Congratulations! You’ve been featured in a news or specialty publication; this is a huge accomplishment. After all, earned media is a key component of a successful integrated digital marketing campaign. But what now? You’ve got the press hit, but the journey is just beginning; now is the time to share your success and spread the news. Amplifying and monetizing your earned media campaign is just as important as the placement itself—arguably more important when considering the visibility boost and longevity that comes with efficiently amplifying PR hits across platforms.
When companies are recognized for their subject-matter expertise (SME), they gain credibility with current clients and prospects. These audience segments obtain their information through various channels— magazines, newsletters, videos, social media, etc.—so amplifying coverage across all platforms is essential to maximizing your company’s reach and building trust across market segments.
Try these PR tactics to promote your media coverage and amplify your brand’s reach after every PR hit.
PR Tactics to Amplify Media Coverage
1. Share the News
If you are aware of the media hit before it is published, try teasing the news with your followers through a post a few days before it goes live. Once it is published, share it on social media. To boost engagement and maximize exposure, use the hit to create owned media—like pull quotes from your CEO, clips from a podcast interview, or images with the key takeaways of the press hit. By creating and sharing owned media from earned media, brands can stretch the impact of each press hit to keep the buzz rolling right into the next one.
2. Amplify with Paid Ads
Including paid social advertisements might seem counterintuitive when your goal is to make money from a hit, but it is an excellent way to spread relevant information to a specific niche in your target audience. Using earned media in paid ads is also a great way to reuse. As you develop and refine your virtual presence, increased awareness of your company and profits will follow.
3. Spread the Wealth
Another fantastic way to expand your audience is by shouting out everyone mentioned in the article when posting about it on social media. This will drive engagement through clicks, likes, and shares and increase visibility as you pool various audiences. By doing so, you will generate buzz about your earned media content and your company itself, thus boosting business and profits.
Related Reading: How to Use PR to Drive More Sales
4. “In the Press”
As you garner more earned media, you might want a place to showcase your hard work and increasing digital presence. Adding a press page on your website to highlight your recent appearances in the news is the perfect place to start! Make sure to keep this section updated as new articles are published to continue building credibility in your industry.
5. Integrate Earned Media into Sales Pitches
Using earned media to enhance your PR and sales pitches is called sales enablement. Earned media is a game changer in sales because it shows third-party credibility to your audience, which, in turn, builds their trust in you. If you’re not sure where to begin, check out our list of 50 sales email templates—from the top to the bottom of the funnel—that show you how to integrate your recent PR hit into your sales pitch every step of the way.
Related Reading: What is Sales-Enabled PR?
6. Repurpose Your Media
For a fresh approach to consumer engagement, try repurposing your B2B content into another form. One fun avenue can be transforming your earned media into a video to promote on social media. A sizzle reel of your article coverage can be the perfect post for your LinkedIn page or a captivating Instagram reel. Drawing potential clients in from the jump with appealing content will establish the crucial impressions needed to make a lasting effect.
7. Find the Highlights
A reliable way to get someone’s attention is by inviting them with a call to action. You can tie this into your content by presenting them with a question only you can answer. Revisit your article and pull out the essential aspects of your argument, then head to LinkedIn. Transform these key points into a question and provide the link to your article as the answer. To close the case, they’ll have to engage with your earned media, increasing your business’s traction and publicity.
Related Reading: 10 Simple Ways to Use SEO to Amplify PR Hits
8. Give Them the Ol’ Razzle Dazzle
Though it may go against one of the fundamental rules parents teach their children, sometimes bragging is in your best interest. Patting yourself on the back for all your professional achievements can benefit your company by increasing client trust and establishing your credibility. For example, you might want to frame and display your media coverage prominently in your office where customers can see it upon their first impression of your brand. Share leadership and employee accomplishments, like community awards or recognition in and out of the workplace. It’s okay to brag a bit to show you are a company comprised of stellar individuals who can help solve your audience’s core pain points.
9. Make Newsletters Your Bestie
Newsletters are a fantastic way to increase engagement and inform your connections of your recent activity in the press, which will drive business while providing the potential for sponsored advertisements. Whether your demographic is clients or employees, highlight the earned media in your upcoming newsletter and give some context. For example, an additional photo or a graph can draw their attention to certain aspects of the topic that can be expanded on from the information provided in the article. Plus, we know that investing in internal branding (creating brand influencers out of employees) increases retention and overall revenue (re-hiring is costly!).
10. Use Influencer Marketing
B2B influencer marketing is dependent on quality content. When you partner with an influencer, they act as a trusted source for your audience. So when that influencer shares an article, podcast, or video clip from a trusted source that highlights your brand, their audience begins to trust you too. Influencer marketing is also a great way to repurpose PR hits and increase the longevity of hits long after the original publication date.
Related Reading: The Rise of B2B Influencer Marketing
Ready to get started? Implementing these marketing strategies will create a solid foundation for impactful PR efforts. Soon you’ll generate buzz and transform a singular press hit into lasting momentum like a pro.
Looking for more ways to increase and leverage your company’s media coverage? Reach out.
