Earning Media: How to Get Press, Bloggers, and Fans to Talk About Your Brand or Event

Macy Koch| branddrivendigital.com | 2014

BRAND DRIVEN digital

Earning MediaHow to Get Press, Bloggers, and Fans to Talk About Your Brand or Event

Earning Media‣ Current State of Media

‣ Types of Media

‣ How to Gain More Earned Media

‣ Outlets to Keep In Mind

‣ The Path Ahead

1

Current State of Media

Source: baekdal.com/analysis/market-of-information

Local Marketplace

Where We Find Information

Photo via Flickr user Matthew Diamond

Taking A New Direction

Photo via Flickr user jypsygen

Transparency is Key

Photo via Flickr user Jason Howie

Social Is Important

Source: Vocus

Source: Vocus

Source: Vocus

Source: Vocus

Photo via Flickr MookieLuv

No Secret Sauce

“– Regional Business Reporter

“I get ideas from Facebook and Twitter, but I prefer pitches by email with more information. I don’t want a ‘marketing’ pitch that sounds like an ad. In fact, that is usually a turn off. !

I need to be able to quickly figure out if it is a story that will interest my readers. And my readers let me know in the comment section of my stories if they think what I wrote sounds more like an ad than a story. I just want a short, clear press release with some facts so I can see if I want to follow up.”

“– Regional Business Reporter

“I get ideas from Facebook and Twitter, but I prefer pitches by email with more information. I don’t want a ‘marketing’ pitch that sounds like an ad. In fact, that is usually a turn off. !

I need to be able to quickly figure out if it is a story that will interest my readers. And my readers let me know in the comment section of my stories if they think what I wrote sounds more like an ad than a story. I just want a short, clear press release with some facts so I can see if I want to follow up.”

Photo via Flickr umjanedoan

Where We Tell Our Story DOES Matter

2

Types of Media

Owned Media‣ Channel a Brand Controls

!

‣ Website

‣ Blog

‣ Social Networks

Pros‣ Control

‣ Low Cost

‣ Versatility

Cons‣ Company Not Trusted

‣ Takes Time to Scale

‣ No Guarantees

Owned Media‣ Channel a Brand Controls

Paid Media‣ Brand Pays to Leverage a Channel

!

‣ Display Ads

‣ Paid Search

‣ Sponsorships

Pros‣ In-Demand

‣ Immediacy

‣ Control

Cons‣ Clutter

‣ Declining Rates

‣ Poor Credibility

Paid Media‣ Brand Pays to Leverage a Channel

Earned Media‣ Publicity Gained Through Promotions

!

‣ Press

‣ Ratings and Reviews

‣ Buzz or Word-of-Mouth

Pros‣ Most Credible

‣ Transparent

‣ Lives On

Cons‣ No Control

‣ Can Be Negative

‣ Hard to Measure

Earned Media‣ Brand Pays to Leverage a Channel

“– Gini Dietrich, Author of Spin Sucks

“Your livelihood will, in the very near future, depend on how you drive effectiveness, cultivate creative ideas, assess customer needs, build relationships with influencers, develop reach, achieve authenticity, and cut through all the clutter that is out there, competing with you for the same top spot.

3

How To Gain More Earned Media

Photo via Flickr user .reid

EXECUTION:

Campaign vs. On-Going

Ask Yourself‣ Who are we trying to reach?

‣ What is our message?

‣ What do we want them to know or do?

Photo via Flickr user tamburix

Develop Content

Tell A Story‣ Passion - What does your audience care about?

‣ Protagonist - Who is notable or newsworthy?

‣ Antagonist - What is the enemy of your success?

‣ Revelation - What are the twists and turns or surprises?

‣ Transformation - What sets your story apart?

Tips For a Good Story‣ Create a compelling headline

‣ Start a debate

‣ Showcase the good, the bad, and the ugly

‣ Develop a list

‣ Rank something

‣ Review or interview

‣ Educate

‣ Highlight trends

Photo via Flickr user .hillsieboy

Build Relationships

Build Relationships‣ Follow on Social Networks

‣ Engage in Conversation Online and Off

‣ Extend Early or VIP Invitations

Source: Twitter

Awareness Can Take Time

4

Outlets to Keep In Mind

Local‣ Press Outlets - Newton Daily News

‣ Community Outlets - CVB, Chamber of Commerce

‣ Local Organizations - Schools

!

‣ What else?

Regional‣ Press Outlets - Des Moines Register, The Gazette

‣ Event Publications - Juice, Hoopla

‣ Business Publications - Corridor Business Journal, Des

Moines Business Record

‣ Bloggers - Iowa Girl Eats, Words of Williams

‣ Industry/Topic Specific Digests - Iowa Cultural

Corridor, Lift Iowa

National‣ HARO

‣ Help a Reporter Out

Source: Flickr user Jimmedia

SELLING YOUR STORY:

A Job for Everyone

5

The Path Ahead

“– lee clow, chairman and global director, tbwa\worldwide

“The Reality of the New Media World is that if your brand does not have a belief, if it does not have a soul and does not correctly architect its messages everywhere it touches consumers, it can become irrelevant. It can be ignored, or even become a focal point for online contempt.”

Photo via Flickr user Cloudberry Communications

Learn to Love PR

Photo via Flickr user .reid

LONG RUN:

Good PR Takes Time

Working Together: Valle Drive-In

‣ What Story Can They Tell?

‣ How Could They Tell a Better Story?

‣ Who Would They Want to Reach Out To?

nick westergaard | branddrivendigital.com | summer–fall 2013

BRAND DRIVEN digital

Macy Koch | branddrivendigital.com 2014

BRAND DRIVEN digital

Questions?blog: branddrivendigital.com twitter: @macykoch