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As a startup, one of the big struggles you will face is how to get the word out about your brand. Brand recognition is a goal that all entrepreneurs aim to achieve, and there are many ways to go about it. While creative ad campaigns and clever marketing can make a difference, one of the best ways to establish your initial reputation is by being featured in the media.

But how do you get media coverage when you are just starting?

According to the United States Census Bureau, nearly 5.4 million new business applications were filed during the 2021 calendar year. That’s 5.4 million brands trying to make their mark, attract media attention, and build a reputation. So, how are you going to stand out?

Attracting media attention is a great opportunity, especially for startups. In this article, we are going to look at seven ways that you can engage journalists and media outlets, earn media coverage, and build a solid brand reputation with minimal or no budget:

1. Write a Press Release
2. Email a Unique and Customized Pitch
3. Introduce Yourself on Social Media
4. Contact Specific Journalists or Reporters by Phone
5. Pitch Media on Help a Reporter Out (HARO)
6. Attract Media Attention Using Content Marketing
7. Get Involved Locally

Write a Press Release

One of the most direct routes for reaching out to the media is to write a press release. Brands often use this technique to showcase major events or milestones in their business. An effective press release is short and sweet at approximately 400-600 words. 

When you finish writing your press release, you can submit it to thousands of media outlets for consideration through PRWeb or PR Newswire.

Email a Unique and Customized Pitch

Rather than waiting for journalists and media organizations to find you and your startup, why not reach out and put yourself in their inbox? This approach is commonly done by pitching journalists and reporters through a carefully worded email. Unfortunately, one of the biggest mistakes business owners make when pitching is sending out a copy and paste pitch to everyone in the hopes that someone will pick it up. As a result, journalists get hundreds of these template-style pitches and often delete them.

Instead, take the time to write a unique pitch for each journalist. Before writing, take some time to read through the articles previously written by that journalist so that you better understand the topics they focus on and how they approach a story. This research will give you some insight to help you write a pitch highlighting why their audience wants to hear your story and how you can provide value.

Your email should share some context on who you are and why they should be interested in what you have to offer. At the same time, you want to keep your pitch concise and to the point. Be upfront about what you pitch and why the editor receiving your email should be interested in covering it. According to The State of Journalism 2020, over 60% of journalists prefer to receive pitches no longer than three paragraphs.  

Introduce Yourself on Social Media

Leveraging social media to reach the media is an underrated strategy. Too often, social media is seen only as a marketing tool, but it’s also a great campaign tool when you get creative.

To begin, write a clear and concise bio on each social media platform that you use. Then, when connecting with reporters, don’t just jump to pitching your brand as a story. Instead, use the platform as an opportunity to connect and engage with journalists and media personnel with whom you want to work.

Like building a relationship with a sales lead, connecting with reporters on social media starts with establishing a connection. You want to be proactive in getting to know them and building a relationship while introducing your new business and its purpose. Not only will this help you to get the attention of the media in the beginning, but it will also create working relationships that can help you in the future with new product launches, announcing brand events, and other newsworthy developments.

Contact Specific Journalists or Reporters by Phone

If there are certain media outlets or journalists that you want to work with, you may wish to make it a priority to reach out to them individually. Journalists and reporters receive email pitches and social media messages every day. A great way to make yourself stand out is to take the time to contact each of these individuals by phone.

First, list the journalists, reporters, and media outlets you consider the most important for sharing your brand’s story. Some factors include the publications that they write for, their location and their writing style. Next, find a phone number for each media contact on your list. 

Finally, set aside a day to make some phone calls. Make sure each conversation is unique to the person you are contacting.

Pitch Media on Help a Reporter Out (HARO)

Another simple (and FREE) way to earn media attention is by pitching reporters on the Help A Reporter Out (HARO) website. Journalists working on a story in your industry will share a query explaining what information they need. 

It could be an answer to a specific question or a quote for a piece they are writing. You can pitch the reporter if you see a query that you believe fits your expertise well. The goal is to help them know that you would be the right expert for their recent piece, earning free press coverage for you and your brand.

Attract Media Attention Using Content Marketing

The Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as “a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.” When discussing content marketing, the audience in question is usually an audience of potential clients you hope to attract. However, that’s not the only opportunity to use content marketing to your advantage.

Create content that will showcase your knowledge and expertise to attract the media’s attention when covering topics related to your industry. You win the attention you’re seeking by positioning yourself as an expert in your field.

What content can you create to showcase your competence? This content includes written, video, and audio content such as blog posts, newsletters, emails, and social media posts. Create high-quality content answering common questions or solving problems within your industry. You will come to mind as an expert when journalists work on a piece related to your profession.

Get Involved Locally

Is your startup a locally based business? Pay careful attention to any events that may be occurring in your area that would attract media attention while also aligning with your brand. For example, if you want to build rapport and trust with your clients (and potential clients), you may wish to speak at a local convention or industry event. 

Speaking to an audience in your niche helps you to showcase your knowledge and expertise. If you are more focused on introducing your brand to the community and local media, try volunteering with your staff at a local charitable event. You can showcase how many of you are present from your company by having staff wear company swag or brand colors. And once you manage to build that initial connection, don’t stop. Send simple gestures of appreciation such as thank you cards to let your audience feel that your brand is human. People love brands that connect with them on a personal level.

