As a PR agency, we all know the hard work that goes behind landing good press coverage for a client. Whether it’s an industry accolade or a write-up in a publication, we work extremely hard to get the attention of journalists. Unfortunately, hard-earned media coverage doesn’t last forever. Thanks to the speed and availability of communication, a great news story is quickly forgotten by tomorrow, magazines are replaced with new editions, and even online mentions can quickly be lost in the shuffle.
An article on CBS News suggests “four ways to up the value of hard-earned publicity” and after reading over the tips, I was intrigued by how these suggestions can be incorporated into other marketing initiatives. Instead of letting good press coverage “speak for itself and then fade away,” extending the life of a great mention can add value to your PR efforts. I’ll sum up the tips of the article and share some of the things we do at KG to broaden good media coverage.
1. Share online –This can be as simple as posting the link to your company’s social media sites. Be wary of being overly promotional; no one likes to see the same mention retweeted every five minutes. Also, share the news with employees – they are proud of their company and could pass along the great coverage to their stream of followers. When one of our clients receives a great mention, we make sure to share the story with our followers, as well.
The article noted it’s a good idea to have a news page on the company website that should always stay current. We help our clients stay on top of all their media coverage by utilizing tools, such as Google Alerts, and chronicle every media mention they receive for future reference. Linking back to an article is a great way to build SEO, and a news page can serve as an archive for all company media mentions.
2. Customized packaging – In an effort to spread good press coverage beyond its original scope, we should try to include it in all forms of communication. The author suggests placing stickers on company’s outbound packages promoting quotes, such as “Gizome Guide Weekly says there’s a ‘really clever product’ in this box.” This is a creative way to incorporate press coverage into other marketing initiatives – like packaging. According to the article, think of “every box you ship out as a little messenger going out to the world to speak for your product and company.”
3. Display it in-store – Positive media coverage, like awards and certifications, adds immense credibility to your company. The article suggests displaying media coverage at physical retail stores and service locations—just as you would an award and certificate.
To avoid overcrowding, don’t include every media mention you have received. Instead, keep it simple and stick to the articles you are really proud of, then strive to update it often.
4. Spread the word – When a client receives a great review from an industry analyst or they win an award, we like to spread the word by passing it along to our media contacts. A company can help pass along the news by “including it in mundane communication,” such as online and print newsletters. Including industry awards in email signatures makes for a nice touch, but it might be a bit much to include a quote from a media mention—remember to keep it simple.
Before proceeding, remember to follow the proper rules of redistribution by always quoting your sources and follow any guidelines the publication may have on reproduction.
I thought these were some creative ways to keep press coverage sizzling—after all, we work extremely hard to land that coverage. Tips one and four are essential to us, but it’s definitely worth a try to suggest tips two and three to our clients. What do you do to up the value of earned media coverage? We love hearing new ideas.
