Are all media placements created equal?

Are media placements created equal in today’s digital media marketplace?

By Alex Kofsky

What makes for a good placement?

If you had asked me when I first started my career, which resonates more, print or online placements, the industry would have responded with a resounding “print.” However, I have always thought online placements are ‘king’ due to their longevity and visibility. 

Media begets media, and as exciting as it is for your client to appear in the print version of the New York Times, the impact is more widespread and permanent when it appears digitally. However, at the end of the day, a good placement trumps all else - and nothing feels greater. 

This is very subjective; however, the ‘best placement’ is truly any placement that includes your brand or spokesperson in an outlet that resonates amongst your audience.

Whether it is a newsletter, broadcast segment, podcast, or print publication, if your messaging is getting to the right audience, then the PR efforts are considered a success. Don’t overlook mediums with smaller reaches, as the ROI for a niche blog that targets your audience can be just as impactful as a more mainstream outlet that doesn’t get in front of the eyes and minds that you want it to. 

Quality vs. Quantity

More is always better. When it comes to quality versus quantity, it is just as important for consistency to help build up thought leadership and brand recognition as it is for lengthy profiles in top-tier publications. 

That being said, nothing beats the excitement of having your client appear on the front page of the New York Times or on a CNBC segment. 

How to Best Leverage Placements 

Along the lines of the saying, “If it doesn’t appear on social media, did it really happen?” In today’s media landscape, leveraging PR placements on social channels is a critical tool for increasing awareness.

When a placement appears, it’s important to prominently display it on social channels, on your website, and ‘shout it from the rooftops’ to really maximize the reach and impact. This also falls into the category of “more is always better.”  Leveraging social channels among your networks and your colleagues’ networks is a no-brainer.

In recent years as many print publications are folding, this is nothing for clients to fear, as digital footprints are here to stay and are invaluable. So long as you leverage your clients, thought leadership efforts, and media placements strategically, and are constantly building relationships amongst reporters, your clients will thrive in the journalism landscape.