How to create a PR media strategy
Media strategy definition: a plan of action by an organisation or brand for bringing key messages to the attention of consumers through the use of relevant media.
A well planned media strategy enables you to effectively communicate with the media and the public to achieve specific goals, such as building brand awareness, managing reputation, promoting products or services, or influencing public opinion, and forms a key part of your overall PR strategy.
A media strategy identifies the specific target audiences you wish to reach, which media they read, listen to, and watch; and what techniques you’re going to use to get into those media outlets.
Here at ADPR we have many years experience in writing media strategies – usually as part of a wider PR programme – that are full of newsworthy, interesting angles to attract the attention of target journalists and influencers. It is an essential element in any PR campaign, and if you don’t have one, make a start today using our tips below…
You may also like to listen to this episode of the Revitalise & Grow podcast on how to set your overall PR strategy, and how your media strategy feeds in to this.
How to create a PR media strategy
Overview
Start with an overview of the current situation of your company/service/brand – include key milestones, core products/services and facts and figures that may be of use to media.
Objectives
What is it that you want to achieve from your media programme? Is it to change perceptions of your brand, attract new clients in a different market, or to raise the profile of your company with a certain target market?
Target audience
Focus the media strategy on who your product/service is aimed at – and be as specific as possible! For example, a B2B company might target owner managed businesses in the South East of England turning over at least £10m, or a B2C brand might target working mothers aged 25-45 living in Scotland.
SWOT analysis (from a media perspective…)
What is your USP? What strengths does your team/product/service have? Does one of your team come across really well on camera and in interviews? What threats are there from competitors and what negatives might the media uncover about you?
Key messages
Focus on the essential messages about your company (many will be drawn from the SWOT analysis) that you want to get across in communications. Edit the messages into a short, snappy sentence or two and then use the messages in all brand communications – including media interviews and press releases.
Target media
Identify what media your target audience is influenced by – this will become your “hit list” for securing coverage in, in order to deliver your objectives. ADPR has access to thousands of international media contacts through its subscriber databases in addition to our own “little black book” of personal journalist contacts! Otherwise, Twitter and Google are great places to start for researching journalist contacts.
Tactics
This is how you are going to deliver your media strategy. There are so many different options… press releases, photo-calls, features, interviews, exclusives, press trips, events… the list goes on!
Timings
Schedule your media activity around key dates such as product launches, events and exhibitions. Even if there aren’t any specific dates, set deadlines so the work gets done!
Evaluation
Monitor and evaluate throughout the strategy implementation. At ADPR we have various metrics we use to measure the effectiveness of campaigns, but a good place to start is to use Google Analytics to measure which articles are providing traffic, ask your new clients where they heard about you and keep a deck of press cuttings.
If you are interested in talking to ADPR about creating and delivering a media strategy to meet your business objectives, please drop us an email via hello@adpr.co.uk or request a call back.