Earned Media

In today’s world, what is the role of public relations, and how should you create a public relations strategy? Many people think of PR purely in terms of articles placed (earned media), when in fact, PR strategy is a cross-functional objective that enhances business goals through reputation management.

How Does PR Support Business Goals?

PR is not a strategy – PR supports a business’ over-reaching goals. It’s completely possible for a company to be successful without PR, but it’s near impossible for a company to become a household name without PR. So whether your objective is raising capital, recruiting better talent, quickening the sales process, or preparing for your pre-IPO, a proper PR strategy is a critical partner in success.

How PR Supports Business Goals

  • Build credibility or trust.
  • Reputation management.
  • Brand/company awareness.
  • Harnessing media to support business goals.
  • Incorporating digital media in a brand and business-relevant manner

What is a Public Relations (PR) Strategy?

A public relations strategy answers the following questions:

  • What is the desired outcome of a positive company image with stakeholders?
  • Who are the stakeholders and target audience?
  • What company key messages resonate most successfully with the target audience?
  • What trends can the brand utilize to improve its image with stakeholders?
  • What research is relevant to stakeholders?
  • What content are the stakeholders consuming?
  • What activities are the stakeholders attending/participating?
  • What is the existing media coverage on relevant topics and key messages?
  • What assets does the company have to support PR initiatives, or what needs to be developed?
  • What PR initiatives are competitors utilizing, and how can the company differentiate?
  • What KPIs will be tracked to measure the effectiveness of the PR strategy?

Ultimately, a PR strategy provides the roadmap for the PR campaigns. It will incorporate data, messaging, and brand research to develop a positive public opinion of an organization, brand, product, or person for a specific business goal. PR strategies are often cross-functional and stakeholder-dependent. For example, you may have an overarching PR strategy for the brand with the goal of attracting financing, but within that strategy is PR for consumers and even an internal communications plan for employees.

In the above example, you would expect the CEO, CFO, and/or board members to be actively engaged in investor relations, a CMO, product manager, or marketing manager to be involved in consumer PR, and HR to be involved with an internal communications plan.

We believe in crafting PR strategies that align with our clients’ overall goals and values. This includes identifying key messages, choosing appropriate communication channels, and engaging with the media and the public in a way that enhances reputation.

Our approach emphasizes proactive communication to showcase the positive aspects of our clients, address potential issues, and foster strong relationships with the media. We leverage various platforms, such as social media, press releases, and events, to create a consistent and compelling narrative that resonates with the audience.

An effective PR strategy is about responding to crises and building trust and credibility over time. By staying attuned to industry trends, monitoring public sentiment, and adapting our strategies accordingly, an effective PR strategy will ensure companies maintain a favorable image in the eyes of their stakeholders.

How to Develop a Good Public Relations Strategy in 2024?

In order to create an excellent PR strategy, there will be considerable research, internally and externally, including audience analysis, media trends, and competitive analysis. A public relations strategy can take anywhere between 4 weeks to 4 months to create, depending on the ambition of the goal and how complicated the strategy will be.

A good public relations strategy aligns with the goals and the company brand and incorporates hard data and insights. There are different expectations of a PR campaign vs. an ad campaign; transparency and authenticity are expected in PR, as is an understanding of how to communicate with the media.  Communicating with the media is different than direct communication with your target audiences. Journalists have different expectations and requirements to satisfy before a story will be published, and journalists don’t see themselves as marketers – the role of PR is to bridge the gap between the journalist’s needs and the company’s. At its best, it’s symbiotic, but the any PR strategy will go awry when it doesn’t meet the needs of the journalist.

Understanding your metrics and KPIs is essential as well. Experienced PR professionals know how to analyze goals and ensure they match the plan and vice versa. For example, if the ambition is to be a household name, then the media budget – earned, paid, owned – needs to match that ambition. We’re fans of saying all things are possible, but the lower the budget, the longer it takes.

