Why Media Coverage is So Important For Businesses
Have you ever wondered why some companies dominate the market while others struggle to barely make a splash?
Oftentimes, it boils down to media coverage.
We're living in a digital age, where information is always readily available.
With a few clicks, we have the answers to our questions, solutions to our problems, entertainment to fight our boredom.
Because of this, businesses are constantly searching for new ways to stand out and capture their target audiences' attention.
Think about it for a second, when was the last time you found a new product/service, without hearing about it from somewhere else?
Whether it's a social post, advertisement, or media feature, the more exposure a brand gets (and for good reason), the better the business outcomes.
As a leader in press release distribution, we know firsthand how important positive media coverage is for brands and in this blog post, we'll explore:
- Types of media coverage
- Power of positivity
- Strategies to earn media coverage
Types Of Media Coverage
Earned Media – This is third-party media attention about a business’s products or services that aren’t paid for by that business. In other words, it’s publicity. Earned media exposure can take the form of anything from local news outlets or a TV/radio station mention - to national or international press coverage, blog mentions, and even a topic on a podcast. Earned media is a powerful tool because it can influence people about what a company does and what it provides and can positively affect the success of a business.
Paid Media – This includes any marketing tactics a company pays for, such as social media ads and Google AdWords. The benefits of paid media include strategic targeting options, increased website traffic and awareness, and in the best-case scenario, sales.
Owned Media – This describes the content that a brand creates. Some examples include blog posts, brochures, email marketing campaigns, newsletters, and press releases.
Check out our blog post, What is Earned Media, Owned Media and Paid Media? for more information!
When It Comes to Media Coverage, Think Positive
While there’s the saying, “any publicity is good publicity.” We disagree.
Negative publicity creates a cascade of problems for organizations if not handled properly.
You want to avoid it at all costs. A shared goal among PR professionals is keeping the brand they represent in a positive light.
That’s why you must create a plan that showcases your brand in a positive light to not only increase awareness of your organization but also build credibility in your industry too.
When this happens, you open your organization to thought leadership opportunities that further strengthen your audience’s trust in your brand and the products/services you sell.
4 Tips for Earning Media Coverage
Now that we've covered what media coverage is and why it matters, as a leader in press release distribution, we’re familiar with earned media. After all, it’s a primary goal of our efforts.
So, let’s discuss some strategies for earning media mentions for your brand.
Consistently distribute press releases.
Press releases are authoritative pieces of content, and the more you share, the better your odds are of improving your search rankings and capturing the attention of your target audience and the media.
Successful press releases start with a newsworthy angle, and our blog post offers five tips you can use today.
NOTE: Explore our press release distribution options to find the right channel for your news.
Pay attention to trends.
Begin every workday by reading online content related to your company's industry.
What kinds of stories are getting attention?
What are journalists, media outlets, industry publications, and freelancers covering?
Finding what topics are trending early on will help you create content that attracts media interest.
Perfect your media pitches.
Customized media pitches are the bridge that connects your brand with your target audience by way of the media. Our blog post, Pitch Perfect: Media Pitching Basics and Best Practices covers everything you need to know about crafting media pitches that lead to media coverage.
Add an online media room to your company’s website.
One of the biggest favors you can do for your business is to create a page that highlights your company’s best news.
Fresh website content boosts search ranking and gives the media new ideas to write about.
If you're a public company or planning to go public, having a newsroom can help attract investors and shareholders.
At ACCESSWIRE, we offer an Online Media Room product that’ll help you promote your brand like never before.
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