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Venture capital investments are increasingly hard to come by. With the stock market heading into bear territory and inflation reaching all-time highs, investors are making fewer VC bets and expecting sweeter terms when they do. In fact, some analysts say VC investments will decrease by 70-80% in the coming months. And that means if you’re a Stage 2 start-up looking for Series B or C funding, you need the biggest competitive edge to differentiate you in the market.

This starts by building credibility with prospective investors. And the best way to do that is with an aggressive earned media strategy that garners endorsements from top-tier media. Here’s how working with a PR firm can set your start-up apart so you can secure the VC cash you need to propel your business forward.

Invest in PR to Secure the VC Investments Your Start-Up Needs

Your advisors are probably telling you to conserve cash and temper expectations. But let’s be honest — you can’t afford to simply tighten your belt and wait for the market to shift. You need to deliver ROI to your current investors as quickly as possible and secure additional capital to fuel your company’s upward trajectory. So it’s time to shift your focus toward making a stronger case for why your company deserves funding. 

PR is a strategic tool to increase your credibility and position you as a leader in your industry. And the good news is it also happens to be one of the most cost-effective ways to accomplish these objectives. 

Advertising campaigns are expensive. Presenting or manning a booth at a trade show can also take up a significant portion of your marketing spend. But investing in an earned media strategy is affordable and attainable and has the potential to make a lasting difference for your business.  

Find and Hone Your Start-Up’s Unique Positions of Authority

You know your industry needs the product or service your start-up offers. After all, you’ve built an entirely new company around that core belief. But to stand out in a crowded VC landscape, you need more than a solid business plan. You need to communicate unique positions of authority.

At its heart, demonstrating authority is an act of service. Your start-up’s thought leaders possess insights that can help your potential customers make smarter decisions, plan more effectively, and navigate complex challenges. Sharing your knowledge in a strategic and thoughtful manner shows your audience and investors you’re worthy of attention.

Firms like Greentarget can help you discover and hone your points of view — and then leverage them to make a name for your start-up in the media. This happens through:

  • Talking with your company’s leaders and subject matter experts to learn about their expertise and build the foundations of your content plan
  • Reviewing the earned media landscape to determine what journalists are writing about and what their needs are
  • Developing hypotheses about needs in your industry and then conducting primary market research to suss out salient insights
  • Discovering what topics have been discussed at length and identifying gaps for your experts to step into
  • Talking with your company’s leaders and subject matter experts to learn about their expertise and build the foundations of your content plan
  • Reviewing the earned media landscape to determine what journalists are writing about and what their needs are
  • Developing hypotheses about needs in your industry and then conducting primary market research to suss out salient insights
  • Discovering what topics have been discussed at length and identifying gaps for your experts to step into

For example, say your start-up is launching a software platform for supply chain and logistics. Given the world’s ongoing supply chain disruptions, reporters are eager for new insights from qualified subject matter experts. And it just so happens your CEO is aware of changes to shipping practices in Asia that might affect the landscape in the coming years. 

In this scenario, we would take the lead to conduct extensive research on the topic, identify gaps that haven’t been covered yet, and work with your CEO to flesh out strong positions worthy of media attention. In turn, your start-up establishes its position of authority in the public arena and demonstrates to investors that you’re worth backing.

Use Storytelling to Demonstrate Your Start-Up’s Value in the Market

Facts alone won’t inspire VC investors to bet on your start-up. In fact, stories do a better job of persuading people than data ever does. That’s because narratives evoke an emotional response — and humans tend to lead with emotion when making decisions.

The same holds true in B2B decision making. Even the most sophisticated and educated professionals tap into their emotions to guide them rather than leaning on rationality alone.

Of course, facts still matter. VC investors will most certainly pay close attention to your business plan. They’ll scrutinize your strategies and ask pointed questions about how you’ll follow through on delivering the ROI you predict. But stories bring those cold, hard facts to life and ultimately do the hard job of persuasion. It’s an example of the “show don’t tell” philosophy. Every start-up has its hard data and KPIs. But through intentional storytelling, you can shape those metrics into a narrative that assures investors they’re making the right decision. 

So if you want to secure VC cash in a tight market, make it a priority to tell compelling stories about the value you bring to your field. 

Paint a Picture of Long-term Impact

Many start-ups come and go without ever reaching the success they envisioned. So it’s important for potential investors to know that you have a solid vision for your product or service. They need evidence and reassurance that your start-up will stand the test of time. 

The first step is to make sure your intellectual property is protected. Secure any patents required so you don’t risk losing out to an unscrupulous competitor. Then, create narratives showing how your start-up will meet a need or fill a niche not only now, but in five years, ten years, or longer.

How One Start-Up Used Storytelling Effectively

One of our start-up clients, Zipari, used storytelling extensively in their efforts to grow their business. When they launched their signature product — the only consumer experience (CX) platform built specifically for health insurance providers — they needed to elevate the company’s position as the leading innovator (in an industry that’s notoriously slow to innovate).