A solid PR strategy also needs to have a firm grip on the trends and tools that can support or derail a strategy. The media landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s important that any PR strategy take into account the entirety of the media and analyze which of these items presents opportunities and which presents threats. Further, there are hundreds of thousands of PR crises a year, and in the volatile and dynamic post-pandemic landscape, companies who don’t plan for a crisis are creating a very expensive scenario for themselves. Crisis like cyberattacks put hundreds, if not thousands of startups and mid-size businesses every year.

Ten steps to a modern public relations strategy

  • Consider your 6, 12, 24, and 48-month goals, and review the budget you have allocated to ensure your budget matches your goals.
  • Determine KPI and metrics baselines.
  • Research your target audiences using social media conversation, data, and stakeholder surveys.
  • Research media cycles and trends to identify media opportunities throughout the year.
  • Determine what key messages will work most effectively with your target audience.
  • Determine what gaps exist in the marketplace communication.
  • Identify three types of content and channels that will support your strategy.
  • Determine what PR platforms will support your strategy.
  • Identify relevant metrics and quarterly KPIs to track.
  • Develop or update the crisis communications plan.

What Will a Good PR Strategy Do for You?

Your PR strategy is like a finger print – there really isn’t one quite like it. Others may have the same business goal in mind, but the path to getting there should reflect your company’s distinct voice and brand. The goal of a public relations strategy isn’t to set everything in concrete but rather to provide a deep understanding of the goals, audience, and measurements so if changes are made; they are done so specifically to adjust within the necessary parameters. For example, if your goal is to attract investors, it’s important to consider what investors want to know and how to articulate that into PR campaigns; it will look very different than a campaign targeted towards consumers. Consider these parameters so your entire process from content to outreach is consistent.

A good PR strategy should include:

  • Identify proven key messages that are effective to the target audience and reflect the brand.
  • Identify baselines of metrics and growth goals that align with budget and timeframe.
  • Identify what PR objectives will be most effective for the target audience and the brand’s desired outcome.
  • Develop corresponding PR campaigns.
  • Identifying corresponding content opportunities.
  • Identify potential brand crises and create a crisis communication plan.

Digital PR Strategy

Is a digital PR strategy different from a PR strategy? No. Today’s PR strategies should incorporate digital platforms, content, and communication channels. A PR strategy that doesn’t incorporate at least some of these considerations isn’t incorporating modern PR principles. Avaans Media was originally founded as a digital communication agency, so our roots are firmly planted in the earliest days of social media. Today, digital media is a vibrant arm of public relations, as are content and earned media online. Digital perspectives should be included in your PR strategy as an integral part rather than a separate aspect. There may be other elements of your overall digital plan (pay-per-click for example), but your PR should be firmly integrated with the rest of your digital programming. And, of course, all these elements should work together to deliver trackable improvements toward your business goal.

A good PR strategy should incorporate at least three digital PR components

  • Organic search audit.
  • Keyword analysis and opportunities.
  • Social media audience audit and opportunities.
  • Social media brand audit and opportunities.
  • Brand mentions across platforms and forums audit and recommendations.
  • Owned content or native content development.

 

The importance of a strategic PR in 2024 approach in supporting business objectives cannot be overstated. Beyond its traditional role as a reputation management tool, PR has evolved into a dynamic and integral part of overall business strategy. From building credibility and trust to driving brand awareness and fostering stakeholder relationships, PR plays a multifaceted role in shaping the success of a business.

Companies that recognize the strategic significance of PR are better positioned to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and cultivate a positive and enduring presence in the market. As businesses continue to face unprecedented levels of scrutiny and competition, a from startup to IPO, well-executed PR strategy remains a linchpin for sustained growth and success. For PR expertise, contact Tara Coomans and her team at Avaans Media, who are PR experts for ambitious companies.

