Congratulations! You’ve made it into the media by appearing on TV, featuring in a newspaper or having a chat with a well-respected podcast host.
It’s a shot of validation that feels all the better for being earned, and is most definitely worthy of a five-minute bask and a share with your family and friends. But before you rest on your laurels, there’s one more question to ask yourself – what next?
When it comes to modern media, the pace of change is almost beyond comprehension. Breaking stories constantly come to light, public figures go rogue on socials and get themselves cancelled, and fresh statistics around the tastes of different age groups offer yet another reason to pit Boomers against millennials.
In among this high-stakes action, it can be very easy for your moment in the sun to slip away fast – or go unheralded in the first place. And that’s why you need a strategy to amplify it and help it linger. Here are five avenues to do just that.
Get it on socials – STAT!
If a year is a long time in politics, then a day is a long time in socials. This means you need to act fast. If your company has a LinkedIn page (and it should) share the link, paired with commentary speaking to the crux and background of the article. Also make sure you tag the media outlet, journalist and any other story stakeholders. Why? Because ideally you want to prompt them to share it too, and also because it’s a simple fact of life that people remember those who say thank you for doing them a service, which media profiling is. PS: The minute your LinkedIn post uploads, get your contacts and employees to hit like, but also interact with it by way of commenting first, and then liking or reposting second, as that helps flag it for amplification with the channel’s algorithm.
Share it internally
When it comes to comms, even the most switched-on boss can easily forget about the most important people they need to update – the ones who work there. They not only appreciate being kept in the loop about the place that pays their salaries, they’re also already engaged, so ideally won’t need much encouragement to share and promote content through their own networks, increasing the reach and scope of your audience. So, even if your messaging is as simple as: “I’m so proud that I get to work alongside you every day to produce results like these”, get it pumping across your Teams and Slack chats, internal company newsletter and beyond.
Pop it on your website
This should go without saying, but people come to your website actively looking for information. So, if you’re in the business of customer and/or staff attraction, you want your URL to do a great job of singing your praises around a media hit, whether that’s via an updated footer, a write-up on your blog or a proud-as-punch case study. Remember – you want to be seen, be heard and be bold. Also, if the news you’re sharing is literally about a win, is there licensed branding collateral such as logos you can work onto the page somewhere as a readymade visual brag? Even your email signature can be a handy tool for communication if you can add a logo or a few words tooting your own horn.
Take it to a different type of media
With so many different avenues for media, there aren’t always any hard and fast rules about who will run what, when. But you will find that direct rivals will most likely steer clear of anything a competitor has just run – unless it’s so critical to the news cycle they can’t ignore it. What this means is that if you appear on the 6pm news one night on one channel, don’t expect to get a run with another bulletin the next. But, what you can do is look to other forms of media, especially if you can take your story forward. For example, talkback radio is a rich vein of opportunity to cover topics that benefit from depth and conversation. So, if you’ve just had a newspaper story that announces you’ve received a government grant for a circular economy project, you could then approach radio talkback to see if they would be interested in having you on for a discussion about why the circular economy matters and the overarching role it plays in sustainability.
Casually drop it into conversation
Moments in the media are not the time for an ‘aww shucks’ moment. You need to be dropping them into every conversation and email you can, right down to sharing a link to where people can access the content. Yes, you’re not always going to have the smooth segueway afforded by people seeing it first and bringing it up, but something as simple as, “While I’ve got you, I really appreciate your ongoing support, so just thought I’d draw this to your attention” works a treat. After all, anyone who’s a contact is obviously interested in what you’re up to, so a brag – humble or otherwise – is most definitely going to be taken in the right spirit.
Want some help in earning your media wins – and then making the most of them? Get in touch.
