Nancy Marshall
July 22, 2019
Business Resources
How to use your company’s social media to attract mainstream media attention
By Nancy Marshall
Your company’s social media can be used as to attract the attention of the mainstream media and generate positive publicity. If you post newsworthy items on your social media on a regular basis, then reporters, editors and other journalists will think of your company as a source for story ideas. Social media is the perfect way to garner positive attention in the mainstream news.
Below you will find the 10 best ways to attract the attention of mainstream media using your social networks.
1. Use LinkedIn to post newsworthy items
Posting stories, photos and videos about updates at your business on an ongoing basis can easily show mainstream media the impressive growth going on at your company.
2. Post story links about your company
Using already published trade publication stories, television news stories and newspaper stories about changes happening at your company can not only show your followers what is going on but can inspire other outlets to cover the story.
3. Post links to national stories about your industry
Create a post that includes a link to industry news that makes a connection to what is happening in your market or region. The connection to a bigger story may interest regional outlets.
4. Create a video about how your product or service is made
A video can show the unique processes you use to create your products, which in turn can garner media attention. Everyone loves going behind the curtain to see how things are made.
5. Provide photos of the problem or action
Posting images that contain a problem your company is working to solve can provide a newsworthy angle. Showing the actions your business is taking may also be worthy of a story. Even if your company is not part of the solution, the media may value the resource you have provided.
6. Conduct a poll to show change or support
Conducting a poll or sharing results on social media will make solid data about your company and follower reactions easy for media to collect that may be pertinent to a piece they are working on. The results may also show a newsworthy trend, breaking the status quo, worthy of its own story.
7. Use video for crisis management
Responding quickly to a company crisis is essential to reducing the negative news. Using video and posting on social media in a timely manner allows mainstream media to show their audiences your side of the story.
8. Engage with the media on Twitter
By engaging on social media platforms such as Twitter, you can gain the attention of the editor or reporter. This technique is best implemented by liking posts and leaving meaningful comments.
9. Before pitching, develop relationships using social media
Rather than cold pitching, a relationship can be nurtured through social media. Taking the time to view and let posted information sink in before reacting, whether commenting or liking, shows the media contact that you care about their work or personal opinions, making you a trusted source.
10. Regularly post tips on a topic you want to be known for
Start by determining areas where you possess expertise, then regularly post tips, tricks and knowledge based on that expertise. When media are developing stories related to these areas of expertise, they know they can turn to you as a source.
Following these practices will help show journalists that your company is serious about the products or services you provide, that you truly care about the topics the outlet covered, that you are well informed of industry news, and that you can be relied on as a trustworthy source. Not only can social media be used to make covering a story easier for media, but you can also form long-lasting relationships that will increase your media coverage in the future.
Nancy Marshall is the founder and CEO of Marshall Communications and host of “The PR Maven” podcast. She can be reached at nmarshall@marshallpr.com
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