You're in the media. Now what?

Congratulations! You - or perhaps your fabulous PR agency - have scored some top-drawer media coverage for your business.

Now what?

Given the huge effort - and not inconsiderable expense - that goes into securing earned media coverage, it makes sense to ensure that those prized press wins can work as hard for you as possible. Below are our top tips to help you extend the longevity and brand value of media mentions. (Note: you'll need to comply with all NLA, CLA and other agency and geographic requirements when sharing coverage and weblinks from licensed publications. Make sure you get up-to-speed with regional rules beforehand or consult a PR professional so that you remain on the right side of copyright law.)

1. Flag it to your key contacts

If you already issue a newsletter to customers and prospects, flag your media coverage in your next issue. If you don't yet have a regular newsletter or other active customer communication channel, it's a great excuse to start one.

2. Post it on social media

Share news of the coverage on all appropriate social media channels - and not just once. Maximise visibility by re-sharing the post several times, at different times of day, with tweaked text and accompanied by different images. "One and done" rarely produces the best results when it comes to social visibility. Don't forget to respond to any comments on the post to build dialogue and enhance discoverability.

3. Boost it via ads

If it's a humdinger of a hit that will really boost your credibility and trust with key audiences, consider using it as the basis for a targeted paid ad or sponsored post on your most important channels (for example, LinkedIn). Remember to monitor the ad performance and optimise your ad approach based on the response.

4. Encourage your team to share it

Never underestimate the power of positive media coverage for boosting team morale. Make your team aware of your media success via your internal comms, and ask them to help celebrate and spread the good news to their own networks. Lower the barriers and make it as easy as possible for them to share it by providing example draft posts that they can personalise, and include eye-catching images, video or other digital assets for added impact.

5. Spotlight it on your website

Whether it's splashed on your homepage, dedicated press area or company news page, give your impressive press coverage the oxygen of publicity on your owned channels. Spotlight it on multiple pages or sections - wherever makes most sense in your website visitor journey and, preferably, with a compelling call to action and lead capture mechanism. Also, check that your website as a whole is bang up-to-date and looking its best so that you can make the most of any spike in visitor traffic that your media buzz might generate.

More ideas:

Thank and tag both the publication and the individual journalist in your social posts - it not only shows professional courtesy, they might re-share it to their own network. It could also strengthen your relationship to maximise future opportunities.
Add it to your company email signatures for additional amplification and further "opportunities to see".
Include your major media hits in all sales, company and investor pitch slidedecks to demonstrate that you're a business that is making serious waves in your industry.