Are you looking for ways to get more exposure for your brand? If so, you should consider implementing an earned media strategy. Earned media is any publicity that is not paid for by the company. It is a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience.
Why is earned media exposure more valuable?
Earned media is free advertising that you acquire when someone outside your company talks about your brand on social media or shares it with other people in their network. This type of exposure is often more valuable than paid advertising because a human voice is behind the message. It’s also far more targeted and personalized to the recipient. Let’s discuss ten tips for creating a successful earned media campaign.
1. Identify your goals
What do you hope to achieve with your earned media campaign? Do you want to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or generate leads? Once you know what you want to accomplish, you can create a plan to help you achieve your goals.
2. Identify your target audience
There’s no point in creating an effective earned media campaign if you aren’t familiar with your audience and what they want. Who do you want to reach with your campaign? What are their demographics? What interests do they have? You need to understand their needs, wants, and pain points. Only then can you develop the right content that will resonate with them.
3. Create shareable content
Your content should be interesting, informative, and relevant to your target audience.
It would be best to decide on the right topic that your audience is interested in and will care about. What excites the audience, and what would they be excited to learn more about more than anything else? The topic should be such that everyone easily understands it. Once you’ve identified a good topic, it’s time to formulate a plan of attack.
Strong photographs make all the difference in attracting readers. Good images can make an ordinary story interesting, while bad images can ruin a great story. Try making your images rather than relying on stock photos because they make your article look more professional. When your content strikes the right chord with the audience, they are compelled to share it.
4. Promote your content
You can do this through social media, email marketing, or even paid advertising.
The goal is to get your content in front of as many people as possible. The more eyeballs you can get on your content, the better your chances of achieving your goals.
5. Establish media relationships
Create an identity that reporters can incorporate into their stories.Use social media or infographics to brand yourself and talk about what made you unique.
If you focus on sustainable food, make it clear with logos, pictures, and messaging what these values mean and where to find them in articles about your business or industry sector.
Visit social media for journalists and create a Twitter list of reporters who write about your industry. It would be best if you found journalists looking for subjects to cover and reporters willing to work with you.
It’s all about relationships; you want them invested in your success, so treat them with dignity and respect and get them interested in what you’re doing. Establish a relationship with reporters and editors by helping them out when they face tough deadlines or sending interesting news items that might appeal to their professional interests.
6. Be consistent
A successful media strategy is about being consistent. You want to make a name for yourself as the person to go to for insightful commentary or expert resources. It would help if you delivered on your promises; otherwise, you’ll lose credibility, and your earned media efforts will be wasted. The tip here is to be consistent and honest in all you do. Don’t just talk the talk; walk the walk.
7. Prepare to be quoted
If you’re going to be quoted in the press, make sure you’re prepared. This means having a media kit that contains all the information a reporter would need to write a story about you, including high-resolution images, your company’s history, and biographies of key personnel. You should also have a list of talking points handy to be sure to deliver your message clearly and concisely.
Determine your main talking points so that you don’t have to wing it when a reporter calls you. Do your research and learn how other companies have handled similar situations to formulate how you will talk to the media during a crisis, if or when such an event occurs.
8. Be ready for a double-edged sword
If you’re creating an effective earned media strategy, you should expect that it won’t always be your friend. Just as you can use the media to your advantage, it can also be used against you.
Always stay true to your brand and values and be prepared for both positive and negative press. It would help if you had a plan for how you will respond to each. If you’re not ready for the potential backlash, don’t put yourself out there.
9. Think outside the box
You need to think outside the box when it comes to earned media. There are many ways to get coverage that don’t involve traditional methods like pitching reporters or doing interviews.
For example, you can use social media to create shareable content or conduct online surveys that generate publicity. You can also hold contests or giveaways that generate buzz and get people talking about your brand.
There are endless possibilities for earned media, so don’t be afraid to get creative. The more unique and attention-grabbing your approach, the more likely you will succeed.
10. Measure results
You should measure the results of your earned media strategy to see if it is working. How many people are seeing your content? How many people are sharing it? What is the reach of your campaign? These are all important metrics to track. If you don’t see an increase in these metrics, you need to re-evaluate your strategy.
Final thoughts
An earned media strategy is a great way to get more exposure for your brand. While there is no guarantee that you’ll get immediate sales to boost from your campaign, earned media can significantly improve your company’s reputation and customer loyalty.