PR Daily Media Relations Awards Presented to the Country’s Most Notable PR Campaigns

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, January 4, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Award-winning PR firm Avaans Media is pleased to announce the PR Daily Media Relations Awards have recognized their work for excellence in the newsjacking category.

The PR Daily Media Relations Awards are an annual event honoring public relations campaigns and professionals. Avaans Media’s Honorable Mention recognized the planning and preparation behind a successful newsjacking campaign.

The notable campaign garnered a one-hundred percent share of voice against competitors and resulted in seven articles, many appearing within hours of the announcement. National coverage included Inc. Magazine and Fortune Magazine. The Avaans Media A-Team consisted of Megan Hanson and Anu Kher, who, with Bridge Partners, LLC, worked to contribute meaningfully to the national conversation around DEI, corporate culture, and the future of hiring in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action.

“What’s most rewarding is the acknowledgment of the teamwork involved. Awards like this only happen when the clients are collaborative and the team is top-notch. Here, our clients went over and above to be available to the press on short notice, and the A-Team showed excellence in strategy and grit to make this happen,” said Avaans Media CEO Tara Coomans.

About Avaans Media
Avaans Media is the Top Boutique PR Firm in Los Angeles on Clutch.com and an Inc. Power Partner, providing digitally savvy public relations for emerging industries, ambitious brands, and purpose-driven organizations. From start-up through IPO, Avaans Media’s one-hundred percent executive-level team provides white-glove public relations strategies and services to a notable list of fast-growing companies in industries ranging from AI, cannabis, and drones to consumer products. Founded by Tara Coomans in 2008, Avaans Media is based in Los Angeles, California.

As you start to consider the impact of PR on your consumer brand, it’s easy to look at its value through a traditional marketing or advertising lens. Granted, paid media may be easier to track and measure regarding ROI, but that doesn’t negate the significance of consumer PR and its ability to expose your business to powerful publicity.

However, as with all investments, to warrant additional spend towards a PR budget, you need to look at the quantifiable metrics and outcomes of working with a top-rated PR firm.

So, how can you measure PR and its effectiveness and what do consumer brands need to know about measuring public relations for consumer brands?

The importance of intentional investment

How you measure PR is intricately linked to your business outcome goals and how well your PR firm understands them. Expert PR firms show you how specific outcomes align with your goals and objectives.

Measuring public relations for consumer brands is about knowing where you want to end up. When it comes to gauging whether or not your consumer brand will benefit from hiring a PR firm, it’s essential first to understand that you may need to alter your ‘measuring stick’ used for calculating earned media value because your value depends on your specific outcomes. For example, a brand that wants to be acquired differs from a startup brand. Each growth phase is important, and PR’s role in each is valuable, but exactly HOW valuable depends on the importance of the goal. In other words, although businesses can track their earned media value, there is no set rule on how to effectively measure it as with paid performance measures.

That said, the reality is paid media offers satisfying dashboards and stats like click-thru rates, but it doesn’t tell you what’s holding back your consumer brand from going further; how could the advertising be more effective? How could you product be more beloved? That’s PR’s job, and that’s why it’s important to have both paid and earned media strategies.

However, a few best practices can help increase the impact, reach, and overall effectiveness of earned media.

Some value will depend on the media coverage your brand gets and by whom; placement in a national publication your customers read is far more valuable than a national publication your customers don’t read. There’s more to it, though; is it newsworthy and shareable? Do you share the article with competitors? Where in the article does your brand appear? Is it written by an authoritative lens or a credible industry thought leader? How can you use the final piece in your marketing? These questions need to be answered before effectively measuring your PR.

Ultimately, working with a top PR firm will allow you to develop the required baselines and KPIs for your unique goals so you can see the impact on your bottom line.

Through this collaborative approach, PR professionals can better create a strategy for effective and long-lasting success, communicating the ways to track revenue increases from PR outcomes with you in a way that’s clear and confident.

