Every business wants media coverage and this is even more important in 2020 than ever before. The rise of social media and the internet means that consumers are being bombarded with businesses at every turn and for an enterprise to get ahead they need to have as much coverage as possible. However, media is a lot more complex in 2020 than it was decades ago, and getting media coverage in some ways is easier due to the Internet but it is still not an easy task. It is possible, however, to get media coverage in 2020 and this can be done in the following ways.
1) Sponsored posts
Undoubtedly the easiest way to get media coverage both in 2020 and previous times is to simply pay for it. Media platforms have access to hundreds and thousands and in some cases, millions of people, and they are aware that businesses wish to tap into this audience. As such, many major media platforms will allow businesses to pay for sponsored posts.
These posts include reviews of the business’s products and services, articles that mention the business name, and link to them or paid press releases published onto their platforms. If your business is in need of media coverage, feel free to reach out to many of these platforms as they usually have a department dedicated to this purpose. Once this is done, communicate with the editors to specify the needs of your business to make sure that the coverage received is what you want.
2) PR Platforms
Public Relations platforms, like getonforbes.com, can significantly simplify and speed up your media efforts. In most cases, they are run by seasoned PR professionals who provide invaluable knowledge and useful tips that help you to get featured on Forbes or other high-tier media sites. In the case of getonforbes.com, you can also directly book services or buy digital products that tailored to both marketing specialists as well as inexperienced folks.
If you don’t have the time to do media outreach yourself or if you are not willing to spend humungous sums with an expensive PR agency, PR platforms are the way to go.
3) Viral marketing
The thing about living in an era that is so saturated with content on the Internet is that viral marketing is more important than ever. Viral marketing essentially means when a piece of content receives widespread attention and is shared widely across multiple online platforms. Viral marketing can also be a way to gain attention for business as several businesses have seen their sales explode after going viral. However, viral marketing is a rather delicate method of getting media coverage as results are not guaranteed.
You may choose to create content in-house or hire a specialist but regardless, create content that is interesting that your audience will feel compelled to share. It may take a few times but eventually, your business should be able to go viral with the right content. In the age of the Internet, it has been shown that video and picture content tend to go viral with more ease than written content and this should be kept in mind as you move forward with this approach. After the content is created, share it widely on your social media and encourage your followers to do the same.
4) Commentary on major issues
Besides publishing content such as news and op-eds, many major platforms are also known to publish commentary on current issues from a number of people in the business world. While it is interesting to talk on recent news events, it is more attention-grabbing when a public figure makes an interesting or controversial statement on such an event. Your business can leverage this to gain media coverage by providing commentary to media platforms on current issues. You should aim to do this for issues that exist within your own sector.
For example, if a new law is passed in the hospitality sector and your business is a hotel, your president or owner can make commentary on the law and this is likely to get picked up. The side effect of this is that your business name will be put out there all as the headline is likely to be, “XYZ CEO says the new law is damaging for the industry”. If you do this enough times, your business name will receive much more publicity and this can translate into more sales.
5) Connect your business to COVID-19
Undoubtedly the biggest news story of the year 2020 has been the COVID-19 outbreak and the various responses to it from different industries and how it has changed life as a whole. Perhaps the easiest way to gain media coverage in 2020 besides paying for it is to somehow connect to the story to COVID-19 as that drives engagement.
As stated previously, someone from your organization can give commentary on the virus from an expert perspective or your business could connect its goods or services to the issue. For example, if your business sells antibacterial wipes, you could pitch a piece to each media outlet about how the use of such wipes can prevent the spread of the virus. If this can be done successfully with a number of organizations, there is a limit to how much attention your business can gain along the way.
6) Develop relationships with the press
One thing to note is that your business will need media coverage beyond just the year 2020 and as such, it is important that you begin developing relationships with the media as soon as possible. This means the support of whatever endeavors the publication is engaging in, frequently interacting with the content that they publish or simply developing relationships with individual reporters.
This will take a significant amount of time to nurture but once this is done, there are many benefits to be had. For example, if your organization already has a relationship with a media outlet you can control the narrative with regards to any breaking news about your organization, refute rumors immediately or gain more press for upcoming ventures.
Gaining media coverage in 2020 is not necessarily an easy task but it is one that can be done. There are tried and proven methods that can get the job done quickly such as paying for coverage but there are also innovative new ways to get media coverage and also secure a wider audience for whatever business you are promoting. Follow our helpful guide above to get media coverage in 2020.
