PR Strategy - Why Focus Should Not Always be on Top Tier Results
When we first start working with a new client, one of the first questions we ask is ‘What PR coverage would make you do a little dance?’, ‘Which outlet would really stoke your fire?’
With that, we are not only evaluating what sort of PR you feel is worth the investment of employing an agency but we’re also ensuring we’re on the same page with your PR goals.
After all, your goals become our goals.
In our experience, clients usually want to be featured in the likes of Forbes, Insider, CNN or The Today Show, particularly for those looking for greater visibility in the US.
But do you know what no one suggests as their outlet of choice? Podcasts, guest blog posts, local media or even interviews. Now this could be because when people think PR, they think of media relations with the big guns.
Of course, let’s be honest, we’re not here just to focus on little wins, but let’s not overlook the incredible value that alternative outlets offer.
At Roam Generation, we focus on a broad range of media results, not just top-tier publications.
Why? Because an audience doesn’t just read top-tier publications, they listen to podcasts on the bus or train on the way to work, they research products by looking at real-world reviews and interviews of people who’ve already purchased and they naturally follow their local media.
So while it is important to win those big press results, we mustn’t forget about the little guys.
Forbes, CNN, or Insider may have an audience and reach into the billions, but of that audience, only a tiny percentage will be engaged in what your brand has on offer - however, a targeted podcast, industry-specific interview or guest blog post will be reaching an already engaged, warm audience, who are ready to invest in your business.
For those reasons alone, it’s an important part of our strategy to achieve a broad spectrum of results - the top tier, that will enable you to get those little blue ticks on your social media platforms and the ‘as seen in’ logos on your website but also the mid-range and local media results that in turn, build your credibility within your industry.
Aside from this, we regularly work with journalists who are building their own portfolio and those small pieces that are written about you today, can quite easily turn into big features tomorrow.
So while it may feel that it isn’t a worthwhile allocation of your or our time, dealing with smaller publications or being interviewed for a podcast, is all part of our effective strategy, whereby our success has had us compared in a recent audit, to agencies ten times our size.
About the Author:
Erin Carey is the Director of Roam Generation, a leading PR agency specialising in the travel, adventure and lifestyle industries. With years of experience in strategic communication, crisis management, and brand promotion, Erin and her team have successfully navigated numerous breaking news situations, helping clients grow brand awareness, enhance their reputations and leverage opportunities for positive exposure.
