TZL 1558 (web)

OPINION

Utilize these strategies to secure wide-reaching media coverage and build credibility, boost visibility, and attract new clients. Strategies for securing earned media

A s a marketing director for a design-build firm in a top 10 U.S. metro area, I’ve experienced the powerful role earned media can play in providing opportunities to increase industry exposure. Unlike paid advertisements, earned media is the publicity a brand organically receives from third-party sources without paying a fee. This form of media can serve as a testament to the firm’s reputation, quality of work, and industry relevance. In recent years, we’ve secured wide-reaching earned media coverage by implementing select strategies.

Justin Stephenson

Here’s how we did it, and how your firm’s marketing team can too: ■ Market research. The first step is to develop an extensive list of potential earned media sources that are aligned with your firm’s work. It’s important to include a full array of opportunities such as national publications, social media channels, awards, television, and local publications and news sources.

pages (SERPs); for relevant, high-value keyword searches like “[city name] architecture firms.” Through easily accessible software options, your marketing team can analyze keyword data such as national and local monthly search volumes and estimated cost-per-click for the top of the page of the SERPs. The data will help your team determine which keywords provide the most potential opportunity, as well as commercial value. For example, the higher the estimated cost-per-click equates to a higher value keyword search as it has a commercial or transactional intent. By securing placements on these pages, three impactful benefits are achieved:

Prioritize high-ranking search engine optimization opportunities. I would recommend initially focusing on publications that rank well on the first page of search engine results

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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 21, 2024, ISSUE 1558

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