We harnessed Zipari’s unique understanding of the digital guts of health insurers to position Mark Nathan, Zipari’s CEO, as a thought leader. We established a regular cadence of founder-led thought leadership and media coverage at key points throughout their growth cycles to develop a generous brand voice and reinforce the company’s vision. Through this thought leadership coverage and storytelling around its CX platform, Zipari shared how they helped clients (health insurers) improve ROI and drive healthier member actions.  

As a result, Zipari secured a strategic growth investment that allowed them to acquire another healthcare engagement platform (HealthX) and significantly grow their company’s value.

Start Leveraging Your Authority to Secure the Investments You Need 

Your company already has extensive amounts of expertise to leverage. You just need to identify the unique positions of authority that set your company apart — and then tell the stories that will resonate with your audience and investors. 

Greentarget can help — just reach out.

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Video is making inroads with the business crowd — including buyers of professional services — as a medium best known for cat videos and TikTok dance trends extends its reach into B2B marketing. With online video increasingly influencing purchase decisions, including it in your marketing plan can reap big dividends, boosting user engagement and providing an opportunity to resurface and spotlight existing content.

After two-plus years on Zoom, in-house counsel and other executive decision makers are warming up to the benefits of visual content, from online meetings and webinars to video clips they can watch quickly and then share to their networks.

And while B2B audiences don’t necessarily prefer videos over other content types, almost half of marketers say interviews with subject matter experts and influencers produce the best video results.  Videos performed better than other types of B2B content assets such as in-person events and long articles or posts over the past 12 months, according to the Content Marketing Institute.

Law firms and professional services organizations are sitting on a trove of written content that can be efficiently transferred into video soundbites to re-ignite conversations and interest in key topics and issues. Video can underscore your firm’s distinct positions of authority and even help you win the war for talent by showcasing your organization’s culture, vision, and values in a way that feels personal and welcoming.

The good news is that video is much easier to do than you might think, and the expectation for quality isn’t high. Clips ranging in length from a few seconds to two minutes don’t cost much to produce, and have a high engagement rate on social media, according to Gartner.

Here’s what you stand to gain by incorporating video into your firm’s communication strategy. 

Videos Help Authorities Build Trust and Establish Credibility

Today’s smart conversations are increasingly shared, promoted, and consumed through video. If you want to position your firm’s authorities as relevant, savvy experts in a digital-first world, video is an important element in your communications toolbox. 

Video mimics the look and feel of in-person communication, offering another way to build trust with your audience. It can also humanize your spokespeople and allow their personalities and style to shine through.

Of course, communicating effectively in any medium requires practice and preparation. For video, your authorities must learn how to:

  • Distill complex topics into 30, 60, or 90 second soundbites
  • Maintain eye contact with the camera to make the audience feel they are being spoken to directly
  • Speak clearly without verbal fillers like “um,” “like,” and “uh”
  • Convey enthusiasm and warmth without sounding overly excitable
  • Reinforce key points using presentation slides or other demo tools

Video Guides Your Audience to Your Thought Leadership Content

Search algorithms tend to favor web pages with video content, so embedding video can also help you attract more visitors to your site via organic search.  Consider video a value-add to your existing content and editorial strategy. It should pull from — and point to — the wealth of useful, authoritative content you’ve amassed. 

Comb through your existing content library and create videos that highlight key points from high-performing assets. Email videos to your audience and promote them via social media channels to drive traffic back to these pieces.

Repurposing key pieces of content using video will spark fresh conversations around salient issues and lead your audience to dive deeper into topics that are pertinent to them. 

Video Elevates Your PR Communications

Video can also be an effective way to make your internal and external communications more engaging. For example, employees and stakeholders, including busy executives who don’t have time to read an in-depth report or whitepaper or engage with a lengthy presentation, can benefit from watching a short video outlining the key takeaways.

Here are some ideas to help you think through video’s PR possibilities.

  • Annual Reports and updates. Have your organization’s leadership share highlights from your annual report and provide regular updates, perhaps on a quarterly or bi-annual basis. 
  • Recruiting. Give prospective employees a sense of your firm’s culture by interviewing members of your team or showcasing unique aspects of your work environment.
  • Partner/new hire introductions. Send clients a short video introducing new members of your team and let them know of any opportunities to meet the team in person.
  • Mergers and acquisitions. Entering into an M&A deal requires thoughtful communication, especially for professional services firms that may have hundreds of partners, shareholders or principals spread across multiple locations. Filming leaders from each firm together can be a powerful way to show a sense of unity and shared vision. 
  • Emotionally charged situations. In difficult situations such as a reputational crisis or a tragic event, consider using video to convey your CEO or firm leader’s authenticity and vulnerability. This can help your audience understand and process your message more readily.
  • Leadership transitions. These scenarios present an “all eyes on you” moment. You’ll need to craft a compelling organizational narrative to communicate effectively with stakeholders and the public during a change of this magnitude. Video can be a powerful way to do so.

