Top Tips : Integrating Press and Media Relations into your Digital Marketing Strategy
Andrew Forbes is our PR and branding specialist. He has a wealth of experience in media and marketing and boasts an entrepreneurial career that spans a variety of sectors including wellness, lifestyle, luxury and travel.
Reaching your potential clients may seem easier than ever before, thanks to social media, and the web. Yet maximising your marketing and communications efforts through these media is really only truly possible when you add Public Relations into the mix.
Read on to discover some of the key ways in which Andrew suggests using PR to amplify your online results and improve your online reputation.
The Benefits
Gaining exposure through coverage through independent journalists is a powerful means to drive forward your business.
PR is sometimes said to be hard to measure, that the truth is that it delivers some significant benefits. Your goal maybe some powerful links to your business, but editorial offers so much more.
Authority & Credibility
Inclusion in a feature or article by an independent journalist is hugely valuable. It will change the way you, your business, product or service is perceived. It’s the best form of endorsement and is far more valuable than advertising when it comes to creating credibility. Your online marketing activities will drive leads and sales, but the Public Relations sets the scene, conveying authority.
Trust
Your audience are far more likely to respond to your marketing and in turn purchase, if they trust you. Editorial coverage creates trust. Even the most unsophisticated businesses are mastering social media and online marketing. So how do consumers choose? They look for someone or something they can trust.
Recognition
Stand out from the competition by getting recognised for the quality of your business, brand product and/or service. Being featured in the media puts you among the leaders in the eyes of readers. Of course, you might be nervous to allow your business to be written about by someone else, but it is so worth it!
Positive Reputation
Public Relations is not about making a sale. It is about crafting and communicating a positive image. This maximises the impact of your marketing and has a lasting value, especially in this day and age of complex reputation management where there are a multitude of online platforms where consumers can share their experiences
Winning Team
An enhanced reputation, image and credibility also makes recruiting the best people in you field a whole lot easier. The best candidates will seek you out. Your business will be driven forward by motivated people that share your brand values.
The Tools
So, how do you go about achieving success with coverage in national media, targeted trade publications and niche consumer press?
Use Professionals
Well, the short answer is of course to outsource to the pros. Use an agency or media expert to help craft your positioning and communicate on your behalf. This saves you significant time as the professionals already have the contacts, experience in how to best convey your story and how to get your coverage. This leaves you time to focus on your business and what you excel at.
Yet there are also many things you can do yourself to get started with PR and make it part of your marketing activity.
Introduce Yourself
PR & Media is much more than writing a news release and firing it off. It comes down to relationships – people. So, if you want to get noticed start with introducing yourself to journalists.
Identify the press you really want to be included in Is it a niche title? Or is it a specific section of a newspaper? Find out who is the editor; who are the regular contributors? Follow them online, contribute to their tweets or social media posts. Build up an online rapport.
Personalise Communications
Armed with your targeted list, you can personalise your news releases. Once you see the themes and style of their work, you can align your communications with their focus and tailor your message to appeal to them.
Customer Stories
For many business sectors, having a genuine case study or client story is extremely attractive for the press, especially if you client is willing to be interviewed by the journalist so that the story angle is unique.
Compelling photography
Commissioning original and authentic photography will really help your media relations sing. Often a great picture is enough to capture the attention of a journalist. Make sure the photography isn’t too salesy. If you’re promoting a hotel or event space, for example show it in use, with people that reflect your brand values. If it is a product show it in context. Reflect current themes, seasons, fashions – make the photography relevant to now.
Press Trips
For maximum effectiveness in PR, adopting a campaign approach is much more compelling compared to simply sending out news releases. Depending upon your sector, press trips, where you invite targeted journalist to experience your product or service can be highly effective. For destinations or businesses in hospitality the approach is obvious, but all types of business that adopt this style. You have a product? Unveil it in a captivating destination. Or invite writers to your businesses but add value to the experience for journalists, so they can enjoy the experience and also get to know you.
Reviews
Product or service reviews work in similar ways. Of course, there is always a risk involved with media relations. But if you have confidence in what you are offering, then convey that by inviting reviews.
Provide Research
Journalists are always looking for fresh angles and story ideas. So, if you want to be considered a thought leader, commission research about your industry sector. The findings can be shared with your targeted press list and you will be credited with the source, positioning you as an expert.
Comment
Getting quotes is another great way to get into the press. Follow product service or sector themes and conversations on Twitter and within specialists’ groups on platforms like LinkedIn. Add a comment, showing you knowledge and expertise.
Reap Rewards
With each piece of coverage, you appear in, you create powerful and value links to your business, maximising your profile and the success of your sales and marketing activity.
Publicise your success in PR on your website. Provide links to your articles on your home page, to enhance your profile
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