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November 2, 2022 By ZB Group

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.

Filed Under: General Articles, Journalism, Marketing, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: American Press Institute, bloggers, brand story, content creators, influencers, journalists, media coverage, media relations, PESO Model, Pew Research Center, social media, TikTok

June 15, 2016 By Debbie Bayes

PR’s Place in the Multi-Platform Digital Age

PR Relevant in Digital AgeIf you thought the digital age was making PR irrelevant – think again.

The vast number of media outlets today has actually increased opportunities for PR. No longer are TV and radio programs heard or seen once on-air at a scheduled time or are newspapers and magazines just read in print on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. According to NiemanLab, more Americans today are working for online publishers and broadcasters than newspapers.

Content is posted or streamed 24/7 across multiple platforms consumed by individuals on their mobile devices, tablets, laptops and desktops to read, listen or watch live or on-demand. It is often shared, blogged, liked or tweeted about on social media. This means if you, your brand, event, products, book, organization, cause or services are mentioned in the media, it has a long online life.

News outlets large and small have become integrated multimedia informational platforms with complementary websites, blogs and podcasts. Their online counterparts usually feature video, images and feedback from readers and viewers about the content. You’ll often hear radio and TV hosts telling listeners and viewers to follow them on Twitter or find them on Facebook to foster two-way conversations and build a loyal community.

Programs Have Become Platform Neutral

People want to trust news sources for curation since there’s so much information available it’s hard to decipher what’s credible. As Chuck Todd, Host of Meet the Press on NBC explains, the long-running show has stayed relevant by being platform neutral in a 24/7 digital journalism world.

Bloomberg cites the top new media companies and why established media companies have invested in them. Here the Host of Bloomberg’s daily program “What’d You Miss?” explains how he sees the TV program as a source of online video content. Acknowledging that many people get their news from social media, Bloomberg Media will now live stream three shows on Twitter as well as their markets coverage.

SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PR?

New Opportunities for Building Relationships and Reaching Your Audiences

The digital age provides new opportunities for all kinds of experts to comment, weigh-in and be featured on-air, in print, online or in a podcast. Visibility and credibility via third-parties in respected outlets or when featured by consumers’ favorite bloggers, influencers or podcast hosts, helps marketing efforts gain traction and be successful.

We read about publishers’ digital-only platforms launching all the time such as Sports Illustrated’s new tech vertical covering sports, tech and media to broaden its scope. Fortune Live, a weekly web show with guest interviews from Fortune Magazine, launched last year.

This WSJ piece discusses how the marketing and culinary manager of the Andy Boy brand hired PR and advertising agencies for a campaign with TV personalities, digital and social media influencers. Together they worked to raise the cool factor for broccoli rabe and its nutritional benefits targeting young, food and health conscious consumers.

There are myriad ways to use PR and media relations for reaching niche, local or broad audiences to influence those who matter most for your business.

Coverage in Business Media

Business focused media has evolved along with the new digital landscape to remain profitable and serve the shifting habits of their audiences. Regardless of the platform, interesting stories and experts that are a good fit for the outlet, will resonate with the right journalists. For Global Context we arranged media interviews that resulted in coverage in Bloomberg Businessweek, WCBS’ CEO Radio, BBC.com’s Capital, Crain’s and others.

Contributed Content Is Sought

Some editors from major news outlets to those at trade publications, seek outside expert sources to write contributed articles due to small staffs and the need to regularly post new compelling content. They welcome help from PR pros and their clients to contribute relevant interesting articles and offer a variety of fresh topics for their readers.

  • Fortune.com – Fortune’s new digital web service Venture uses tools of digital and social media to provide inspiration, insight and advice for entrepreneurs and business professionals. We worked with the editors to feature articles by Stuart Friedman, which shared his public speaking presentation tips and what you need to know before giving a presentation in another country. Both pieces cite his new mobile app, OratorPro.
  • NJBIZ – This prominent New Jersey business publication features blogs such as Millennial Minded, Breaking Glass for women in business and Industry Insights. We placed a by-lined article by Bart Jackson about why he believes humor is important in the workplace for the Industry Insights blog.

Many things have changed in the digital age but as far as PR is concerned, the opportunities have only increased.