 A word to the wise: make sure PR videos are tightly scripted and well-contextualized so there’s no risk of viewers misinterpreting your message now or down the road.

You Don’t Need a Film Crew to Reach Your Audience Through Video

To reach your audience, it’s crucial to communicate with them in the channels and methods they’re most comfortable with. Fortunately, the barrier to entry for creating video has gotten much lower.

Professional services firms often hesitate to add video to their communication strategy because they lack professional equipment. But in today’s world, it’s common for videographers to shoot beautiful, crisp videos using an iPhone, a ring light, and a free video editing app. Modern technology has made it possible for anyone to create engaging, high-quality videos from anywhere. 

So don’t delay. Use video to establish and strengthen your firm’s authority. Repurpose high-value evergreen content. And communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders about the issues that matter to your firm. 

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In March 2022, Elon Musk tweeted: “Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy. What should be done?” 

Musk answered his own question a few weeks later when he made a formal offer to purchase the publicly held social media platform and take it private. A self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist,” Musk’s goal is to remove many (if not all) of the Twitter Rules the platform uses to moderate user content. He might even restore the banned accounts of controversial figures like Donald Trump and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Some fear changes like these could unleash unprecedented levels of hate speech, harassment, and misinformation.

Of course, it remains to be seen whether Musk will follow through on his offer or walk away from the deal. And sure, there’s a chance he could change Twitter for the better. But regardless, his arguments about free speech and public spaces merit close consideration.

Here’s why Elon Musk is wrong about Twitter — and a few thoughts about how authorities can and should respond.

Historic Town Squares Were Carefully Regulated

Let’s assume that Elon Musk is right — that Twitter functions as a digital town square. Even if that’s true, he’s missing a critical detail. While town squares are public spaces, they are not — and never were —  free from government oversight.

Modern town squares evolved out of the British concept of the village green or town common. In the Middle Ages, villagers who didn’t own land were permitted to raise crops, care for their livestock, and buy and sell goods in these public spaces. Many common areas also featured bogs where commoners could cut peat, an important heating source equivalent to modern-day public utilities.  

But did villagers have unfettered access to do whatever they wanted? Could they consume public resources without limits? Of course not. Use of the village green was carefully regulated by overseers in charge of distributing this precious shared resource. 

That’s because without rules, common spaces risk succumbing to “the tragedy of the commons.” This 19th century economic theory argues that individuals who consume a shared resource by acting wholly in their own interest — and at the expense of every other consumer — will ultimately degrade and endanger that resource. This is especially true when there are no guardrails in place to prevent anyone and everyone from consuming the resource.

Put simply, town commons exist to support commoners collectively. Any single individual’s rights — or that of one group — cannot supersede the common good. As such, community standards must be applied. So if Twitter really is a town square, rules and regulations are a justifiable and even essential part of the equation.

The Right to Free Speech Isn’t Absolute

The second part of Elon Musk’s tweet argues that the limits Twitter imposes on free speech undermine democracy. Again, his thinking is flawed. 

As most of us can recall, the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.” The First Amendment is solely concerned with protecting Americans from government overreach. As such, the right to free speech guarantees us the freedom to speak truth to power and hold the government accountable for its actions. It does not give us the right to say anything we want whenever we want to say it. 

We can’t yell fire in a crowded building. We can’t spew hatred toward members of protected groups without consequence. And no one has the right to stand on someone else’s front porch and scream profanities. 

The First Amendment simply does not extend into the private sector. Plenty of institutions, corporations, and entities can choose to limit speech within their spheres of influence. Universities, private businesses, civic organizations, and religious institutions may all impose limits on what their members and constituents say.  

To that end, all social media platforms, including Twitter, are well within their rights to place limits on speech as they see fit. If Musk is concerned with upholding democracy, he should take his quest elsewhere. The government doesn’t own Twitter, and therefore Twitter’s stance on speech has no bearing on the health of our democracy. Elon Musk cannot make Twitter any more free from government interference than it already is. 

Why Should Authorities Care — And How Should They Respond?

Elon Musk is right about this much: Important conversations take place on Twitter. And because of that, it’s crucial for authorities to step into this arena and shape smarter conversations. 

The challenge here is that true authority is getting lost in the noise, and the public’s respect for bona fide expertise keeps diminishing. Thanks to the rampant spread of misinformation and disinformation in a highly polarized environment, it’s becoming harder and harder to break through the digital clutter and capture attention.

But authorities must try. 

Directing a smarter conversation involves putting several elements of our Authority Manifesto into practice, including:

Without the influence of authoritative, fact-based points of view, the public could very well experience the tragedy of the commons in a whole new way. 

