Like many other industries, the COVID-19 crisis has turned the Public Relations industry upside down. Recently I’ve seen a lot of questions about whether or not pitching media during COVID-19 is a good idea to garner earned media coverage.
So, is this a good time to pitch media?
After all, some sectors have seen increases. Plus, people are stuck at home with a lot of time on their hands ready to consume information.
Media do have to fill a 24 hour news cycle and it’s not like all journalists just became health reporters (ok, a lot of them did, but still).
It could seem like a good time to get your story out there through media relations, right?
The answer is, it really depends, and I discuss those elements in the following video.
Following the first video, I had some additional thoughts. Simply put, there’s definitely still a place for earned media (aka media relations) during a crisis like COVID-19, as long as it’s purposeful, thoughtful and done the right way. Check it out:
It’s more important now than ever to have an integrated communications plan that utilizing all elements of the Spin Suck PESO model – paid, earned, shared and owned.
For the next few weeks, getting the earned media placement you want will be increasingly difficult. So you need to put a heavier emphasis on your Paid, Earned and Owned channels.
To be clear, you need to be careful on those channels as well, but that’s why you use them, because you have control over the messaging and experience.
Here are some additional resources for your crisis planning efforts:
– Internal Communications During A Crisis
– The Art & Science Of Making A Public Apology
– A Meaningful Message, Or Pandering Without Purpose
And here are some additional blogs to help with your strategic communications planning:
– Pitching Media Like The Pros
– Tips For Nailing Media Relations
– Don’t Let Perfect Be The Enemy Of Effective
– Wake Up. Kick Ass. Repeat.
– How to Create Content That Engages Audiences and Builds Brand Trust Quickly
– 7 Tips to Measure Your Strategic Communications Campaigns
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