I get this question a lot. The short, emphatic answer is YES!. And I’ll tell you why.
Have you ever wondered why a particular author was on TV News, or had a feature article written about them in the local paper? Are there authors that you keep seeing in the media and wonder why? It’s not that they have written the best, most important book to hit the shelves, although that could be the case. But if no one ever hears about the book, how would we know? Most likely they have a publicist and press materials working behind the scenes. And one of the most effective tools you can use to reach reporters, and reviewers is a Press Room. This is the first place journalists go when considering a story, review, or covering an event.
Here are some interesting new stats that concur:
- 93% of journalists visit online newsrooms frequently, 29% every day
- 79% visit online newsrooms of small to medium size organizations as well as large organizations
- 100% believe it’s important to able to access PR contacts on the online newsroom
- 88% believe it’s important to access backgrounders, such as the organization’s history, awards and white papers, within the digital newsroom
- 79% say accessing video files in the newsroom is important,
- 25% say it’s very important
- 82% believe links to the organization’s social media profiles is important
- (Survey by TEKGroup International)
So, if you don’t have an online press room or media page, I encourage you to add one. It can hold a lot of content that will not only encourage journalists to write about you or invite you to be a guest on their radio show, podcast or even TV show, but it lends credibility to you and your message. Keep in mind, the media is not your only audience here; book sellers, reviewers, event planners, potential clients if you have a business and the average book buyer often click on the PRESS or MEDIA tab to find out more about you and your project.
If you’re wondering what goes in your press room or media page, just think about how you can make a journalist’s job easier…
- Succinct press release with quotes that describe your book/cause/project and why it’s important, why you wrote it and what readers can expect. Remember – it’s not about the book; its about the story behind the story.
- Bio page with three versions of who you are: short (25 words), medium (50 – 75 words) and long (75-150)
- Hi-resolution graphics. Book cover images in various sizes and orientation, logos, head shots, candid photos, sample social media posts
- Previous media coverage. Media builds on media, so start small with local media outlets and build. If you want radio or TV interviews, include a high-quality sample.
- An event Media Advisory if you have an online (or live) event coming up and you’d like some pre-event buzz. Don’t forget about online calendar listings which are free.
Publicity isn’t rocket science, but it takes some skill and experience to do it well. Get professional help everywhere you can, and if you want to get a quick jumpstart on your publicity efforts, check our our “PR Starter Kit” or email leann@buildbuzzlaunch.com .
See you in the News!
