 The saying goes that you should work smarter, not harder. Creating original content for social media and promoting your company to stakeholders can require a lot of time and effort. As part of your media strategy, you should aim to create content that can be repurposed across multiple platforms and at different times.
For example, say your company produces a short informational video on a new service you will be offering clients, with the purpose of presenting the program to board members. Assuming the video doesn’t include any confidential information, you could also repurpose this video in a number of ways. You could include it in a press release when the program rolls out. You could share it on social media (Facebook, in particular) when the service becomes available to the public. You can repost the video one year out, even, in celebration of the program’s success. The popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money for ALS research provides some helpful guidance when it comes to public relations and earned media.
As you probably know, the Challenge is for someone to be videotaped getting doused with a bucket of ice water to generate awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and to raise funds to help find a cure. It's been a dominant theme on conventional and social media in recent weeks, helping to raise more than $40 million. Why has it worked so well?  Video must be a major component of any public relations campaign. This article sheds light on what's expected to be an explosion in mobile video viewing in 2013.
What's that mean for companies trying to generate earned media coverage in the coming year? Everything. Here are just a few suggestions:  Media advisories are a well known tool to alert members of the media to an upcoming news event. It could be a press conference, an interview opportunity with an expert or a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Advisories are typically matter of fact -- who, what, when, where, etc. What you may not realize is that advisories that offer a short video can maximize your chances of generating interest. Here are just three reasons.  Press kits are not always necessary. In many cases, a simple press release will suffice. But when the issue is a bit more complicated than usual, when you want to brand your event or when you're involed in an extended media campaign, a press kit becomes invaluable.
Press kits can be distributed at press conferences or one-on-one interviews. They can be mailed to a reporter ahead of an event to bring him or her up to speed on the issue. They can also be adapted for editorial board sessions, giving the editors the materials they need to understand and, ultimately, support your position or issue. But don't stop there. Go digital.  When many of us were growing up, we had three network TV channels to choose from and an occasional independent station or two. It didn't take long to figure out what few programming options you could watch on any given evening.
What a difference from today, when countless channels are offered on cable or by satellite. The all news channels, such as CNN or Fox News, fill much of their programming with interview segments involving public officials, experts or hired analysts. Even local TV stations are expanding their news shows, often with interview segments using local experts.  Source: Washington Post Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has taken to using a giant "debt clock" during his campaign appearances to draw attention to the nation's growing financial woes.
As he talks with crowds, he gestures at the clock (built by Romney aides) and refers to the nation's debt problem with statements such as, “If I’m president of the United States, Mr. President, I’ll do a better job slowing down that clock and hopefully getting it to start reversing and getting Americans back to work.”  One of the traditional ways of getting media coverage is to distribute a press release and hope for the best. This can work, though it's generally more effective if a skilled media relations firm is involved.
Nowadays it's easy to build awareness for your message through social marketing. And yet, many people may assume this simply means posting their press release on Facebook. Consider one extra step. |
