It's also important to understand the mechanics of targeting. For less than it costs to send a release over a major wire service, you can announce news on your brand page and promote it as a sponsored post that hits the newsfeeds of journalists and your customer audience.
Related: A 5-Step Checklist to Maximize Press Coverage for Your Business
2. Package information as consumable, sharable content.
Did media ignore your soft-news story? Repackage it as content that your customers can enjoy and share on social networks.
Facebook's newsfeed favors individual updates versus those on brand pages. Information that's useful, interesting or entertaining to friends, family and colleagues is the order of the day. Craft a topic that resonates, work a little organic and paid promotion magic, and you'll be well on your way to achieving your campaign goals.
It's also important to reach people where they consume information. Increasingly, that's on mobile devices. Facebook Instant Articles and Google AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) speed article load times and improve the user experience. While these tools are designed for publishers, Facebook's solution can be used by brands as well. So can Apple News and other apps.
Related: The Dominance of Mobile Marketing Is Complete
3. Tap the power of influencer marketing.
Networks can help with distribution, but they don't buy the validation that comes with earned media coverage. The power of influencer marketing can help you gain all-important social proof while you find another route to market.
Influencer marketing can work alongside other forms of paid and organic promotion and distribution. First, identify who is not only important in your space but also big on the network you're targeting. Then court these power users and encourage them to share your information with their followers. You can offer a variety of incentives for them to participate. Some accept payment or free products -- though you'll need to be careful about FTC rules that require disclosure. Others are happy to share positive reviews and mentions, gratis.
4. Pay for that article.
PR used to draw the line at paid opportunities, but some are worth the price. It seems more agencies and client-side teams are considering the merits of paying for article placement. Before you decide if this is the right tactic for you, examine variables such as reach, audience and the value of the publication's own brand.
5. Don't forget traditional media.
Bring traditional media into your strategy by engaging them when it makes sense. To get the greatest leverage, make sure you understand different media outlets' news appetites. When you have hard news, hit them hard. It's icing on the cake to get covered by media outlets that also publish on social networks or are picked up by news apps. Some journalists are multi-platform influencers in their own right, with strong personal brands and a vocal presence across a range of networks.
Related: A Well-Known Tech Watchdog Dishes on the Writing Beat
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