Paid media is a vital part of just about any PR or marketing plan, but what about increasing the opportunities for and effectiveness of organic media mentions? Is there a right way to go about getting valuable, earned media on a consistent basis? The answer is absolutely, yes, but it’s not simple, easy, or immediate. Creating that communications funnel takes time, discipline, and creativity.

Begin by becoming a reliable source for reporters, opinion makers, and influencers in the market that reaches the desired audience. When reporters and editors know they can depend on a source for timely, accurate, compelling content, they will come back for more. Begin supplying high-quality stories with no expectations. Let the media representatives know they can depend on good content being provided.

Being proactive and connective is key

Looking back over the past two months, it’s clear that the news cycle has been, in a word, focused. Of course, that focus is for good reason. The world is in the throes of a global pandemic. People are worried, businesses are shut down, and the general mood is that people want answers as to what happens next.

The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus COVID-19 will end eventually and when it does, some consumer habits will likely change. Others may not. What’s known is that the longer the crisis, the bigger the imprint on the consumer. Of course this will affect consumer PR campaigns as well.

Of those polled, 87% of respondents to a recent survey by software solutions company, Shekel, already said they prefer to shop at stores that have touchless or some kind of self-checkout. This was attributed directly to the pandemic.

When it comes to understanding the potential of virtual reality, brands and their marketing teams seem to have barely brushed the surface. Storytelling is everything in the contemporary branding world, and many businesses are beginning to look to evolving technologies to stay ahead of the game. With North Face shooting footage of a climb in Yosemite National Park to transform the shopping experiences of shoppers in New York and San Francisco, here’s a guide to help take your 2019 campaigns to new heights.

One of the fundamentals of public relations is tracking and monitoring the opinion of the public. Additionally, in the past few years, thanks to social media, it has become easier than ever for PR pros to keep track of what the public is thinking or talking about when it comes to particular brands.

When it comes to social media, aside from the fact that it’s an excellent tool for publicity, and free publicity at that, it allows brands to directly communicate with a target audience without going through intermediaries, such as the media. It’s also important to keep track of what that audience is saying when a brand isn’t directly promoting a product or a service.

March is Women’s History Month, and to celebrate, businesses are recognizing the women who make them successful, and taking the opportunity to bring awareness to the issues women still face daily, both inside and outside of the workplace.

5WPR is celebrating Women’s History Month internally, by thanking our female employees for everything they do, and externally, by highlighting female founded startups that are making an impact.

There’s an old adage that you only get one shot to make a first impression. That was true the first time it was said, and it’s exponentially truer in the days of digital marketing and online media, when a single interview – good or bad – can be played, indefinitely, on an endless loop, meaning people are “introduced” to new audiences all the time… a dynamic that is often out of their control.

The rules for a successful TV or online video interview go all the way back to the first televised U.S. Presidential debate, when candidates Kennedy and Nixon squared on in prime time. Kennedy looked cool and poised, while Nixon appeared sweaty and nervous. The impressions of those watching at home were solidified, and Kennedy beat Nixon handily. 

In public relations, media refers to any messaging channel or platform the brand might use to connect with customers. Traditionally, there are three types of media: paid, earned and owned. The modern PR landscape has added a fourth: shared. Funneling all PR messaging through one of these four channels is sometimes called the PESO model, for Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned. While the ultimate goal – building a positive brand reputation – is the same in all cases, the strategy to leverage each kind of media is distinct.

Owned Media is any content or messaging platform the brand owns or exclusively controls. This may include print media, digital platforms, websites or social media pages, as well as all the content on those channels. Other effective forms of owned media could include white papers, presentations, e-Books or other forms of brand-controlled content. Marketing through email, newsletters, or any other direct to consumer or direct-to-list operations also falls under owned media, because the brand controls the content being sent.