 

 

Filed Under: Journalism, Media, Public Relations Tagged With: BBC, Bloomberg Businessweek, Crain's, digital journalism, earned media, Fortune, media relations, Meet the Press, NiemanLab, NJBIZ, online content, online media, PR, Public Relations, social media, Sports Illustrated, WCBS CEO Radio

February 24, 2014 By Debbie Bayes

5 “Lessons” for Brands from My Alma Mater

My alma mater, Syracuse University (SU) is actively cultivating and growing its “brand” among many different audience segments both offline and online. I’ve seen this as a member of the Central New Jersey SU Alumni Club and as a follower on SUs social media channels. The ability to attract qualified students, top professors, ongoing alumni support and interested firms to hire their graduates is vital for colleges and universities today and for the future. Using SU as an example, below are five ways to help your brand or organization be a standout in its “class.”Syracuse University logo and mascott

1. DESIGNATE EXPERTS TO SPEAK WITH THE MEDIA 

Weighing-in on trends, news, research or current events in the media helps build awareness and credibility for your brand or organization in the minds of consumers.

SU’s professors are often quoted and interviewed in the news media. Robert Thompson, Director of the Bleier Center for Television & Popular Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication, is the most well-known and has been interviewed by hundreds of media outlets, however, many others also comment on newsworthy topics. Rick Burton, a professor of sports management, was recently quoted in NBC News online about Michael Sam the college football star’s recent announcement that he was gay and David Van Slyke, a professor of business and government policy at the Maxwell School was interviewed for a piece by the radio program Marketplace about a bill that has President Obama’s support to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 by 2016.

2. GIVE BACK

Giving back to the local community or partnering with a nonprofit on a worthy initiative demonstrates that your brand cares about others, fosters an emotional connection and camaraderie.

There are many ways SU and its students give back in the Central New York area where the school is located including Can It! an interfaith initiative for the area food bank , the Give 5 Campaign and the SALT Near West Side Initiative.

Cities across the country celebrate SU’s founding with National Orange Day when alumni clubs organize community service projects to help those in need, the infirm and the environment.

3. CREATE SPECIAL EVENTS, BOOK SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS 

Planning and implementing original events or securing speaking opportunities at scheduled ones attract attention to your brand, involve customers, foster goodwill and showcase expertise.

SU organizes events and presentations such as these in major U.S. cities:

  • Live game-watching events at local restaurants for alumni, SU parents and fans to cheer on The Orange while enjoying refreshments. Shakers, decals and other SU promotional items are available to take home.
  • Business networking events
  • Presentations – experts from various specialties share information and tips to help alumni perfect skills, learn about industry trends and offer career advice at organized events
  • Trips to see Broadway shows and local attractions  – this provides ways for alumni to mingle and enjoy themselves during group outings

4. CULTIVATE A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE

Decide which social-networking platforms make sense then engage frequently with your communities and followers by asking and answering questions, sharing news, posting light-hearted photos and famous quotes or by hosting helpful Twitter and Facebook chats.

SU is active on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn. They have several Twitter handles for specific followers such as @SyracuseU, @Cuse for athletics and @WorkingOrange where alumni offer careers tips and answer questions.

Use photos and hashtags to spread awareness and encourage sharing. SU does this with its #OrangeNation hashtag. It had fun with #BeatDuke before the basketball game on Feb 1 and with #OrangeLove on Valentines Day. Vice President Joe Biden (an SU law grad) tweeted a picture of himself wearing a Beat Duke t-shirt which was re-tweeted and shared many times online.

5. KEEP BRAND LOYALTY ALIVE & WELL

It’s important to maintain customer loyalty and relevance over time as SU does by helping alumni get involved and keep abreast of news and events on many levels. 

  • Online via ‘ Cuse Community
  • In-person by inviting alumni to athletic events at the Carrier Dome, alumni weekends and at reunions on campus
  • Locally by joining alumni chapters around the country and participating in events.

When I got home from a February 1 alumni game-watching event I flipped open my college yearbook and there was a picture of legendary basketball coach Jim Boeheim smiling from the sidelines at a game just as he does today.

GO ORANGE!

{Image courtesy of “Creative Commons Syracuse University Oranges Mascot” by Pics to Pin.}

If you’d like to find out how we can help your brand stand out among its audiences with cost-effective tactics like those above, please contact us.

Filed Under: Consumers, Marketing, Media, Nonprofits, Public Relations Tagged With: Brand Visibility, consumer engagement, event planning, Giving Back, media relations, promoting brands and services, social media, Syracuse University

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