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What is Media Relations?

As a small business owner, media relations is important to know how to market your business. When you look at marketing as a whole, you will find that it is made up of smaller components like public relations, digital marketing, media relations, branding, advertising, social media management, and more.

What is Media Relations?Understanding how all of these components work together will help you reach your target market and grow your business. We will be discussing what media relations mean when marketing a business and how your business can benefit greatly when mastered correctly.

Definition of Media Relations

Media Relations, simply put, is the relationship that a company has with the media. The media being news channels, journalists, reporters, newspapers, magazines, online news media, and other forms of information-based media.

Media Relations VS. Public Relations

Even though the two processes are commonly considered interchangeable, there are considerable differences that separate the two. Media relations is an aspect of public relations, but public relations is not just media relations. The Public Relations Society of America defines Public Relations as a “strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

Public relations focuses on relationships between all organizations, while media relations only focuses on building relationships with the media. Another way of understanding the difference is that public relations will shape the brand and the message, while media relations relay and voices that message.

Benefits of Media Relations

The relationship between a business and journalists and reporters is mutually beneficial. This is because the company is giving the journalists and reporters a newsworthy story, and in turn, the business is benefiting from free advertising. It is vital to building this relationship because the public views mass media as a more trustworthy source compared to advertisements or endorsements. Next to word of mouth, mass media is the second-best referral source.

Know Your Media & Audience

When building these vital relationships with bloggers, content writers, journalists, and reporters, it is crucial to align yourself with the ones that fit your mission, vision, and values. For example; You wouldn’t invite a health food blogger to your hot dog eating contest for your restaurant.

Who you align yourself with in the media is how your audience will perceive your brand. Researching and knowing what your target marketing is watching will help you decide who to partner with.

Press Releases & Interviews

If you have an event or project coming up in the future, promoting it through the media is a great and cost-effective way to get the word out about it. When giving an interview or doing a press release, it is important to remember these two media relations tools:

  • The 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why
  • The 3 E’s: Education, Emotion, and Entertainment

Do not frame your interview or press release like an advertisement or promotion to sell something. Use the platforms to Invite the audience to come to your event or project and find out about your company firsthand. This is a chance to grow your business and promote your brand, not your product or service. If you need to boost your branding strategy, our previous article, “What Is Effective Brand Management,” can help you optimize your brand management process.

Pair Up with the PR Professionals

A successful marketing campaign will have strong public relations and media relations strategies. The PR Boutique, a top Houston PR firm, and a leading Austin PR firm can help you manage your public and media relations. We will create a strategic marketing plan, manage your public and media relations, help you plan unique events, write your press releases and provide you with media training that provides you with the tools to give incredible interviews. If you are ready to elevate your brand and grow your business, contact us today; We are ready to partner with you!


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