The idea of being featured in a live interview — whether it’s one that’s featured on a nationally broadcast show like “Good Morning America” or one on a local radio station — is certainly exciting, knowing that many people who are unfamiliar with your message will have a chance to hear it for the first time. It’s worth noting that the value of this kind of media coverage doesn’t end there, with the audience who happens to catch your interview live on the air. In fact, there are many ways to benefit from an interview like this, once it has been shared live with an audience or in the current issue of a print magazine or newspaper. Here are a few ways that you can multiply the value of each interview, segment or article as you strengthen your connection with your current clients or customers, and also connect with an entirely new audience as well.
The Journalistic “Stamp of Approval.” One of the great benefits of “earned media” (i.e., coverage by mainstream news media outlets or publications for timely, newsworthy reasons) is the credibility that is conferred by this kind of coverage. In fact — even at a time when the field of journalism has been the subject of some scorn — being acknowledged as an expert (worthy of free news coverage) can elevate the way you’re perceived by your clients and new prospects more powerfully and effectively than the most glowing client testimonial.
SEO Benefits. While it’s true that the field of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is constantly evolving — as Google rolls out one new algorithm after another — one important factor that can help you connect with a vast new audience is the number of times you’re featured by respected news outlets in interviews and articles. After all, many of your future clients and customers have yet to meet or hear about you (“you don’t know what you don’t know!”) and when they plug in relevant search terms, it’s a huge advantage if your website can appear high in the results — and each media appearance will help elevate you in that regard. (Securing coverage by respected news outlets is especially helpful to those in fields where it’s difficult to gain a “first-page position” in the search results because of challenging search terms like “weight loss” and “dentistry.” Experts who work in competitive fields like these often find that an effective public relations campaign helps them more than any SEO strategy alone ever could.
Opening the Door to Speaking Engagements and Fee Increases. Just as it’s natural (and a mistake) to boast and talk about oneself when presented with an interview opportunity, many people who are just “learning the ropes” of how the public relations process works think that a live television or radio interview, or an appearance in that day’s local newspaper, will put them in front of an entirely new audience, and some percentage of that audience will consider acting that exposure. While this is certainly true, a number of my clients have found that by posting links to television interviews (recorded and posted on YouTube) and radio appearances (playable on-demand via audio files), as well as links to pdf images of newspaper and magazine articles, on the “In the News” page of their website, they’re providing helpful information to those who are seeking speakers for various conferences and events. Featuring (fresh and up-to-date) links like these can also have a very persuasive impact on those who are shopping for a specific kind of service or product. These potential clients may choose to visit the websites of ten different financial advisors, for example. The financial adviser’s website that will stand out from the crowd (assuming it’s a nicely designed website) is the one that boasts plenty of links to recent news stories featuring that expert. This kind of “enhanced credibility” can also put experts in the enviable position of being able to increase their client fees and other prices.
“Re-Validation” in the Eyes of Current Clients and Customers. Along the same lines as the benefits noted above, I’ve also worked with a number of experts and professionals whose primary reason for launching a public relations campaign was not necessarily to connect with new clients or customers, but instead to create a positive impression on their current clients. “My fitness coach must one of the best,” someone seeing their personal trainer’s well-populated and up-to-date “In the News” page might say. “If so many journalists consider my coach an expert, then it really must be true!”
The ideas I’ve shared here are a good example of other tips and insights I feature on a weekly basis in my newsletter. If you’d like to learn more about creative ways to engage the interest of reporters and producers, and how to use free media exposure to connect with the widest possible audience, click here. Subscribe to the Tom Martin Media weekly newsletter..