For example, if your goals are more sales-orientated, your PR strategy may be based on seasonality or product launches. If your objective is to build brand awareness, the focus of your PR strategy may be to gain exposure through thoughtfully crafted press releases. The outcomes could then include anything from a merger/acquisition, an IPO, or venture funding.

That’s where we come in.

At Avaans, we use emerging trends, hard data, and emotional intelligence to create compelling consumer PR campaigns for brands.

Our PR sprint program is all about fast-moving tactics and fast results, specifically for consumer brands who want product-focused PR. Contact us today; we’re consumer PR experts, and let’s talk about goals, metrics, and media coverage.

Consumer brand communications hinges on one core goal: getting in front of the right audience. However, for many businesses, this rarely surpasses the stage of paid media marketing. Could this be due to the fact that many companies feel out of their depth when it comes to strategically navigating the space beyond paid media coverage? An example is the perplexity around common marketing terminology like paid and earned media. So paid vs earned media, what’s the deal?

Although this may seem like semantics to some, the reality is that earned media coverage, specifically from reputable or industry-specific journals, carries unparalleled weight in the eyes of potential clients, partners, and investors. Although this doesn’t negate the power of paid media, businesses can’t afford to cast it in the same bucket and ignore its strategic brilliance.

In this piece, we’re looking at the difference between ‘earned’ and ‘paid’ media and how understanding the unique characteristics of each can help elevate industry visibility, drive growth, and craft compelling narratives that help consumer brands excel over competitors.

What is paid media?

Paid media refers to marketing or advertising forms that companies pay for directly. The exposure is purchased. Although it’s often considered low-hanging fruit, it remains an essential staple of a healthy, balanced PR and content strategy.

One of the key differentiators between paid and earned media is that in paid media, businesses control some elements, including content (which is often still editorially approved). Still, it varies from advertising spots in that there are no variables for targeting or reach criteria. However, because it’s paid content, you know the piece will run. Once approved, it’s guaranteed. Formats include media types such as sponsored posts, native ads, and, sometimes, social influencer campaigns.

This makes it particularly great for establishing a startup brand. Paid media excels in providing context and awareness, especially when running paid ad campaigns alongside sponsored content.

Almost all successful consumer brands have some sort of paid media campaigns and purchase exposure to help reach a wider audience and increase their brand visibility. Today’s readers understand sponsored content; they accept it when the content is good, but they also understand it differs from earned media coverage. Why? Sponsored content lacks one key area: trust.

Enter earned media.

What is earned media?

Earned media is essentially any third-party-generated media coverage, publicity, content, or conversation around your brand (that’s not paid for). Think of earned media as the digital form of ‘word-of-mouth’ marketing, except the conversation comes from significant industry thought leaders and authoritative lenses, making it far more trustworthy than traditional advertising or paid content. Naturally, this can have a considerable impact on your marketing efforts and increase consumer brand recognition.

This type of media coverage refers to the exposure, validation, or recognition a brand receives from an impartial third party. Traditionally, earned media existed in the shape of news outlets or interviews. However, it can come in many forms in today’s landscape, such as thoughtfully crafted press releases, expert commentary, bylined articles, reviews, and media shares.

The catch? Achieving valuable earned media coverage doesn’t happen overnight.

Building brand trust is a marathon, not a sprint. Although you can do short-term PR campaigns based on seasonality or product launches, the most valuable ROI-driven PR comes from consistency.

The value of earned media

Inarguably, earned media creates the highest trust between your brand and your ideal audience. It’s sincere, credible, and authoritative. How? Ultimately, earned media relies heavily on successful narratives to third parties. To do this, businesses must establish credibility, trust, and working relationships with journalists, bloggers, and other third parties – and PR firms make that introduction much easier. However, journalists will need to see brands “do as they say” before they trust the brand enough to include them in a story or write a story about the brand. Needless to say, this doesn’t happen overnight and, despite best efforts, can yield little results without professional guidance and support. Still, this limitation isn’t enough reason to remove the value of earned media from your communications plan.

