ZB Group

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Why Media Coverage Will Benefit Your Brand: A Look at Various Types

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

As you plan for 2023, working with journalists and content creators should be a priority and here’s why. Cultivating and leveraging these relationships will help your brand or company to connect, engage, inform, influence and communicate with your intended audience in credible and relatable ways.

Pre-internet before Google or social media, journalists were a primary resource for keeping the public abreast of news and information. Newspapers, magazines, TV and radio were the main conduits of mass communication. However, since the internet was created in the early 1980s a whole new dimension subsequently changed the way news and content is produced, consumed and shared.

Today, in addition to mainstream national and local media outlets, a plethora of content creators and new kinds of media companies have taken off. The widespread creation and use of digital tools, smartphone apps and social media, contributed to this sea change.

Now consumers discover new things, make recommendations to friends and family, are entertained or hear about the latest trends in a variety of ways. And brands have multiple options beyond traditional advertising for sharing their messages. For example, Katie Couric, the former TODAY co-anchor and former CBS News anchor, founded Katie Couric Media in 2017 to collaborate with brands “to create purpose-driven content.”

Here’s how working with journalists, content creators and subsets of each, will benefit your brand.

JOURNALISTS

According to the American Press Institute, “The journalist places the public good above all else and uses certain methods – the foundation of which is a discipline of verification – to gather and assess what he or she finds.” Journalists may be employed by one news organization full-time, freelance independently, appear on-air or contribute to several different outlets.

Editors pursue a story idea based on the value they believe it will bring to their audience. Many receive hundreds of pitches a day because a mention, interview or story in noteworthy media outlets, conveys inherent credibility and authority for the subjects that are cited. Writers, producers, editors, and reporters are not compensated by the brands or companies they cover. This type of media coverage is known as Earned Media as depicted in the PESO model. 

According to the Pew Research Center’s Social Media and News Fact Sheet, today, half of U.S. adults get news at least sometimes from social media. Reporters often share their work on social media to gain new subscribers as the WSJ is doing on YouTube and with newsletters. Some journalists also host podcasts and report for other media networks to reach new audiences. Their stories are findable online so an article or video segment spotlighting your brand can have long-term marketing benefits.

Lifestyle Experts and E-Commerce Sites

You may have noticed product review and recommendation sites affiliated with major media companies. Inclusion in these, offers opportunities for brand exposure and sales. The media company earns a commission when a consumer clicks or make a purchase through an affiliate link. The products are chosen based on research, reporting and what they think their viewers and readers would find useful and will like.

New York Magazine’s Strategist is one, The New York Times’ Wirecutter and The Wall Street Journal’s Buy Side are two others. On the broadcast side, NBC’s TODAY Steals & Deals with lifestyle contributor Jill Martin and GMA’s Deals & Steals with Tory Johnson, are popular consumer-focused segments that are integrated with e-commerce sites.

CONTENT CREATORS

Content creators write or produce media content on various topics in the form of a blog, video, infographic, website copy, or something else. Bloggers and social media influencers are often referred to as content creators. They are sought out by brands due to their large followings on social media and high levels of engagement. Here’s a brief look at them.

Bloggers

Blogs offer varied opportunities for featured coverage. From food and beverage, travel and beauty, to tech and business, they run the gamut in subject matter and target audience. Bloggers set their own rules regarding brand collaborations. For some, blogging is a full-time business but for others it may be part of their work in addition to hosting a TV show, podcast, teaching or writing books.

Bloggers may write a feature, host a giveaway, interview a founder, write a review, or offer gift guide opportunities. They will generally use a product or service before recommending it to their readers. If they receive free products, services or a fee, it will be clearly stated as such on their blog. They are also active on social media sharing their blog posts, which provides additional exposure for brands.

Brands

A brand may maintain a blog on their company website creating an Owned Media channel with relevant advice, news, tips, current research, surveys, guides, etc. This represents another type of content creation that serves as a resource for consumers and the media.

Social Media Influencers

Social media influencers may engage in paid collaborations that include sponsored posts, how-to videos or posting photos with or using a brand. Caitlin Covington is an influencer who in this New York Times profile says she was paid $10,000 to $15,000 for two different sponsored posts. Well-known celebrities can command even higher fees for endorsements on their social media channels if they enter into brand partnerships. Known as influencer marketing, these activities are also referred to as Paid Media.

