Boost your blog with some good old-fashioned media relations
It’s amazing the things you can learn at the hair salon. I was there a few weeks ago and had a chance to talk to one of the owners about social media. Jed’s active on Twitter and blogs regularly. He started his blog around the same time I started mine so we often compare notes and encourage one another. It seems that when I’m feeling discouraged about blogging he’s upbeat and vice versa, so it works out well.
Jed told me about the boost his blog got after he made an appearance on Breakfast TV. The number of visitors increased 10-fold over the course of the day. His results demonstrate how an individual’s social media efforts can be enhanced by some good old-fashioned media relations.
Jed got the gig on Breakfast TV because he and his partner have built a strong relationship with the show. Their approach is absolutely the best way to get media attention on an ongoing basis. I know Jed and Tony have worked really hard at both building and nurturing these relationships. It also helps that they’re both talented guys, offering a terrific service.
If you’re a blogger, or own a business and want to raise its profile with media, take a page from Jed and Tony: Offer a superior product and get to know the media that matter.
It’s also helpful to understand what’s newsworthy in the minds of the media. Appreciating the inner workings of the newsroom will minimize the frustration of trying to sell a story that simply isn’t news.
Here are 5 things that will increase the odds of getting coverage when developing a media relations program:
1. Timeliness
Breaking news, or immediate information about something that just happened and that matters to a defined audience, dominates print and broadcast coverage for as long as the story is relevant. Make your product or service pertinent to this news and ride its coattails. You can also look at what media talk about at particular times of the year – relate your story to New Year’s resolutions, Valentine’s Day, summer vacations, Thanksgiving or the holiday season for example.
2. Proximity
Most media are interested in stories with a local angle. National news outlets typically cover events across the country. But local media follow announcements from their geographic area. If you’re in Toronto it can be tough to get media attention in Vancouver. But if you can find a local spokesperson, or relate your story to the west coast market, problem solved.
3. Eminence and prominence
Some individuals are newsworthy because of their status in society. Add a celebrity spokesperson to the mix and you just might make the news. Be careful though, there’s a downside. A celebrity can over-shadow and take the spotlight off YOU.
4. Consequence and impact
The more people affected by an announcement the bigger the story. That’s why financial results of large, public companies dominate the business pages. They’ve got large numbers of shareholders and others who are affected by the results. Try relating your story to an important trend that impacts society and you’ll have a more effective media pitch.
5. Human interest
You can make a story more interesting by emphasizing personal elements. People like to read about and learn from others. The individuals who built a successful organization and the challenges they’ve overcome makes an appealing story for the business pages of a newspaper or magazine.
Of course, there are other factors that affect the news such as news holes (slow news days when the media are looking for stories to fill their space), the editorial slant of a publication and competition between media (media may be more inclined to cover your story if you offer an ‘exclusive’).
Have you boosted your blog with media coverage? How did you do it? Are there additional tips you’d recommend to others?