Although ‘earned media’ requires more work (more consistently) – it doesn’t have to be your job.

Which is why we’re here.

Earning the victory with Avaans media

At Avaans Media, we understand that in a competitive environment, not all businesses have the time and resources to commit to a long-term PR engagement.

That’s why we’ve created PR sprints that boost our clients towards earned media victory.

Think fast-moving tactics and fast results.

Our sought-after PR sprints are specifically designed for businesses in the consumer product space, including CPG and consumer tech, that want us to introduce their products to our deep well of media contacts for earned media opportunities.

Get instant visibility and credibility and start introducing your products to the press with our short-term product PR program.

Consumers no longer prefer brands that incorporate environmental initiatives – they demand it. It is no longer a novel feature reserved for what was once labeled ‘eco’ brands but is widely expected from consumers regardless of the industry. Still, there is additional pressure on consumer brands within the health, lifestyle, pharma, skin, and wellness sectors to prioritize sustainable, social, and environmentally conscious practices. So it’s important to know the difference between purpose-driven PR vs greenwashing.

But there’s still a critical gap between legitimately incorporating sustainable and social initiatives and how you communicate this to consumers. Cue purpose driven PR, your brand communication strategy that allows you to leverage the brand recognition and awareness that specific eco-friendly values hold for your company. But brands beware – despite best intentions, without careful execution and communication, your attempts may be misinterpreted as ‘greenwashing.’ Here’s what you need to know about the latter and how to avoid it at all costs.

What is Purpose Driven PR?

Purpose-driven PR encompasses the earned media coverage around a brand relevant to its corporate social responsibility. This content can include anything from the industry’s involvement in climate change and sustainability initiatives to any eco-friendly switches the company makes (like in packaging, shipping, or manufacturing). Investing in successful purpose driven PR strategies, however, goes far beyond improving consumer loyalty to their brands.

In fact, according to a recent poll of 1,048 Americans, 55% stated that they would spend extra on sustainable and eco-friendly products. On the contrary, 4 in 10 said they are likely to boycott companies that aren’t as committed to turning green – a definitive motivation from a sales perspective. Even more so from a brand awareness standpoint, as proven in a new global analysis commissioned by WWF, indicating a 71 percent increase in internet searches for sustainable goods internationally over the last five years.

Some refer to it as ‘the eco-wakening,’ but be forewarned, despite the advantages of purpose-driven PR from a business perspective – consumers are as quick as ever to spot a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a.k.a’ greenwashing.’

When it becomes ‘greenwashing’

Greenwashing is the antithesis of purpose-driven PR and refers to brands leveraging the economic value of purpose-driven initiatives and related PR without necessarily genuinely living up to the standards. However, it’s important to remember that this may not always be intentional. Often, consumer brands are labeled as ‘greenwashing’ due to a lack of knowledge on how to approach purpose-driven PR successfully. One example of this may be consumer brands who use vague language concerning their eco-friendly product, such as ‘all-natural’ or ‘made with clean products’ or ‘recycled materials’ instead of descriptive, informative, and transparent language. They avoid transparency around their supply chain and focus on a tiny sustainable change to distract from other harmful practices while overlooking the company’s broader environmental impact.

How brands can avoid greenwashing

Recent studies on U.S. consumers revealed an ever-increasing trust gap between consumers and brands, especially pertaining to sustainability. In fact, merely 38 percent of surveyed consumers believe brands and their promises concerning environmental sustainability. There is a dire need for credible, authoritative, third-party publicity to bridge the trust gap and establish your brand as a true north regarding its green messaging. This is where appropriate PR strategies can play a significant role.

In the interim, there are a few things consumer brands can keep in mind to avoid greenwashing, such as utilizing deliberate, clear, and accurate language and avoiding generic assertions such as “organic” unless the product is certified organic.

