As a business owner, one of the best things you can do for your business is to get the word out. Media coverage can be a good way to let others know you’re ready and willing to provide a product or service. It’s an inexpensive form of marketing, and it can have good results.
Whether you’re looking for online media coverage or more traditional coverage, there are a few things you can do to increase the chances that journalists and bloggers will pay attention.
1. Send Press Releases
The media can’t cover what it doesn’t know about. Sending a press release can help you raise some interest in your business. However, you can’t just send a press release for no reason, or it will be ignored.
When crafting a press release, it’s important to illustrate what’s newsworthy about your business. Are you opening a new store? Did you just add a big name to your board of directors? Have you changed the way you do something?
You need to focus on something about your business that is new and noteworthy, or that changes the game a little bit, and send a press release on that. You are more likely to get media coverage that way. You can find press release templates to help you craft the right press release.
2. Set Up a Press Page
Don’t forget to set up a press page or an about page. This page should include news about your business, and it should also provide contact information so that bloggers and journalists can get a hold of you easily. If you want media coverage, you need to make it easy for others to find you.
Include an “About” section to share a brief history of your business and a basic idea who the key players on your team are. Having this information readily available makes the media’s job easier.
3. Social Media Strategy
You need a social media strategy if you want media coverage. This includes a coordinated stategy that takes into account your industry. You can’t just share random things on Instagram and Facebook. Make insightful comments and position yourself as a thought leader.
Don’t forget to tweak your LinkedIn profile to present a more professional image that sets you apart as a thought leader. You can optimize your posts with keywords that raise your profile in the industry and make you look like an expert.
4. Use HARO to Answer Requests
One of the best tools available to you is HARO. Media types use HARO to find sources for stories, and you can be one of those. HARO is a great way to boost your visibility and connect with media. I was recently included in a Wall Street Journal article because I answered a HARO request.
A quick, relevant response to a HARO query can lead to media coverage that can increase your credibility and get the word about who you are and what you do.
Media coverage isn’t always easy to get, but you can increase the chances that you will receive attention if you take a few minutes to adjust your approach.
