Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.
From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.
In the shifting PR landscape, data and analytics are powerful tools for PR professionals. By harnessing data-driven insights, PR campaigns can be strategically planned, executed and measured for success.
A recent Forbes article shows how data and analytics can enhance a PR campaign’s success. We know data and analytics are important when measuring the impact of a PR campaign. But data also should be incorporated into a campaign’s foundation.
Here are a few ways data and analytics can make PR campaigns more effective.
- Audience Segmentation and Targeting: Effective PR campaigns begin with a deep understanding of the target audience. Data and analytics enable PR professionals to segment audiences based on demographics and behavior patterns. They can identify key audiences by analyzing data from sources such as customer databases, social media platforms and market research. This allows professionals to tailor specific messaging for each group. A targeted approach improves the chances of reaching the right audience with the right message, leading to increased engagement and campaign success.
- Identifying Influencers and Key Stakeholders: Influencers can amplify brand messages and reach wider audiences. Data and analytics tools can help determine which influencers best-fit campaigns. By analyzing engagement metrics, audience demographics and sentiment analysis, PR teams can select influencers who align with their campaign goals, choosing those who can effectively communicate the brand’s message to their followers. This data-driven approach ensures that PR campaigns reach key stakeholders who boost brand perception and reputation.
- Tracking Past Media Coverage: Tracking coverage after a campaign is a standard best practice. Analyzing media coverage helps PR teams assess the reach and effectiveness of their campaigns, giving them data-driven insights to refine their strategies. It also helps gain further insight into current sentiment and awareness. This analysis lets PR professionals gauge which approaches and strategies made the most significant positive impact.
- Engaging Pitches to Journalists: Winning a journalist’s attention can be difficult. Over half the journalists surveyed in 2022 by Cision received more than 50 email pitches a week. Using solid data and analytics adds legitimacy to the campaign you are pitching and helps your pitch stand out.
Data and analytics have a significant impact on how PR campaigns are planned, executed and evaluated. By leveraging the power of data, PR professionals can gain insights that help make informed decisions, refine strategies and establish credibility. By embracing data-driven PR practices, organizations can achieve measurable success in their PR campaigns.
Proactive pitch campaigns often target national or even global audiences. However, when you’re working with organizations that have products or services that appeal to audiences in specific regions or locations, it’s important to capture the attention of those local audiences.
How do you reach these audiences? With pitches tailored designed to resonate with their specific interests. Consider what’s relevant to the people you’re trying to reach. Why would this audience care about your message? Can you offer spokespeople they will trust? Your success depends on making your story relevant to these audiences.
The next time you’re drafting a pitch to a targeted audience, consider the following questions.
Why is your story relevant to this area? What is its potential impact on the region?
Local publications are focused on covering news specific to their area and audience. Your pitch should clearly demonstrate why this audience would want to know about your story.
Does it support one the area’s largest industries? Does it create local jobs? A clear explanation of the pitch’s local relevant is critical to its success.
An excellent way to build credibility is to provide some context with third-party statistics that validate your claims. Can you reference a study that highlights the predicted growth of an industry or how much development it could bring to the area? It’s important to validate your claims to ensure they are taken seriously.
Are there local spokespeople who can speak to the story?
Local spokespeople are excellent ways to connect with an audience. For example, a recent pitch of ours secured five media opportunities because it featured a local farmer who was using a new technology. This grower could speak about their personal experiences, how it’s benefited them and what their perspective is on the future of the technology. This provides color and layers to a story as well as offers a spokesperson who relates to the audience.
By providing a source who can speak first-hand about your story, you offer reporters a balanced perspective.
Have you called the reporter yet?
In our experience, local reporters are more likely to answer the phone. This can be helpful in working with them to build a story that suits all parties. The reporters will know their readers and viewers best, so you can work closely with them to ensure you’re offering interesting elements.
Phone conversations also help build rapport with the reporter and establish a collaborative relationship.
Crafting a pitch for a local area or region requires a thoughtful and tailored approach, ensuring that its relevance to the local audience is clear. Gather elements, including sources and third-party stats, that support the story, then work closely with local reporters to develop a piece that will resonate with their specific audience.