But there’s a catch.

Conversely, consumers are attracted to simple, jargon-free sustainability messages that connect directly to them, their families, and the world around them.

By keeping this in mind, consumers must find a natural and healthy balance between communicating authentically and accurately without becoming so far removed from their ideal consumer’s frame of reference.

Our opinion? If you can’t prove it, don’t use it. But you have to be a part of the conversation, or it’s only a matter of time before your competitors surpass you.

Paid media dominates marketing and is one of the most effective ways for brands to dictate their narrative – and at no small cost. Recent Forrester studies revealed that digital ad spending in the US will reach $146 billion by 2023 – but it has its limitations, and scaling businesses are starting to feel the growing pains of trying to fit into space that simply doesn’t have any more room to budge.

In today’s digital landscape, companies execute various integrated marketing campaigns across paid, owned, and social channels. But in an over-saturated market, sticking to traditional advertising simply won’t suffice. This is why more businesses are starting to realize and invest in growth opportunities beyond paid media coverage—earned media, to be exact.

In this piece, we’re looking at the unparalleled strategic value of earned media and how it elevates consumer brands while increasing brand recognition, visibility, and authority.

Has ‘set and forget’ hit the ceiling?

We cannot overlook the strengths of advertising. Brands are allowed full reins when crafting their message, and they have complete control over campaigns, audience segmentation and the level of investment. Overall, it’s a compelling proposition, especially considering the power to shape narratives and hone into precision targeting techniques.

But there’s one critical flaw – a growing skepticism.

Ads are viewed with growing distrust. This skepticism dilutes the impact of advertising.

Simply put, you can run a successful business without PR, but you won’t become a household name without PR. Ambitious companies value PR, and in return, PR helps them thrive. Advertising is the bare minimum for ambitious, growth-driven brands. Although it’s a great way to compile metrics on your target audience, its value is short-lived; it simply cannot yield the brand value of earned media outcomes.

Despite the inarguable value of earned media coverage, only about 11% of marketing budgets are devoted to earned media strategies. Sure, consumer brands may be increasing their advertising spend and devoting time and resources to digital advertising campaigns, but few leverage the advantages of earned media content.

Although this is part and parcel of a successful public relations strategy, it only scratches the surface regarding leveraging earned media’s value in the consumer product space and its influence on consumer behavior.

Building a resilient brand through strategic communication

In a saturated market, earned media separates consumer brands that use ‘authenticity’ as a marketing buzzword from those that simply are.

By acknowledging the unparalleled influence of media content from third-party publishers that are influential industry thought-leaders, your business effectively leverages brand awareness and credibility that no paid media can match. Simply put, earned media provides publicity and brand recognition that money can’t buy, but effort and quality can earn.

This brings us to our next point – how can consumer brands effectively ‘earn’ the advantages of the strategic PR value of earned media?

Media coverage for consumer brands

Despite the fast-evolving digital landscape, third-party media coverage remains one of the fundamental principles of a strong earned media content strategy. This refers to when a brand, product, or service catches the attention of sought-after publishers, journalists, or other credible third parties. By establishing newsworthiness or merit amongst these third parties, the brand earns a feature story, news article, or mention. This gifts your consumer brand the weight of the publisher’s credibility as it reaches a larger audience.

It’s also important to highlight the longevity and cost-effectiveness of earned media. Advertising content ends when the campaign ends (or the budget runs out). Earned media, on the other hand, can continue to generate value long after first published.

There is no time limit for how long a stellar review, news article, or high-quality backlinks will continue to drive awareness, attention, and traffic – making it a cost-effective investment for consumer brands looking for a high ROI over a long period.

Ultimately, brands must allow their earned media and advertising to work harmoniously – a powerful alliance. By aligning the two and playing on both strengths and weaknesses, brands can amplify their visibility and extend the reach of their marketing initiatives.