Think of managing a business like writing a book: you could create a masterpiece, but without publishing it, all you have is missed potential. Spreading the word and making your brand visible are similar. Just as publishing is crucial for sharing a book’s content, obtaining press coverage is equally vital for raising awareness about your brand and its offerings. However, launching a PR campaign is one thing; ensuring it gets sufficient press coverage is quite another. This article provides seven tips to increase your press release coverage without breaking the bank.
Importance of Increasing Press Coverage
Securing press coverage from top-tier publishers is more challenging than ever. According to recent data, 43% of top-rated publishers receive between five and 50 pitches per week, while 57% receive between 50 and 500 pitches weekly. With such a high volume of pitches vying for attention, it’s crucial to develop a well-crafted and targeted message that stands out from the crowd to get press coverage. By understanding the competitive landscape, you can refine your PR strategy and increase your chances of success when reaching out to influential publishers.
Tips to Increase Press Coverage for Your Brand
Getting press coverage sounds easy on paper, but in reality, getting the attention of a third party is hard work. So here are some tips on how to do so more effectively.
1. Leverage Social Media
To get free publicity from the media, you need to get their attention first. There is no better way than social media since 92% of marketers use it. This proactive strategy involves developing engaging content, investing in brand identity, and creating buzz around your business to get on the radar of journalists.
2. Pitch Yourself to a Third Party
In addition to making it easier for a journalist or influencer to discover you on social media, you can also be proactive in reaching out. Media outlets can’t cover what they don’t know, so it’s imperative to go out of your way to spark an interest. Send relevant press releases, message influencers to partner with them, and pitch your stories to a media outlet.
Start by researching influencers, bloggers, and journalists in your industry. Next, identify those who will be a good fit for your brand and pitch your brand or stories to them. Reaching out to these third parties can increase your exposure and is more effective than waiting for them to find you.
Also, note that media coverage doesn’t have to be a press release or story. You can send your product to influencers or bloggers in exchange for an honest review on their platforms.
3. Don’t Be Reluctant to Follow Up
You might not always receive a response after pitching to a journalist or influencer, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on the lead. On the contrary, to increase the chances of your pitch being noticed and securing a collaboration, we recommend following up on your pitch. A friendly reminder of the relevance and timeliness of your pitch to that journalist and/or their publication can make a significant difference in getting a response and moving forward with your PR efforts.
4. Use Services like ‘Help a Reporter Out’ (HARO)
Another way to get press coverage is by using services like Help a Reporter Out (HARO), where journalists can find leads for good stories. Brands can leverage this platform by answering relevant queries from journalists and pitching their press releases/stories to them. If a journalist likes your answer, your company will get a mention/backlink, thus increasing your brand awareness.
5. Bring Value to Your Community
One of the best ways to get publicity is by piggybacking on strategies likely to catch people’s attention. An excellent approach is to bring value to your community by supporting charitable causes and spreading awareness about relevant social causes. When you connect to a cause larger than your brand, you can find a better story angle for your press coverage.
6. Focus on Building Relationships
Spending massively on campaigns isn’t necessarily the best way to increase press coverage; instead, it’s building solid relationships with people. So be sure to foster strong relationships with your customers, employees, and journalists. You’ll have more success pitching stories to journalists with whom you’ve already established a rapport. Instead of waiting until you need press coverage, start forming strategic relationships with journalists early on. Engage with brands of interest on social media, appreciate their work, and leave insightful comments on their posts. Likes and shares are good, but meaningful comments get better attention. Again it all works together to increase brand awareness which makes you more newsworthy.
7. Hire PR Professionals
Brands can decide to devote a large chunk of their time to getting press coverage or work with a PR agency to do the work for them. We recommend the latter because agencies usually have leads and connections with popular media houses. This makes it easier for them to help your brand obtain favorable press coverage.
Work With a PR Expert to Increase Press Coverage
Press coverage is crucial for every organization, especially small businesses without the budget to launch grand campaigns. At RPR firm, we specialize in helping small businesses increase their press coverage by boosting brand awareness and improving their reputation. Want to know how our PR specialists can help you increase your press coverage? Then, schedule a free consultation with us today!