For the second year, outdoor retailer L.L.Bean has gone “off the grid,” pausing all social media channels and encouraging followers to spend time outside. In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, the company wiped its social media profiles on May 1, leaving only tips and tools to support people in getting outside for their own mental wellbeing.
This year’s strategy includes a partnership with the social fitness app Strava. Together, L.L.Bean and Strava have created the L.L.Bean Feel-Good Challenge, an initiative encouraging consumers to log personal time outside during May. At the challenge’s launch, L.L. Bean announced that if participants logged 500,000 combined hours, it would double its $25,000 donation to Mental Health American.
According to MarketingDive, participants surpassed the 500,000-hour goal in 10 days. They’re on track to top 1 million hours by the end of May.
L.L.Bean’s social media pause has been widely praised and demonstrates its commitment to mental health. That said, suspending social media activity can have both pros and cons. Here are some potential advantages and disadvantages associated with a campaign like L.L.Bean’s.
Pros:
- Start Conversations About Mental Health: A social media hiatus can encourage open conversations about mental health within the company and its followers. It may inspire people to share their experiences, seek support or provide resources for others in need.
- Reduce Information Overload: Social media platforms can be overwhelming, with constant updates, notifications and comparisons. A pause can provide a respite from the noise, allowing individuals to disconnect and reduce the mental burden associated with excessive screen time.
- Encourage Healthier Habits: Taking a break from social media can promote healthier habits and encourage people to engage in activities that improve their mental health, such as spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, practicing self-care or seeking professional help.
Cons:
- Audiences Might Question if the Campaign is Merely Lip Service: Critics could argue that the company’s social media break is simply a PR strategy or surface-level attempt to appear socially responsible. They may question the company’s commitment to mental health, suggesting that the pause is a temporary gesture rather than a substantial effort to address the issue. L.L.Bean’s Feel-Good Challenge helps demonstrate the company’s deeper commitment to addressing mental health issues.
- Decreased Brand Awareness: Social media is a powerful marketing, communication and customer engagement tool. Pausing social media platforms can disrupt these activities, affecting brand visibility and reach. This could lead to a loss of opportunities to promote products or services. Suppose competitors continue to engage on social media platforms during the break. A loss of visibility may impact the company’s market position.
- Lack of Transparency: Critics questioning the company’s motives might seek transparency about what drove the decision and what else the company is doing. (My first thought at seeing L.L.Bean’s “off the grid” campaign was to question what L.L.Bean is doing for its employees during the month to support their mental health.)
L.L.Bean’s campaign aligns with its founder’s belief in the power of nature to alleviate life’s stresses. The company’s partnership with Strava and the Feel-Good Challenge further amplifies its commitment to mental health, engaging consumers in logging personal time outside and making donations to Mental Health America.
While the campaign has several advantages, such as sparking conversations about mental health, reducing information overload and promoting healthier habits, it also faces potential criticisms. Critics might question the campaign’s authenticity. The brand may suffer decreased awareness, leaving customers wanting more information.
Despite these potential drawbacks, L.L.Bean’s efforts reflect a sincere commitment to mental health. By encouraging people to experience the restorative power of nature, they foster positive change and contribute to the ongoing conversation surrounding mental well-being. Other companies should examine the pros and cons of a campaign like L.L.Bean’s and consider how they might influence positive outcomes with their initiatives.
Sometimes, public relations can feel like personal fashion: We all want a unique style. You might experiment with what others are doing only to discover it falls short for your brand or audience.
So how can your company devise a strategy that truly works?
In the fast-paced world of PR, it’s essential to step back and take stock. Acknowledging even minor victories and making space for strategic contemplation are crucial to the creative process.
A reflective pause isn’t a sign of weakness or inefficiency. On the contrary, reflection lays the groundwork for innovation. After all, the essence of public relations lies not in following the crowd but in weaving a narrative that resonates with your audience, one that is authentic to your brand.
Below are some ways to refresh your PR strategy, encouraging you to cultivate your unique style along the way.
