Earned media, aka a third-party story you secure that isn’t part of paid advertising, is an integral component to any integrated communications program. It brings awareness to new and existing audiences, can help drive sales and gives the public insight into what your company can offer them.
But it’s vital to remember that once earned media coverage is generated, its reach can extend far beyond the initial outlet’s audience.
By deploying a few simple strategies to extend the shelf life of owned media coverage and pitches, brands can amplify their messaging and expertise across their shared and owned channels to maximize reach.
Social Media
Whether content is being shared on your brand’s channels or across your employees’ personal networks, social media is one of the most efficient vehicles for sharing relevant media coverage.
Draft content focused on:
- The brand: Turn media coverage into content and share it on your company’s social platforms – specifically Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Not only is it an easy way to highlight company updates and news, but sharing earned media is a great opportunity to further your brand’s credibility. Chances are if an outlet found your story newsworthy, your audience will, too – so use that to your advantage when curating social content.
- The team: Your colleagues are often the strongest advocates for your brand. Having them share earned coverage on their social channels allows them to showcase affinity for the company they represent while also tapping into a wider audience who may not have otherwise been exposed to this content. We have an entire post dedicated to launching a successful employee advocacy program! Don’t underestimate the power of internal brand advocates.
- The leaders: Tapping into your employees’ personal networks is important but getting executive leadership on-board takes any advocacy program to another level. Have your communications team develop pre-written posts for executives to publish when major media placements are secured.
Your Website
Your company’s website should be the place where your audience learns everything they need to know about your brand or organization. This starts by ensuring they can find your website and content.
According to HubSpot, 61% of marketers say improving SEO and growing their organic presence is their top inbound marketing priority. Keeping your website updated and relevant not only keeps your audience informed but also plays a pivotal role in improving SEO.
To strengthen your SEO efforts by leveraging earned media:
- Create a “Newsroom” page on your website to share company press releases and news briefs that outline recent updates and community efforts. The more frequently your website is updated, the more frequently it’s indexed by search engines.
- Don’t stop at press releases. Leverage your online newsroom to share earned media coverage. Linking to stories or articles that appear on a reputable outlet’s website helps boost the credibility of your brand In addition to the anecdotal impact. Moz explains how including external links on your site can help build domain authority and ultimately increase traffic, too.
Owned Content Curation
So, you’ve pitched a topic to media that your company has expertise in. Why stop at media outreach? Use the topics, SMEs and spokespeople you’re pitching to create high-impact, owned content. Remember:
- Blog posts are a great way to extend your media outreach angles. You can delve deeper into the topic, include quotes from your spokesperson and reaffirm your company’s proficiency on the subject. Don’t forget: a frequently updated site is a search engine’s best friend!
- Repurpose, repurpose, repurpose. You spent time developing a strong media angle and you secured excellent coverage – don’t stop now! Use this content to drive email marketing efforts (whether it’s internal or external). Link out to the earned media coverage or related blog post to continue expanding the reach of this content.
Interested in making the most of your earned media efforts through adopting an integrated approach? Reach out to the Franco team to discuss maximizing the reach of your coverage.
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