This blog was updated March 30, 2020 to include new resource links.
Media coverage takes many forms. It could be feature article secured in national business press, a product review in an IT trade outlet, commentary drafted by your team and included in a local business journal or a variety of other pieces published by a publication outside of your organization.
Regardless of the medium, there’s nothing quite like media coverage and the feeling you get when opening a glossy magazine to see your CEOs commentary or clicking a link to find your brand name surrounded by favorable remarks. But that feeling of satisfaction, and even sometimes pride, doesn’t just fall in your lap — a lot of work goes into securing quality media coverage and that in itself gives brands an incentive to make media coverage live longer than just that first click or page turn.
If you think media coverage is a one-and-done type deal, we’re here to help change your mind. Coverage can — and should! — be used in owned and paid promotion, as well as in sales content and relationship building. If you’re not leveraging media coverage in other ways after it runs, you’re missing out on a valuable marketing and sales tool that shows third-party credibility.
Tips for Getting Additional Value from Media Coverage
Ready to get started? Here are a few easy ways you can get additional value from the earned media coverage secured by your PR team:
Tip #1: Share It as Social Media Content
All media coverage should be appropriately shared through your company’s and leadership team’s social media channels. It’s important, however, to keep the strengths of each platform in mind. For example: Twitter’s public nature and popularity among journalists makes it a great platform for sharing a trackable link to coverage, allowing you to measure how many people click, and tagging the editor’s handle to show your appreciation.
Tip #2: Showcase It as a Blog Roundup
One area companies often forget is the value of repurposing media coverage through their corporate blog. Creating coverage roundup blog posts not only revisits positive coverage, but promotion of the blog can mean readers who may have missed your coverage the first time around will have another chance to read. These coverage roundup blog posts should outline between one and three pieces of coverage – aim to this type of post once per month.
Tip #3: Leverage It for Sales Prospect Follow-ups
Earned media coverage is a strong follow-up touchpoint for your sales team. Articles by third-party sources show credibility for the brand, validation of the product and builds trust in the executive team. If there is a target your sales team hasn’t touched in awhile, this press coverage may give them just the leverage they need to do so along with providing valuable information.
Looking for more? Download our new ebook, “A Short Guide to Maximizing Your Media Coverage” for more ideas for how to extend the impact long after it runs.
