What Are the Best Earned Media Strategies?

Fit into Existing Media Narratives

I have a strategy called “fit the narrative.” Instead of just pitching your brands or SMEs based on what they do, I find it best to connect with media based on the beats or stories they are already covering and find a way to fit into the conversation they are already having.

I have produced earned press in magazines such as ELLE by researching what they cover and fitting my client into that particular editorial or conversation.

Engage with Journalist Pitches

One of the most effective strategies we’ve implemented is actively engaging with journalist pitches. By responding to these pitches, we have been able to showcase our expertise and contribute valuable insights to the industry.

This approach allows us to share our knowledge and educate a wider audience without the need for paid features or guest blogs. It’s a win-win situation as we can create more content and reach more people with our message.

Stay Visible On and Offline

In terms of earned media, we reach out to reporters through HARO and its alternatives. Furthermore, I try to stay in the public eye by lecturing on tech-related events, where I also get publicity from.

In addition, website owners reach out to me for interviews on emerging technologies and trends. If I have to name one strategy to earn media exposure, it’s to make yourself visible online and offline.

Encourage Employee Advocacy and Distribution

Earlier, we were only using the conventional way for the distribution of our content and that is to use only social media platforms for publicity and marketing. Then we got to understand that you need not restrict your choice of channels for distributing material to only social media.

You can ask your staff to share the content you publish in your newsletter. They also have their circle, which might be able to help in one way or another. For that, you can use an employee advocacy approach to reach out to those who are already strong supporters of your business and make this easy for you.

You can also consider your staff as an additional form of ambassador for the brand and a tool for clients to establish a personal connection with your business. This has helped me and my business to earn sufficient views and recognition.

Produce High-Quality Content

One effective strategy for earning media mentions is to focus on creating compelling and shareable content.

By consistently producing high-quality and engaging content such as blog posts, videos, infographics, or case studies, businesses can attract the attention of journalists, bloggers, and influencers in their industry. These individuals may find the content valuable and relevant to their audience, leading them to write about or share it on their platforms.

Speak on a Relevant Podcast

Podcasts have proven to be a valuable form of earned media, particularly attuned to my temperament. By being a guest on podcasts, I have showcased expertise, shared valuable insights, and increased brand visibility.

Additionally, podcasts allow for authentic storytelling and a personal connection with listeners, creating a powerful platform for building trust and credibility with a target industry audience.

Guest Blog and Collaborate

One strategy that has been incredibly successful for my business in terms of earned media is collaborating with other authorities through guest blogging opportunities.

By partnering with experts and sharing valuable content on their platforms, we have been able to reach a wider audience and establish ourselves as a trusted resource. This strategy of guest blogging has proven to be an effective way to earn media mentions and expand our reach.

Leverage Original Research

Statistics pieces with original research have been a great method for getting earned media. Original statistics pieces are quickly picked up by journalists who want newsworthy content. This method just got 20 media mentions for my coffee website!

To do so, we polled 3,000 people on coffee consumption habits. We made it more interesting by segmenting data by state, which encourages local publications to write about the data for their respective region.

The key is to identify a topic with broad appeal yet unique insights. You can even do this for free by aggregating data from different agencies in your niche or comparing differences of a popular product across regions or countries. This method works well, although an original survey is more effective.

Lastly, use an infographic to make it easier to share!

Create Shareable Content

One important strategy is to concentrate on producing outstanding and shareable content. By creating high-quality content that connects with your target audience, you enhance the likelihood that your material will be shared and picked up by media outlets and influencers.

This can be accomplished by engaging audiences through appealing storytelling, original viewpoints, or by tackling popular trends and subjects. The reach of your material can also be expanded by utilizing social media platforms and actively connecting with your audience, which increases the possibility that bloggers or journalists will become aware of it.

Delivering relevant and shareable content regularly can help you build credibility and position yourself as a go-to source for industry insights, which will increase the visibility of your brand and gain media mentions.

Utilize Influencer Partnerships

Influencer partnerships have been a key strategy for our business to secure earned media. We have sought collaborations with influencers who align with our brand values and have a strong connection with our target audience.

Through product placements, reviews, and collaborations on unique content, we’ve managed to tap into their audience base and create buzz around our brand. This strategy has earned us numerous media mentions and significantly increased our brand visibility.

Establish Healthy Media Relations

Focusing on creating quality content and establishing healthy relationships with essential media outlets has been one of the most successful strategies for our business to earn media.

For this purpose, we have created good quality content that is timely and multimedia, including ebooks on the latest trends in the market, webinars on recent topics, and unique perspective white papers. In addition to this, we build healthy relationships with the most famous media outlets through our influencers and experts in the market and through our PR team.

Forge Strategic Industry Partnerships

By collaborating with influential industry leaders, reputable organizations, and prominent media outlets, we have leveraged their existing networks and credibility to generate widespread media coverage.

This strategy involves identifying key players in our industry whose values align with ours and forging mutually beneficial relationships. We offer value to these partners through guest contributions, expert interviews, and joint initiatives that showcase our expertise and thought leadership.

As a result, our brand and business have been featured in various media outlets, including online publications, podcasts, and industry-specific forums. The earned media mentions have increased our visibility and brand recognition and established us as a trusted authority in our field.

Offer Valuable Insights

As a startup CEO, our most successful strategy has been to provide timely and valuable insights to journalists in our industry. We carefully monitor Terkel queries related to our niche and promptly respond with well-researched and concise answers that showcase our expertise.

By delivering unique perspectives, data-backed analysis, and actionable tips, we position ourselves as a go-to source for journalists seeking reliable information. This approach has garnered positive attention, resulting in numerous earned media mentions in reputable publications.

Through Terkel, we’ve successfully established ourselves as a credible industry authority, leading to increased visibility, brand recognition, and opportunities for business growth.

Publish Solution-Focused Content

In my company, the most effective strategy that generated significant earned media was the release of a promotional report, which served as a potent lead magnet.

This report was meticulously designed to address the pressing challenges faced by our target audience and presented effective solutions to those issues. This resource not only captured the attention of our target demographic but also attracted extensive attention from the broader media, generating unsolicited coverage and thereby bolstering our company’s visibility and credibility.

The success of this initiative is a testament to the power of valuable, solution-focused content in engaging audiences and attracting earned media.

Focus on Prominent User Reviews

At PartnerStack, we’ve found our greatest earned media success by concentrating on user reviews on prominent industry review sites. By motivating our customers to share their experiences, we elevated our position from 9th to 1st on the main review site for our field.

Given this site’s sway, which influences 40% of our revenue, this strategic move amplified our visibility in earned media, substantially enhancing our business growth.