The best brands are everywhere. They don’t rely on one strategy or one platform; they promote themselves in numerous ways, reaching different audiences with each one and maximizing their engagement.
Consider Patagonia. The clothing brand is very active on social media, reaching millions of followers on Instagram and other platforms. But the company is also the subject of favorable news stories that promote its clothing from a third-party perspective, bringing an added sense of trust and credibility. Due to Patagonia’s stance on climate change, news outlets are interested in covering the company, leading more people to know, like and ultimately trust the company. And, of course, Patagonia also leans into traditional advertising, albeit it with a unique twist.
This is just one example of successful branding. There is also Taylor Swift, who is quite literally everywhere at the moment. From the front pages of newspapers to social media accounts, TV commercials and even documentaries, Swift has found success promoting herself in many different ways. Along the way, she has picked up millions of loyal fans, knowing that different fans interact with different forms of content.
Obviously, not just anyone can be Taylor Swift. Patagonia is similarly singular. Their branding stands out because they stand out.
But even small businesses and other lesser-known brands can take a page out of this playbook. Brands of all shapes and sizes need to integrate their efforts, including earned, social and paid media. Whether it is organic content that costs little to nothing or paid advertising, integration is the best strategy for any brand.
Share Your Brand Story Consistently
The first step is to define your brand story—the key messages that make you, well, you. I often advise clients to put together a message map with one primary theme in the middle of the map and secondary talking points surrounding it. These messages stem from and support the core theme, which is your brand’s story in a nutshell.
Remember: Your brand story is the foundation for all of your public relations and marketing efforts. It is essentially your guiding principle—why you do what you do—that can be shared in multiple formats. Perhaps it is an X post with a catchy hashtag. Maybe it’s a 30-second TV spot.
Whatever the platform, the point is to remain consistent. There needs to be overlap so people recognize your brand no matter the medium. Your social media content should feel like your TV advertising, and vice versa. When you interact with a print newspaper, your talking points should be repeatable—they may also be used for a podcast or local radio station.
Promote Your Media Across Channels
Integration also means using one form of media to promote another. For instance, you can share a link to a relevant news story on your social media channels, raising your profile in the eyes of your audience, especially if they happened to miss the original story.
Sharing an earned media link on your social media will also drive traffic to that earned media result, such as the website of a newspaper or cable news station. This could improve your standing among media members, who appreciate the increased traffic. If they perceive you as a PR or marketing expert who can help drive more traffic to their news stories, they may look at your pitches even more favorably in the future.
Use A Multifaceted Approach
One of my first bosses in the PR business said that our target audience needs to see and hear from us in a variety of ways. In his words: We want to “assault their senses.” This means seeing your brand’s story on TV (earned), hearing it on the radio (earned), passing a billboard on the highway (paid) and stumbling across it on social media. And that still applies today.
The best PR or marketing people leverage this multifaceted approach, and they are always looking for ways to get into the news. That’s what we call “newsjacking.” Look at it this way: If there’s a news story about flooding and you have a product that empties flooded basements, now is the time to promote yourself.
Earned, social and paid media are all your friends. Use them all, and keep them integrated.
This article originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice in February 2024.
