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One of our primary objectives as publicists is to secure consistent, relevant media coverage about our clients. The goal is to increase awareness about their brand. But how is that awareness achieved if no one reads the articles we place?
We hear often about the changing media landscape that includes:
- The proliferation of new, online-only media outlets.
- The shift of traditional media from print to online.
- A 24-hour news cycle.
The sheer volume of content published hourly means the feature article secured for you—the one about applications for blockchain technology in supply chain management—is quickly buried by several others just like it.
As journalists adapt to changes in their industry, PR agencies are adapting as well. One way we are doing that at Idea Grove is by aligning more with our digital marketing counterparts.
If you write it, they will read.
Idea Grove’s president Scott Baradell recently sat down with Iliyana Stareva, author of Inbound PR. They discussed why PR agencies should take an inbound approach to media relations. While inbound marketing uses content to draw prospects into a company’s website, inbound PR can do the same with secured media coverage. It can also draw reporters in. This approach changes the way we conduct media outreach and the way we report on results.
I encourage you to watch the interview to learn more, but there are several ways inbound PR can help get more eyes on your coverage. One example is through an online newsroom to showcase articles about your brand. This can help ensure prospects are seeing the media coverage secured—and that you get to capitalize on the credibility it brings. And it's a place where journalists can conduct research for future articles.
Running an ad helps, too.
Stareva’s book also references Gini Dietrich’s PESO model, which integrates paid, earned, shared and owned media. While PR has traditionally focused on the earned component, we should be using all forms of media to get our message in front of the right audience. In addition to posting media coverage in an online news room, we should be sharing it across every channel.
This includes sharing coverage on social media. Many agencies have already adopted this practice but could be doing more. Why not leverage an employee advocacy program to further promote the earned articles? Or tap into the paid element of PESO and promote the social posts you’re already sharing about the coverage? Better yet, you could layer in an account-based marketing strategy. Run geo-targeted ads to ensure the most important prospects see the article.
As the lines continue to blur between public relations and digital marketing, our strategies and roles will continue to merge. To get the full value out of earned media, a creative and integrated approach to media relations is necessary. It's the only way to make sure the right people are reading about you.
2 min read
