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How to Successfully Generate and Amplify Earned Media for Your Brand

Published

3 years ago

July 2, 2021

Entireweb News Bot

There are three major categories of media coverage that PR teams use to reach and connect with their target audiences:

Owned Media — Content created and published by your brand.

Paid Media — Any ads or media coverage that you have paid to run.

Earned Media — Any unpaid mentions, coverage or content created and published about your brand by others.

Owned and paid media are vital first steps to getting your brand name on the radar, but an earned media strategy is the key to fast and positive growth for your business.

Earned media is often overlooked by marketers. Some may mistake earned media to be out of their hands and disregard it from marketing plans. Small businesses may also struggle to prioritize earned media simply due to bandwidth. Both situations are understandable but can lead to missed opportunities in connecting with audiences, receiving valuable feedback and can even hinder other efforts to spread brand awareness.

Never underestimate the power of earned media.

To help our #SMTLive Twitter chat community polish up on their earned media skills, we hosted a chat on the topic of “Tracking and Measuring Earned Media (on Social Media).” We brought in a team of experts in the field, Agility PR Solutions, to co-host the chat and offer advice and helpful solutions.

The questions we answered:

Why invest in your earned media?
How do you build an earned media strategy?
How do you amplify earned media on social?
What tools and resources can you use to support your earned media strategy?

We’ve pulled a few highlights and takeaways from the Twitter chat to share with you here.

The best way to gain brand awareness is through word-of-mouth. If your product or service is as excellent as you believe it to be, others should pick up on it quickly and will want to recommend it to others. Get your audience talking and others will quickly catch on.

A1 – In addition to awareness, brands gain increased authority and credibility in their industry. It’s one thing to talk about yourself, but when someone else does it for you, that’s a whole different ballgame! ⚾ #SMTLive
— Agility PR Solutions (@AgilityPRS) June 22, 2021

Earned media is trusted. A recent report showed 83% of consumers say they trust digital word-of-mouth more than content produced by advertisers.

Additionally, you can learn a lot from what people are saying about you. Tracking what others are saying about your brand can help you learn more about brand sentiment, help you make informed brand decisions and adjust your marketing strategy, and generally learn more about your audience.

A2: Brands gain visibility from earned media. Tracking and measuring earned media contributes to a greater marketing strategy. #SMTLive
— Pavel Stepanov (@pavelStepanov77) June 22, 2021

A1: Numbers can say a lot and provide necessary information to help make informed decisions on what (or what not) to do for your marketing plan, goals and where to focus your efforts. #SMTLive
— Maria Dehne (@mdehne34) June 22, 2021

Step 1: Set goals.

A3 – Start with your brand’s goals and how PR can help achieve them. This first step will determine your target audience & the outlets/journalists/influencers you’ll want to connect with to successfully reach them. More on this in our free guide: https://t.co/uvIEGATKdg #SMTLive
— Agility PR Solutions (@AgilityPRS) June 22, 2021

Step 2: Define value.

In order to track and monitor your efforts, you will need to define the value of earned media for your business.

A6 2/2 – It’s a lot to explain in 280 characters so we put together a free guide! #SMTLive https://t.co/nulzM6uYTh
— Agility PR Solutions (@AgilityPRS) June 22, 2021

Step 3: Make a plan.

An important focus for earned media plans should be relationship building. Both the who and how you will connect with organizations or individuals should be considered.

In terms of how to reach people and build relationships, try using multiple of the following methods.

A5: Tag relevant people/handles/channels | respond, ask questions and be social within the social media channels to continue building relationships | utilize relevant hashtags on social media posts | #SMTLive
— Maria Dehne (@mdehne34) June 22, 2021

A4: Create high-quality pitches. It should always be value-driven for reporters or outlets you are reaching to. Show them that they will benefit from the content you are sending them. #SMTLive
— VirtuDesk (@virtudeskcom) June 22, 2021
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A4 – Engage respectfully with journalists on social and make sure you follow the reporters and producers in your industry that you may one day want to pitch. #SMTLive
— Agility PR Solutions (@AgilityPRS) June 22, 2021

A4: Aside from pitching, networking is also a good strategy to encourage earned media. Developing relationships important if you want your brand to be mentioned and known. #SMTLive
— Pavel Stepanov (@pavelStepanov77) June 22, 2021

Note: If you have a separate marketing and PR team, this is an initiative that benefits when both teams join forces.

A final thing to keep in mind while planning: make sure your social media presence aligns with your brand and supports your earned media strategy.

A2 – Journalists may look to see what your online presence is like, so keep your social up to date and make sure there’s no major disconnect between what you say about yourself and what others say about you. #SMTLive
— Agility PR Solutions (@AgilityPRS) June 22, 2021

By this point, you’ve put a lot of time and effort into planning. It’s time to act and initiate conversations.

Once people start talking about your business, it would be a shame not to lose that momentum. Use your social media platforms to connect with these people and organizations and amplify your earned media.

A2: Increase the reach of your earned media by sharing it on your social channels! #SMTLive
— Biteable (@biteable) June 22, 2021

A5: don’t be afraid to share it and toot your own horn! ????the key is getting into a good rhythm: for every post championing “you,” offset with a few “selfless” posts that help your audience on their journey. #SMTLive
— studioID (@thestudio_id) June 22, 2021

It’s simple. Share that content!

The only real way to keep track of all these conversations is to invest in a platform that can monitor mentions and conversations for you.

A7 – A cloud-based media monitoring platform that includes all major media types (social, online, broadcast and print) will make tracking your coverage simple and efficient ✅. #SMTLive
— Agility PR Solutions (@AgilityPRS) June 22, 2021
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Earned media can help your business grow tremendously. Although pitching your brand can be intimidating, it’s a skill you will be glad you learned to utilize wherever your career takes you.

For more advice on pitching journalists, Agility PR Solutions put together this guide to help marketing and PR teams in their efforts to generate more earned media. How to Get Journalists to Open, Click, and Love Your Email Pitch.

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

Published

1 month ago

March 18, 2024

Max

Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.