To reach younger people, TikTok stars were invited to the White House in September and other influencers with a combined following of more than 67 million visited in October before the midterm elections.

There are all kinds of influencers to potentially partner with based upon their personas and audience demographics. Carefully consider if they align with your products, services, budget and marketing goals before collaborating.

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Today’s expansive media landscape offers many opportunities to share your messages and garner impactful visibility, authority, credibility, and engagement with your target audience. We can help you determine and implement a results-oriented marketing communications strategy that is right for you.

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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.

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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.

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Getting Media Coverage: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t

microphones for media interviewsI’ve been working in public relations long enough to remember when we delivered press kits by messenger, snail mail or by fax to our intended recipients. Now press materials, photos and videos are sent instantly via computer, smartphone or whatever mobile device is most convenient.

But some things haven’t changed all that much. Take for instance the recipients. Sure journalists today can easily search the internet seeking sources and ideas for interviews and articles, but many still turn to public relations practitioners. They have to do more with less help and produce work under tight deadlines so we are a reliable resource.

The way P.R. and media relations professionals communicate with the media has changed but a good story targeted to the right journalist hasn’t. Humans are still the brains behind the news that’s reported every minute of every day even if technology has made some tasks obsolete.

Recently I’ve arranged interviews for experts from finance to fitness with reporters working for magazines, newspapers, radio, television and online outlets. An interesting timely story, event or expert source presented to the right journalist at the right time is still valued by clients and the media alike. A good prior working relationship with the journalist helps but it’s not a requirement to get media coverage. Not then not now.

Suggesting story ideas, providing background information, offering experts, authors, celebrities and other spokespeople for interviews, scheduling and coordinating interviews, and providing props or other materials are among what we do to help media professionals do their jobs.

Now there are many more options for us to consider when identifying which writer/reporter/producer/editor/blogger/multimedia journalist/online editor is the best person to receive an email or phone pitch. Additionally some kinds of media interviews may be conducted entirely via email to save both the source and the reporter time.

It’s not news that media organizations are grappling with how to stay relevant and profitable. USA Today recently let go of 70 staffers turning its focus to its digital product like many others. This weekend’s edition of NPR’s show that covers the media industry, On The Media, featured the decline of beat reporters which is an unfortunate trend on many levels. However public relations continues to thrive maintaining an important role in a changing communications environment.

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10 Tips for Glowing Media Coverage

Halloween Jack-o'-lanternsA favorite Halloween pastime for many families is carving out pumpkins and illuminating them to create beautiful, unusual Jack-o’-lanterns.

We’ve done some carving of a different sort by crafting 10 tips marketers can use to help tell their brand’s story so it glows and engages their audiences.

Just as Jack-o’-lanterns are one aspect of Halloween fun in addition to costume parties and trick-or-treating, garnering media coverage is one effective “tool” in a marketer’s toolbox to reach influencers and consumers. The tips listed below comprise a brief guide.  Each one has to be considered in conjunction with the strategy and objectives of the specific communications program.

 

  • Identify the media spokesperson and make sure they are prepared for the interviews. Options include: the CEO or company founder, a company expert, a celebrity, an author, chef or lifestyle guru.
  • Think like a journalist and answer why should his or her readers/viewers/listeners care? Communicate what’s newsworthy, special or beneficial about your brand’s story.
  • Consider partnering with a nonprofit on a cause-related program that helps those in need.
  • Inquire if satisfied customers who have benefited from your brand or service would agree to discuss their experience during media interviews.
  • If given a choice, pick an optimal location for the interview. Will it be conducted in an office, at a trade show, an event, or in a studio? Perhaps there’s another setting that would provide the best visuals, authenticity and news value.
  • Communicate how the product or service will benefit consumers, the environment, the education system or another important social sector.
  • Find out what trends are happening in your space to which your product or service contributes.
  • Align your brand or service with an upcoming holiday, season or annual community event.  
  • Research and investigate prospective speaking opportunities for the spokespeople at events where the media will be invited.
  • Produce and provide video or images to supplement interviews designed for different platforms such as TV, the internet or mobile devices.

In the case studies section of our website you’ll find several examples of media coverage we’ve arranged on behalf of clients which illustrate the points made above.

Do you have any other tips to add?  We’d love to hear from you!

{Image by Daniel Troutman; iStock photo}