coverage is basically the same regardless of whether the story will run online, in print, on-air or in a podcast. Some of the key steps we follow are below. Keep in mind there are many other strategies and tactics used that are customized for each client partnership.

  • Stay up-to-date on new outlets, platforms and emerging news publications
  • Familiarize ourselves with our client’s business and communications goals
  • Develop and “package” the story for the audience(s); create the main messages
  • Uncover trends, consumer or business interest for which the products, services, innovations, events, thought leadership, etc. align or are at the forefront
  • Tailor our pitches to pique interest; convey the information to the appropriate media
  • Offer spokespeople, experts and other sources for interviews and comments
  • Provide relevant images, video or audio
  • Follow-up with the reporters, editors, producers, bloggers and podcasters to ensure their questions are answered and their needs are met

We’ve been on the lookout for outlets that have recently transformed to digital-only or are new digital publications. Here are nine that differ in their appeal and audiences providing opportunities for brands, companies and services that are a good fit:

Organic Life

Spring.St, a new website for women covering politics to parenting.

Mach from NBC News covering science and tech

SELF

Healthyish

Observer (formerly the New York Observer)

The Outline, launched by a former Bloomberg Editor

Bloomberg Pursuits

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Please let us know if you come across new digital outlets and we’ll add them to the list.

Filed Under: Consumers, General Articles, Journalism, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: Bloomberg Pursuits, digital media, Mach, magazines, media relations, Organic Life, Public Relations, Self, The Outline, TIME

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