How to Turn One Piece of Media Coverage Into More PR Opportunities
Securing a great piece of media coverage feels like the end result of a successful PR campaign.
But sometimes it’s actually the beginning.
I’ve seen this happen repeatedly with clients at Tree Communications: an article appears, does its job and then, weeks, months or even years later, another journalist discovers it.
And suddenly that original piece of coverage has created an entirely new opportunity.
When Journalists Find Your Old Coverage
One client was featured in the Manchester Evening News.
Two years later, they received an unexpected call from a TV and radio producer who had found the old article through Google.
Another client secured a national newspaper feature. Months later, that coverage helped lead to a TV opportunity.
For another client, the turnaround was much quicker. A national newspaper story resulted in a call from ITV’s This Morning within a week, inviting her into the studio.
And another client’s legacy achievement award was covered by the Manchester Evening News. More than a year later, a BBC journalist got in touch about an interview, with a view to it potentially developing into a regular contributor slot.
Different clients. Different stories. Different timescales.
But there is a common thread.
Your Media Coverage Creates a Searchable Footprint
Journalists are constantly searching for people.
They need experts who can explain something clearly. They need interesting contributors. They need people with relevant experiences and case studies that bring stories to life.
When they search online, previous media coverage can help them find you.
A well-written article with a strong human angle doesn’t necessarily stop being useful just because its publication date is a year or two old.
It can become part of your searchable media footprint.
And there’s another benefit.
Existing media coverage demonstrates that you have a story to tell. Depending on the coverage, it may also show that you have experience speaking publicly about your subject.
That can help open doors to further opportunities.
Think Beyond the First Headline
This is why I encourage clients to think strategically about media relations rather than viewing every opportunity in isolation.
When we’re planning PR, we’re thinking about:
- Who we want to target
- When we want to target them
- Which angles are most appropriate for different media
- How one opportunity could potentially create a route towards another
A one-hit campaign can get you a headline.
A longer-term media relations strategy aims to build something much more valuable.
That might mean several pieces of coverage across different outlets.
Or it could mean an unexpected phone call 18 months later because a journalist has just discovered something you did previously.
Give Your PR Something to Build On
Not every article will lead to television. Not every interview will result in another journalist calling.
But if you continually create relevant, credible and interesting coverage, you’re building a body of work that can keep representing you when you’re not actively pitching.
That is one of the longer-term benefits of PR that businesses can easily overlook.
The value of a piece of media coverage shouldn’t necessarily be measured only by what happens on the day it’s published.
Sometimes its biggest opportunity hasn’t happened yet.
At Tree Communications, we help airlines, travel, hospitality and event brands and ambitious founders create strategic visibility and secure regular, relevant media coverage that builds trust as well as headlines.
If you’d like to build a media profile that keeps creating opportunities, get in touch.
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