1. Slow Down and Appreciate Your Achievements
PR moves at a lightening pace. We often jump from one campaign to the next without taking the time to acknowledge our accomplishments. So it’s essential to pause, reflect and appreciate your milestones. Celebrating successes can kickstart your motivation and give you the perspective to shape future campaigns and activities.
2. Revisit Your Goals and Analyze Key Results
As your organization evolves, so should your PR strategy. It’s a good idea to regularly revisit your goals to ensure they still align with your brand identity, target audience and industry trends. This process can help you stay relevant and effective.
3. Experiment with New Combinations
Just as a fashionista might mix and match pieces to create new outfits, PR professionals should experiment with different combinations of strategies and tactics. Try pairing traditional media outreach with social media campaigns, or combining influencer partnerships with community engagement initiatives. These fresh combinations can help you break out of a rut and inject new life into your PR strategy.
4. Play with Style, Tone and Theme
Don’t be afraid to diversify your message, varying your tone from formal to casual. Experiment with different messaging styles, like adopting a more creative or technical approach, depending on the publication, platform and audience. Explore different themes and topics to see what resonates most with your audience. Finally, develop a variety of materials—from press releases, podcasts, infographics and beyond—to keep your content engaging and versatile.
5. Enjoy the Process
Change is the only constant in PR. While challenging, it’s also exciting and offers endless growth opportunities. Embrace the changes in your industry, your audience’s preferences and your organization. Each shift is a chance to learn, adapt and improve your PR strategy, turning challenges into opportunities for innovation.
6. Focus on the Journey, Not Just the Destination
Building a unique and effective PR strategy is a journey. It involves trial and error, learning from successes and failures, and continually adapting to change. The destination—a perfectly crafted and executed PR strategy—may seem appealing, but the process truly matters. Reflecting on your journey will help you grow as a PR professional and create results that truly reflect your brand’s identity.
Refreshing your PR strategy is not a one-off event—it’s an ongoing process. As Warren Buffet famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
Just as fashion trends change, so do PR landscapes. Take the time to appreciate your achievements, revisit your goals, experiment with new combinations and embrace change. It will help you cultivate a relevant PR strategy that resonates with your audience and truly reflects your company’s unique style.
Media is noisy, which makes it challenging to connect with your audiences. But there’s a way to determine if your brand is breaking through the noise: measuring and tracking its share of voice (SOV).
Simply put, SOV refers to the media coverage your brand or company receives relative to its competitors. A substantial SOV can translate to increased brand awareness, better customer perception and improved lead generation and sales.
However, improving SOV isn’t easy. It requires a strategic approach to media relations and comprehensive coverage tracking that goes beyond quantitative results.
Below are some techniques to improve your company’s SOV.
Measure media coverage
The first step is determining a baseline. This allows you to track growth against a fixed starting point. To get a baseline, pull all your media coverage beginning from a specific date.
Once you have a comprehensive list, consider analyzing the impact of each piece. Key metrics such as domain authority and unique visitors per month will help your analysis.
You’ll want to note how each article affects the company’s objectives. Coverage review and analysis help you understand which media strategies are successful and which need refinement.
Once you see the impact of each article, you can understand what audiences your coverage reached and intrigued.
Understand the audience
Understanding whom your coverage is reaching helps dictate what resonates. One way to do this is by reviewing the social media channels of the outlet and the writer who published the coverage. You can also check the posts’ engagement to gauge reader reactions.
Then, you should assess how that coverage measures against your goals. For example, if securing coverage in industry trade publications is a priority, you can review the number of articles published in that type of outlet relative to the total amount of coverage for that period. This helps you understand the access you’re securing to that audience.
Track and compare progress
Improving SOV is an ongoing process. To ensure your strategies are garnering positive results, it’s essential to record and review the quality of all media coverage.
Determining what messages are included in coverage can help you understand which resonate with your target audiences and drive SOV gains.
Regularly measuring and updating your goals against key competitors is also essential. You can identify growth opportunities by comparing your SOV with other industry players.
