Content amplification encompasses multiple techniques and online channels to promote content. When a brand creates a thoughtful piece of content and publishes it on its website or blog, but its target audience doesn’t see or read it, was it worth it? What can be done to amplify this effort and broaden the reach of the content?
The keyword is: amplify. Content amplification is as the phrase implies: it’s expanding the reach, which can, in turn, expand the impact, of the content created.
How can a brand amplify its content? We’d like to introduce a clever acronym, thanks to Spin Sucks, called PESO. The initials stand for Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned, outlining the four ways a brand can ensure its content can be seen and heard. Each of these works independently. However, as best PR firms know, they work even better in concert with each other.
Let’s look at the meaning of each one.
P for Paid Media
When deciding what content to promote, or put money behind, it’s best to select one that offers a unique perspective and speaks to the brand’s mission. A content marketing strategy created by a public relations agency will include reviewed analytics of the best performing content and is a strong indicator of which social platform to select for advertising.
For digital content, like a blog post, a brand can promote these on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn by simply sharing them there. Or better yet, they can be amplified by boosting, promoting, or sponsoring them with advertising dollars on the same platforms. Payment is made for the content to be shared further on these platforms like Instagram ads, pay-per-click ads, or paid influencer marketing.
E is for Earned Media
This type of media can be translated as media relations by a PR company. In other words, it’s securing a brand’s name in print, online, television, radio, podcast or any other qualified third-party source. This coverage can lead to organic traffic to the source, like a blog post on a brand’s website.
For influencer marketing, which is a subset of earned media, it’s the same content but shared authentically by a person instead of a brand. This requires a strategic approach to reach influencers that top PR firms can offer.
Pro Tip: Creating lasting partnerships with brands and influencers is our passion. We are experts in research and staying on top of trends on social media and in the news cycle.
S is for Shared Media
Shared is another term that is easy to understand. It’s content that is shared by an audience. However, achieving this action from a brand’s audience, without the help of a public relations firm, can be a challenge. When properly crafted, one piece of quality content can reach targeted audiences, online communities, and beyond.
If an audience is already excited about a brand or a topic, a quality piece of content will drive these engaged audiences to its source. This is termed organic traffic back to owned assets and includes readership of a website to learn more.
O is for Owned Media
As mentioned briefly above, owned assets are the places a brand owns and operates, like a website or a blog on a website. Historically, a blog served as a publishing source for a brand or thought leader to place this owned content. And if the content was created by a top PR agency, one of the goals was to also generate interest or a lead for a brand.
While this still works well, another tactic is to have a guest writer create a post on a brand’s blog. A guest writer will share the post with their followers, driving new eyes to this owned asset. Equally effective is to have a brand’s representative (or thought leader) featured as a guest writer elsewhere, particularly if the post adds value to the readership, like in an industry publication.
Pro Tip: Submit an article to be featured on Durée & Company’s guest blog series, the #DynamoDigest. We invite journalists and influencers to share their expertise and industry insights.
The 80/20 Content Rule
Top PR agencies know this content rule is just as easy to remember as PESO. Spend 80% of the time promoting the content and only 20% creating it. A key idea here is to repurpose. In other words, it’s more efficient to create quality content and then focus energy on repurposing this content in multiple ways, as described above in paid, earned, shared, and owned media channels.
Adding Value
Our last how-to is about adding value. It’s self-explanatory, however, it can also be more nuanced. A brand’s message can be shared without it sounding rehearsed, canned, or like an obvious sales pitch. Where the message is shared is equally important. There’s no better ambassador for a brand than its current customers and audiences. A brand’s current audiences choose to follow because they believe the brand offers value to them. And if they’re happy with the value the brand provides, then they’ll be more than happy to tell others about the brand as well.
These methods, combined with using content amplification platforms, will share and republish a brand’s content far and wide while reaching its desired audience.
About Durée & Company, Inc.
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale Florida, and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit practice areas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in business, fashion, hospitality, travel, health and wellness, cannabis and hemp, psychedelics, technology and cryptocurrency, marine and yacht, art and culture, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services and real estate. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, call 954-723-9350; go to dureeandcompany.com; cannabismarketingpr.com; or psychedelicpr.com. Join the social conversation and follow Durée & Company on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn at @DureeCoPR.