If you want to make a splash in your community, why not plan your event? Designing your event will ensure the connection between the event and your company is clear and your involvement is noticed. At the same time, you can make a difference and build a reputation that will showcase your startup in the best light possible.

By focusing on these seven strategies, you can position your startup in a way that will attract journalists and media organizations. 

This approach will help you build a brand reputation, highlight your expertise, and begin to establish notoriety in your industry. It’s an investment today that will continue to pay off for years down the road.

Did you know that 87% of law firms have implemented a mobile strategy?

And if your law firm is serious about doing business and reaching clients, you need a mobile strategy too. And what better way to achieve this than through a law firm website and a good design?

But choosing a website design can be intimidating, especially if you are not tech-savvy. So read below to learn the seven factors to consider when building law firm websites.

1. Your Target Audience

Knowing the firm’s potential clients and their needs allow website designers to tailor the site to meet those needs. The website should cater to target demographics. You should consider their age, income, location, legal practice interests, etc.

2. Your Firm’s Design Aesthetic

The design aesthetic must be carefully considered when designing or updating a law firm’s website. The design should reflect the firm’s positioning, culture, and target market.

Pleasing aesthetics will help visitors feel comfortable and encourage them to learn more about the firm and its services. The design colors, layout, fonts, and images should reflect the principle of a firm. And the overall look of the site should show the professional and trust-inspiring image a law firm wishes to convey.

The colors should project an image of reliability, stability, and seriousness. The design should be well-constructed, simple to understand, and easy to navigate. The images should be of high quality and fit with the goal of the firm and its message.

If you want to see this example, check out Alpha Accident Lawyers and their website.

3. User Experience

You need to optimize your web user experience to ensure users have an enjoyable, intuitive, and efficient experience. Key elements should include intuitive navigation and aesthetically pleasing design.

Users should also have easy access to information and helpful resources. And you should incorporate clear calls to action and a modern blog.

Navigation should be organized and logical. You should display your content so that users can access what they need without getting overwhelmed. The design should be modern, unique, and appealing for users to remember.

Access to information should be easy and intuitive, including being visible up front and center on the website. Resources should be available to provide visitors with helpful information on various legal topics and services.

Calls to action should be clear and concise. They should encourage users to take action, such as filling out the contact form or scheduling a consultation. And adding a blog and providing useful, engaging content can help build a loyal audience who come to the site for helpful information.

4. Mobile-Friendliness

Studies have found that over 59% of web traffic originates from smartphones. So as more and more users are switching to mobile devices to access websites, creating a mobile-friendly website is essential.

Developing a mobile version of the law firm’s website can help enhance the visitor experience. It ensures a more successful website launch. Mobile optimization helps to provide better performance and increase website usability.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

In the age of digital marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) increases website traffic. And there are vital elements to consider when constructing a website for a law firm and optimizing for SEO.

First, consider the keywords for the law firm and the related topics where appropriate. Second, create content that targets the intended niche, and that utilizes the keywords from the research. Third, ensure that titles and metadata are meta-tagged with relevant keywords.

Fourth, create backlinks from other legal sites and business websites, as well as through social media and blogger reviews. Fifth, optimize website loading speed. Sixth, use alt-tags to help search engines index images and videos.

And you have to leverage SEO. Include inbound and outbound links, utilize headings, and build a customer feedback system. These will all show authority and build trust for the law firm.

6. Social Media Integration

Social media integration is one of the critical factors to consider when building a law firm website. Social media can promote a law firm’s services. It can also help you connect with potential clients and build relationships with new and existing clients.

Integrating social media into your web design budget allows visitors to find and interact with your firm. And it provides extra content to generate leads.

Connecting with interested clients through social media content can then help build relationships. This is while developing greater brand recognition and a more extensive follower base.

Additionally, providing accessible social media links allows visitors to find blogs fast. And establishing an integrated social media strategy can help reinforce the law firm’s identity.

7. Site Security & Quality Assurance

Site security and quality assurance are essential when building a website for marketing law firms. It is crucial to encrypt all website content. And malware and other malicious software mustn’t be present on or accessible through the website.

The law firm should use high-quality assurance standards for auditing its website security measures. They might also need these standards in conducting ongoing software updates. This will help to identify potential security loopholes and enable the firm to keep the website up-to-date and risk-free.

Furthermore, the law firm should have a clear website privacy policy. This ensures they can protect the data they collect from their users. This includes monitoring user activities and limiting access to delicate information.

A secure, trustworthy and reliable website is the foundation for a successful law firm website. So it should be given the highest priority.

Start Your Journey By Building Law Firm Websites Now

Effectively building law firm websites should go beyond aesthetically pleasing designs.

They must consider the seven factors discussed above. Take the time to ensure these key components are addressed to create an online presence that reaches and engages potential clients.

What are you waiting for? Build your law firm website today and boost your presence online!

Do you want more trivia and advice? Then, keep scrolling through our blog for more fascinating reads.