Analyze areas for improvement
Once you’ve pulled your media coverage, determined the impact of each article, evaluated the quality, and noted your progress, take the time to analyze areas for improvement. This may include identifying gaps in media coverage, new outlets and reporters to target, or new story angles.
Remember, improving your SOV is an ongoing process that requires dedication and effort. But SOV can translate into results. A strong SOV helps you grow brand awareness and move the needle for sales and marketing efforts.
With the above steps, you can maximize the impact of your media coverage and increase your SOV, making your company more competitive.
Proactive pitching is a powerful way to win media coverage for a client, even when there’s no major news to announce. It also allows PR pros more control over their work. However, proactive pitching can be tricky. It’s a craft that PR pros should constantly hone.
Creating a compelling proactive pitch takes time and practice. There are several elements to consider when drafting a pitch for distribution, including time, relevancy, audience and structure. Below are a few tips help make your next proactive pitch compelling and successful.
- Relevancy: Is the pitch relevant? A successful pitch is relevant to client’s goals and attracts the right attention. Reporters are constantly looking for timely, new, and relevant stories. When developing proactive pitches, research industry trends and include news and timely statistics. This makes your pitch more relatable to reporters. The more relevant and timely your pitch, the more likely it will earn a response.
- Audience: Are you reaching the right audience? Before pitching, it’s essential you research your targeted reporters. What are they are writing about now? What stories have they covered in the past? Consider what they might be covering next and what industry trends are important to them. This can help tailor your proactive pitch to their specific reporting, increasing the chances of a response. For example, if your pitch focuses on labor shortages in the agricultural industry, it wouldn’t make sense to pitch a reporter who primarily writes about climate change’s impact on agriculture. Although they are an agricultural reporter, labor issues most likely won’t align with their work.
- Structure: What should the pitch look like? Reporters are busy. They often don’t have time for lengthy emails. As a result, proactive pitches should be concise. The reader should understand what you’re offering in the first few sentences. Are you looking for contributed articles or interviews? If so, who are you offering as a spokesperson or subject matter expert? What company are they with? Putting this information up top is important so the reporter can quickly assess the opportunity. The pitch should also outline what expertise and perspectives the spokesperson can offer and how your client can be helpful to their reporting. A strong hook reels in the reporter and lets them know you are pitching something related to their work. The first sentence or two should give the reporter a compelling reason to keep reading.
- Outcome: What is your desired outcome? When developing a proactive pitch, think about your goals. What coverage are you hoping to secure? How will this coverage align with client objectives? You should always pitch with intent and ensure coverage will lead to the right exposure and opportunities for your client. To start, consult with your clients. Do they want contributed articles? Interviews? Sponsored content? This helps you align your pitch with your client’s needs and larger strategies. For example, if your client is looking for contributed article opportunities, it wouldn’t make sense to pitch a publication that does not accept bylines or contributed content.
- Subject line: What should the subject line be? An eye-catching subject line is as important as the pitch itself. Reporters receive a slew of emails every day. If your subject line doesn’t stand out, chances are your email will simply be deleted. Compelling subject lines include keywords that are relevant to reporters you’re pitching. For example, if you’re trying to reach journalists that specialize in artificial intelligence, terms like “AI,” “automation,” “machine learning,” “deep learning technology,” etc. could pique their interest. The subject line should convey what the pitch is about in a few words. The more concise, clear and relevant the subject line, the better chance the reporter will click and read on.
- Timing: When should you send a proactive pitch? This is an ongoing debate. According to a recent survey, 34% of journalists prefer to be pitched between 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. or 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meanwhile, only 5% of journalists want to receive pitches after 6 p.m. This is likely because journalists review pitches in the morning before afternoon deadlines. However, is there a particular day that journalists like to receive pitches? According to research, journalists prefer to be pitched early in the week, with Tuesday ranking as the most popular day (34%), followed by Monday (29%) and Wednesday (15%). Keep in mind these days and times as you think through your rollout strategy for your proactive pitch campaign.
Writing a great pitch is an artform. These tips can help ensure your next pitch is timely, compelling and relevant to reporters, and that it wins the coverage your client deserves.