How do people get updates about happenings around the world? The Media. A few years ago, media platforms used to be made up of only Newspapers, Magazines, Television, and Radio. Now, media platforms have evolved to include websites, podcasts, social media platforms, and apps. This media evolution has made it easier for brands to disseminate news, advertisements, campaigns, thought leadership activities, and reach a wide audience more quickly. Who knows, in the near future, there may be technological advancements that will make it possible for us to be instantly updated about news stories as they happen.
Brands invest a lot of money to be in the news, run adverts, and campaigns in order to regularly be in the faces of their target audience. For example, when Dettol launched in Nigeria Over 50 years ago, one of the platforms they actively used to take over the antiseptic market was the media. At every time of the day, every television and radio station had something to say about Dettol. In a matter of time, their products began to instill trust in Nigerians such that most Nigerians believed that other antiseptic products were thought to be not as effective as Dettol.
The strength of the Dettol brand in Nigeria is not solely reliant on media relations, advert placements, and campaigns. Regardless of how much they have spent to promote their brand, all that money would have gone down the drain if they did not have solid products and loyal customers who promote their brand through word of mouth which is a type of earned media.
Not all brands can afford to invest heavily towards achieving adequate media coverage, however, with the right positioning, excellent customer service, and great product offerings, brands can reach more of their target audience through earned media.
What is earned media?
According to Hubspot, Earned media is any material written about you or your business that you haven’t paid for or created yourself. How can you position your brand to gain earned media coverage?
MAINTAIN A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH JOURNALISTS
Journalists are constantly looking for news beats to report. Build a cordial and strong relationship with journalists especially with journalists who report stories related to your brand’s business. Share relevant news stories about your brand with them and keep them in the know. Depending on how well you have fostered your relationship with the journalists, they may develop and publish content around your brand’s activities without charge.
MAKE GOOD USE OF YOUR WEBSITE
Your website is a great information resource. Anyone looking to create content about your brand will first visit your website to gather information. Make sure details about your brand’s latest achievements, activities, and more are easy to find. Set up a gallery that has photos of your top executives, facilities, milestones, awards, and short videos of your brand history, customer testimonials, and much more. This will make it easy for anyone interested in creating content about your brand to access accurate information.
KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS SATISFIED
One powerful source of earned media is word of mouth. It is more powerful than paid media or advertising. According to Nielsen’s report, 92% of consumers believe suggestions from friends and family more than advertising. Also, 88% of people trust online reviews written by other consumers as much as they trust recommendations from personal contacts. Finally, 74% of consumers have identified word of mouth as a key influencer in their purchasing decisions. So, you see, if you go the extra mile to keep your customers satisfied with your products and services, they will likely fall in love with your brand and become advocates for your brand.
STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
Thanks to the advent of digital platforms, you can now stay connected with your customers via weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly newsletters. You can also choose to connect with your customers on social media platforms. Keep them up to date with happenings within your company, product updates/launches, CSR activities, events, and more. Share educational, informative, and engaging content with them. If they love the content, they will share it with their contacts. This will generate earned media for your brand.
Looking for an agency to position your brand in front of the people that matter and make your brand a loved brand, contact us today.