Nearly half a million new businesses spring up every month in the United States. However, 18.4% of such businesses fail within a year. While there are several factors that lead to the failure of startups, one of the core reasons why so many startups fail is they ignore digital PR or public relations. Whether for budget constraints or other factors, these brands fail to get media coverage for their businesses. And this often proves to be a fatal error.
Press coverage helps businesses build credibility among stakeholders, consumers, and everyone else involved in the company. Hence, it’s crucial to get media coverage for your startup, even more so than advertisements.
Media Coverage Vs. Advertisements
Media coverage means getting featured in major news outlets and publications. This can be both earned press (free) and sponsored press (paid). Ads, on the other hand, are an exclusively paid medium of business promotion. You could pay money to advertise your brand in newspapers, television, online, etc.
There’s no doubt that ads are essential for a startup’s growth. This is why many new businesses spend up to 20% of their revenue on ads. However, you must remember you need to have a budget for advertising, and the ROI may not always balance the expenditure. For this reason, it can be highly beneficial if you manage to get media coverage for free. In such a case, you have nothing to lose while also getting free promotion of your brand.
But that’s not all that differentiates paid ads from media coverage. While sponsored ads bring you in front of your audience, media coverage gets you the credibility your brand needs to stay in the market. The right digital PR strategy convinces your audience that it’s not you but rather a reputed publication that’s spreading the good word about your brand, resulting in boosted credibility.
How to Get Media Coverage for Free?
While you can get sponsored media coverage by spending from your marketing budget, you can also get free press coverage. It may not always be so simple for new startups to achieve this. However, proper planning and strategizing go a long way. Here’s what you should do to get free media coverage for your business:
Do Your Homework
While there are multiple publications to choose from, you cannot simply pitch your story to every news outlet you know. You need to pick the right publications for the best results. Hence, start by researching which publications you’d want to get featured in.
To start, shortlist the publications that are most read by your target audience. Next, opt for the ones that are well-known and can give a significant boost to your credibility as a business.
It’s also crucial to select publications that are most relevant to your industry and regularly report on your niche. For example, if you are a crypto startup, go for famous crypto publications like Cointelegraph or CoinDesk. Similarly, if you are into real estate, choose publications like Realtor.com or Redfin.
Pitch Your Story
Your pitch will determine whether you or not you get featured in the publications you want. Put simply, a pitch is a message that tells the media outlet why they should publish your story.
The key to creating a compelling pitch is to be clear and precise in your communication. Clearly mention what your business does, why you deserve to be featured, what’s unique about your brand, and so on.
You must also mention what’s in it for them. Publications and reporters crave stories that will intrigue readers and pile up views. If they find a unique story worth telling in your pitch, chances are you’ll get the media coverage you want.
Be Flexible
You cannot be rigid when seeking free press coverage. Even if you can’t get your story in your desired publications, be flexible to keep other options open.
Moreover, getting your brand’s name out in the press is essential, not how it gets there. Any form of free media coverage, whether it’s a half feature or just a quote, is better than having no press at all.
Bonus: The Easier Route to Get Guaranteed Media Coverage
While you can get media coverage for free through proper planning and consistent efforts, sometimes it’s better to take the easier and guaranteed route. One may not always want to go through the burden or have the time to invest in planning and pitching. In such a case, hiring a digital PR agency is your best option.
Digital Nod’s media placement services can help you get media coverage in any top-tier publication of your choice. What’s more, our digital PR services come with a 100% guarantee. We have a long list of publications you can choose from. So, if you want hassle-free, guaranteed press coverage for your brand, contact us today!
