Inside the Strategies and Techniques That Drive Success
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving media landscape, building a presence is more crucial than ever. It’s not just about getting your message out there; it’s about getting it to the right people, at the right time, in the right way. This requires a carefully crafted strategy that balances creativity with precision. At Lila, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver this balance. Our approach is built on four foundational media types: Earned, Shared, Owned, and Paid Media. Together, these elements form a holistic strategy that drives our clients' success.
Earned Media - Building Credibility and Trust
Earned Media is the gold standard of marketing. It’s the coverage that you can’t buy but must earn through effective storytelling and strong relationships with media professionals. This includes mentions in newspapers, magazines, online publications, TV segments, and even podcasts. The credibility that comes with Earned Media is unmatched because it’s seen as an endorsement from a third party, rather than a message that has been paid for.
Our Approach: To secure Earned Media, we start by understanding our clients' unique stories and what sets them apart. We then craft compelling narratives that resonate with journalists, bloggers, and influencers. This involves not just writing a press release but also knowing which publications or media outlets are most likely to be interested in the story. Timing is also crucial – pitching a story when it aligns with current trends or events can make all the difference.
Building Relationships: Our team is dedicated to building and maintaining strong relationships with key media figures. We don’t just reach out when we need coverage; we stay connected throughout the year, providing value to journalists by being a reliable source of information and stories. This long-term relationship-building is what helps us get our clients’ stories placed in top-tier publications.Shared Media - Engaging and Connecting Through Social Channels
In the digital age, social media has become a vital component of any marketing strategy. Shared Media refers to the content that is distributed and shared across social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. This type of media is powerful because it allows for direct engagement with the audience, creating a two-way conversation that can build relationships and loyalty.
Our Approach: We start by identifying the right platforms for our clients based on their target audience. Each platform has its own unique strengths and audience demographics, so it’s important to choose wisely. For example, Instagram might be the best platform for a fashion brand, while LinkedIn could be more suitable for a B2B company.
Once we’ve identified the right channels, we work with our clients to create content that is not only engaging but also shareable. This can include everything from well-crafted posts to attention-grabbing videos. But it’s not just about creating content; it’s also about timing. We analyse data to determine the best times to post and engage with followers.
Monitoring and Responding: One of the key aspects of Shared Media is that it’s dynamic and fast-paced. We don’t just post content and walk away; we monitor conversations and trends in real-time. This allows us to respond quickly to comments, questions, or even crises. By staying on top of what’s happening on social media, we help our clients maintain a positive and engaging presence.
Owned Media - Crafting and Controlling The Narrative
Owned Media is any content that our clients fully control. This includes their website, blog, newsletters, and any other digital or print assets they own. The key advantage of Owned Media is that it allows clients to craft their message exactly how they want it and present it directly to their audience.
Our Approach: We work closely with our clients to ensure that their Owned Media reflects their brand identity and values. This involves everything from creating a user-friendly website to developing a content strategy for their blog. The goal is to provide valuable and engaging content that keeps their audience coming back.
Content Creation: Creating content for Owned Media is an on-going process. It’s not enough to have a static website or blog; the content needs to be regularly updated and relevant to the audience. We help our clients by developing a content calendar that outlines the topics and types of content to be produced over time. This can include blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and newsletters.
SEO Optimization: A key aspect of Owned Media is ensuring that it’s optimized for search engines. We incorporate SEO best practices into all the content we create, ensuring that it ranks well on search engines like Google. This not only increases visibility but also drives organic traffic to the client’s website.
Paid Media - Amplifying The Message With Precision
Paid Media refers to any content that our clients pay to promote. This can include traditional advertising (such as print ads, TV commercials, and radio spots) as well as digital advertising (such as sponsored posts on social media, pay-per-click ads, and display ads). While Paid Media requires a financial investment, it can be highly effective when targeted correctly.
Our Approach: We start by identifying the goals of the campaign. Are we trying to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to a website, or promote a specific product? Once we’ve established the goals, we work with our clients to develop a strategy that targets the right audience on the right platforms.
Targeting and Re-targeting: One of the advantages of Paid Media, especially in the digital space, is the ability to target specific demographics. We use data and analytics to ensure that our ads are reaching the people who are most likely to be interested in our clients' products or services. Additionally, we use re-targeting techniques to reach people who have previously interacted with the client’s website or social media profiles, keeping the brand top-of-mind.
Measuring Success: Paid Media campaigns are only as good as the results they produce. That’s why we closely monitor the performance of our ads and make adjustments as needed. We track key metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and return on investment (ROI) to ensure that our clients are getting the best possible results from their Paid Media efforts.
Integration - The Key To Success
While each of these media types plays a crucial role in our PR strategy, the real magic happens when they are integrated into a cohesive plan. We don’t view Earned, Shared, Owned, and Paid Media as separate entities but as interconnected elements that work together to amplify our clients' messages.
For a client launching a new product, we develop an integrated PR campaign that will utilize all four media types. We start with Earned Media by pitching the product to relevant media outlets, securing coverage in key publications. At the same time, we create a series of social media posts (Shared Media) to build anticipation and engage with the audience. We also develop content for the client’s website (Owned Media) that provides detailed information about the product and its benefits. Finally, we run targeted ads on social media (Paid Media) to reach a broader audience and drive traffic to the website. The result will be a definite pay-off.
Continuous Improvement: Marketing is not a one-time effort but an on-going process. We continuously analyse the performance of our strategies across all media types and make adjustments as needed. This ensures that our clients remain relevant and continue to achieve their goals in an ever-changing media landscape.
Conclusion - A Human-Centered Approach
At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to our clients' success. We don’t just execute strategies; we listen, we learn, and we adapt. Our approach is human-centered, focusing on building genuine relationships, understanding our clients' needs, and delivering results that make a real impact. At Lila, this is how we do it – and this is how we help our clients succeed in the competitive world.