When it comes to establishing name recognition and thought leadership for your brand, earned media coverage is one of the most powerful assets available to you—but, do you know how to get started?
What is Earned Media Coverage?
Earned media is when a company gains awareness and publicity from media outlets. Examples include media placements, news articles, social media mentions, interviews, reviews, and more! Earned media covers a vast landscape of any publicity that is earned, rather than paid, like advertising.
Assemble Your PR Toolkit
While navigating the ever-evolving news media landscape can feel like a steep climb, make sure you pack these essential tools to best prepare to reach your PR end goal:
1. Updated media lists
Getting good media coverage starts with knowing precisely where to send your news and who to send it to. Build a comprehensive list of local media outlets that cover your region and trade media outlets that cover your industry, and know which reporters at these outlets write most often about topics relevant to your areas of expertise.
Once you’ve built these lists, be sure to update them regularly! Media contacts change frequently, so it’s best to re-check your lists every time you prepare to send out news or a pitch.
- TOOLKIT TIP: Google News Alerts are a simple and free way to monitor relevant news topics.
2. One prepared spokesperson
If the media know they can trust your organization to provide a reliable source when needed, they’ll come back to you again and again. Have at least one spokesperson for your brand who is readily available and prepared to respond to media requests, whether to answer questions about your company or to offer an expert’s perspective on a current news story.
You may have multiple subject matter experts on your team, but make sure everyone knows your internal policies and procedures for speaking to the media and that all media requests are circulated through one point of contact.
3. Approved Company Boilerplate and Key Messages
A boilerplate is a succinct, one-paragraph description that gives the media a snapshot overview of your company. It should be included at the bottom of every press communication and updated at least once a year.
Key messages are strategic statements that communicate the most important pieces of information you want your audiences to know about your organization. You may have general key messages that are always relevant, and also prepare separate key messages for a specific announcement or situation for which you are currently dealing.
- TOOLKIT TIP: Having these prepared and approved in advance will help keep you on-message in media interviews.
4. A list of Relevant Award Opportunities with Deadlines
A relatively easy and effective way to build awareness and a positive reputation for your brand is by submitting your company and your leaders for award opportunities. Document your team’s successes, milestones, and contributions in your industry and community, and keep an updated list of local and trade awards, organized by deadline.
Securing well-deserved wins doesn’t just spread goodwill among your staff and give you a reason to celebrate; many of them come with featured editorial coverage.
5. A Calendar of Events for Speaking, Outreach, and Press
Just like with awards, being visible at key industry and community events is a great way to generate positive PR for your company and your thought leaders. Know when your most important events open their call for speakers (it can sometimes be as long as a year in advance), and know which industry events attract trade media and podcasters.
- TOOLKIT TIP: For B2B businesses, you may want to time major announcements and product releases around trade shows.
the end goal
With your essential PR toolkit packed, you’re now prepared to embark on a successful earned media campaign! Securing earned media coverage requires time, research, and persistence, and results don’t always come instantly. Set yourself up for success by being proactive and reaching out to the media whenever you have news to announce or expert insight to share in response to a breaking news story. And be prepared to react quickly if and when the media reach out to you with an opportunity. The more helpful you are with each interview, the more likely the media is to come back to you in the future.
In the meantime, keep your brand top-of-mind by pursuing awards for your star team members, speaking roles for your experts, and sharing content through your partner’s channels. Your ultimate goal is to maintain a consistent presence of positive coverage throughout the year, thereby raising overall awareness for your brand and building a positive reputation in your target audience’s minds.
If you need more guidance on your journey, the D&A PR team is here to manage all aspects of your PR to ensure people are talking about your brand – and saying the right things.