Elon Musk’s latest transfer to purchase Twitter for $44 billion has been one of many largest tales of the yr. Regardless of the seemingly never-ending drama, the proposed deal has big implications for the social media world.
By itself, the foundering Twitter transaction could not appear all that pertinent to PR professionals. But when you consider it for a second, this tried buy represents one other occasion of rich people or massive firms trying to personal their media presence. Related instances embrace Jeff Bezos’ 2013 acquisition of The Washington Publish, and Disney’s huge controlling stake in main TV networks and channels, together with ABC, ESPN, A&E Networks, and extra.
Whereas not many PR professionals are prone to be coping with billionaire purchasers who purchase newspapers or social media platforms, there are many purchasers on the market who solely wish to work by means of owned media. Owned media has all the time been tough for PR professionals to handle, particularly in the case of questions of legitimacy and transparency. How can I make my shopper’s owned media work for them whereas additionally making it appear unbiased and truthful?
Sorts of media
Let’s remind ourselves of the totally different media varieties and the way they differ from each other. Many advertising and marketing professionals might be aware of the PESO mannequin of media varieties (Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned), which is a planning instrument for media campaigns by digital entrepreneurs and PR professionals.
To start out, paid media is any advertising and marketing content material that an organization has paid for, corresponding to advertorial content material, sponsored content material, and different promoted media. Earned media is any favorable protection in a media outlet that an organization hasn’t paid for, corresponding to media mentions, bylined articles, and thought management placements. Shared media is something natural in nature, corresponding to critiques, on-line feedback, and references in different on-line communities.
Lastly, you have got owned media, which is any on-line content material that an organization totally owns and controls. Examples of owned media embrace firm blogs, self-hosted movies, webinars, and electronic mail advertising and marketing campaigns. The beauty of owned media, and what makes it so standard, is the whole management you have got over it. In contrast to shared or earned, owned media can be utilized to speak the precise message you wish to your viewers. It additionally raises your model consciousness by rising your search visibility and permitting you to succeed in new audiences.
An issue arises when purchasers solely wish to use owned media, which suggests they miss out on the total advantages that may come from a extra diversified PR marketing campaign. Every media kind has its personal professionals and cons, and a very good PR skilled will know that an efficient media marketing campaign usually requires a wholesome stability of the varied varieties.
How one can ‘personal’ your owned media
From the reader’s perspective, it’s very tough to belief data that comes from a brand-owned supply, notably when the language makes it clear that the intention is to promote you one thing. Luckily, even when a shopper does insist on utilizing owned media and nothing else, there are methods to make sure it carries extra weight for the reader and earns their belief. It’s all about the way you current the data.
Under are three steps you possibly can take to make your shopper’s owned media extra genuine and reliable within the eyes of readers.
1. Make it informative and helpful
When speaking along with your shopper’s viewers, it’s necessary to make the content material each informative and helpful. Usually talking, individuals who often go to a brand-owned weblog or join an organization’s publication aren’t instantly seeking to buy the corporate’s service or order its merchandise. If they’re concerned about making a purchase order, they may simply go to the “order” or “contact us” web page.
Weblog posts and newsletters fulfill a distinct want by offering data that may assist the shopper make future choices about an issue they’re dealing with. Generally that ends in leads, in fact, however that may’t be the main focus of the content material, at the very least not in the event you’re attempting to construct belief. The extra informative and helpful the content material is, the extra seemingly it’s that the reader will return for future posts, share those they like on social media, and, ultimately, think about using the model’s providers or merchandise.
2. Hold it unbiased and clear
What’s it that units a media outlet just like the New York Occasions other than a brand-owned weblog? The reply is the dedication of the Occasions in the direction of the core tenets of journalism: transparency and goal reporting. Granted, each supply has its biases, however for probably the most half, journalistic juggernauts just like the Occasions strive as finest they will to stay neutral and truthful of their reporting. The identical ought to be true of your shopper’s owned media.
That’s to not say you possibly can’t be a bit promotional with owned media. The trick is to make it refined. Folks can acknowledge after they’re being marketed to, they usually could also be delay when it’s too of their face. Folks don’t thoughts advertising and marketing after they’re in shopping for mode, however after they’re simply searching for information, a tough gross sales angle may be off-putting.
With owned media content material, attempt to deliver up opposing viewpoints and current them in a approach that appears truthful whereas additionally arguing why your shopper’s merchandise/providers are the higher selection. It’s not all the time straightforward to perform this stability, however it builds better belief along with your target market.
3. Handle shopper expectations
When you’ve intently adopted the above two factors, then it’s best to by now have a media piece that’s each informative and reliable sufficient to attraction to the target market. Nevertheless, there’s one other issue it is advisable contemplate within the owned media equation: the shopper. They might not be fully proud of this method you’ve taken. They won’t perceive why they will’t use these items to brazenly promote their services and products. Anticipate to obtain some pushback the primary few occasions you ship in some content material for his or her owned media.
Be able to persuade them—in an inexpensive approach—why the delicate promote is far more efficient, even with owned media. You must also be keen to accommodate the shopper’s needs as finest you possibly can. An sad shopper gained’t stay a shopper for lengthy, so be ready to provide some floor if needed. Little doubt, it’s a tough balancing act to maintain your shopper comfortable whereas additionally holding their content material truthful and clear. However over time, the outcomes ought to communicate for themselves.
Last ideas
In comparison with different media varieties, owned media permits for extra freedom for purchasers to get their message out as they see it. Nevertheless, there’s a proper and unsuitable solution to method it. As PR professionals, we have to acknowledge what that proper method is and gently persuade our purchasers to take that method.
As extra companies look to develop their advertising and marketing attain by means of owned media, there might be an elevated want for PR professionals to have these probably tough conversations amongst each themselves and their purchasers.