Elevate Smart Conversation on Twitter and Beyond

Time will tell whether Elon Musk will actually buy Twitter and implement a no-holds-barred approach to speech on the platform. Whether he does or not, your professional services firm has a role to play in demonstrating true authority and elevating the conversation for your audience and society at large.

But to direct a smarter conversation, you need to first create and hone your unique positions of authority. We’d love to help. 

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Just because a senior executive has something to say doesn’t mean a news outlet will run it. Depending on the content and intended audience, an external publication might not even be the best medium for the message.

In fact, publishing directly through owned channels like LinkedIn’s new newsletter function or a company website might be better for reaching particular targets and achieving an organization’s specific goals – especially if the work is part of a broader, owned executive communications platform.

Here’s an example: a professional services firm wants to spotlight a new internal initiative – say, a flexible work-from-home policy. A mention in a trade publication’s roundup story isn’t enough to affect employee perception of the new policy or use it as a recruiting tool. Maybe the CEO could write an op-ed on it?

That’s one option, but there are some questions to ask before moving forward:

  • Is your company reputable enough in this area to merit attention from your ideal outlet?
  • Is your work-from-home policy truly unique?
  • Can your CEO extrapolate a unique POV or actionable guidance for others from the policy?
  • Do the benefits of filtering the message in a way even a small trade publication might require outweigh the benefits of speaking specifically, personally, and directly to those you want to reach, i.e. new and existing talent?

There are no one-size-fits-all answers. But as executives face mounting pressure to speak up on a range of issues – and with trust in business now greater than trust in government and media –  how and where they develop their communications has taken on greater importance. An owned channel, be it a company blog, email or alert, or LinkedIn newsletter, may be the most effective (if not the only) path forward.

Why should executives consider owned channels? 

Over the past two years the public has increasingly looked to executives to speak out on topics from social justice to COVID-19 to climate change. An individual leader’s beliefs and values – once seen as largely irrelevant in the professional realm – now factor into how people decide what brands to buy and advocate for, where they choose to work, and which companies they invest in.

At the same time, people’s trust in media and government has declined at an alarming rate. While earned media placements still confer genuine credibility for most professional services executives, they shouldn’t ignore the growing trust people – especially their own employees – are placing in companies and business leaders. In fact, communications received directly from one’s employer are viewed as more believable and trustworthy than those from government and media reports.

Depending on the topic and audience, owned channels can also deliver high-quality engagement. As my colleague recently wrote, they can give executives a straight line to certain audiences and even help lead to earned media opportunities. And while your own channel might not be The New York Times, well-executed owned content can yield powerful metrics: the top posts shared by C-level executives on LinkedIn generated over 33,000 views of their profile, over 2,000 new connections, and 16,000 views on the company’s job page.

When should executives consider owned media?

Deciding which medium is right for your message depends on your target audience, topic and point of view.

For instance, nine times out of 10 it will be easier to place an article with a unique point of view and/or useful guidance about a new regulation or litigation trend than to place the example we started this piece with: an executive discussing a company’s new work-from-home policy.

But if the topic is more personal and/or promotional, and the primary audience is new and prospective employees, an owned channel can be a great option. Some cases where it might be useful to consider this route:

  • Establishing a new leader’s voice and authority. A leadership change is a natural time to want to showcase an executive’s personality, values and vision for the future of their company. In this case, a feature story, Q&A, or byline in a leading industry trade can be a real win – but it’s not the only option. An owned executive communications strategy could allow executives to speak more authentically, clearly and directly, while creating a consistent channel to share their thoughts and highlight those of others.
  • Connecting with existing and prospective talent. Amid the Great Resignation, it’s increasingly important that executives find ways to become a destination for their industry’s top talent. In an age where work is personal, executives’ communications can and should be, too. Sharing stories that compellingly showcase your firm’s culture, community investment, benefits programs and values may not be worthy of an op-ed in an outside publication, but it will show up when prospective employees search your website and LinkedIn page.
  • Commenting on social issues and demonstrating community engagement. Executives looking to get out there on big topics of the day can use blogs and other owned platforms to speak out and demonstrate how firms are taking action in their communities and within their own organizations. Owned channels allow executives to control their messaging around sensitive topics and highlight initiatives (e.g., a charitable giving or pro bono effort) that might not otherwise get media attention.
  • Demonstrating leadership skills. Many executives write on leadership and management topics in business and industry publications. But not all leaders have the credentials, time, or perspectives that would enable them to do so successfully. An owned channel can help executives articulate what makes a good leader and demonstrate to their stakeholders that they’re up to date on current trends. If done well, such content can could even serve as the foundation for future earned media opportunities.

What makes for good executive communications on owned channels?

At Greentarget, we talk a lot about establishing positions of authority and finding a unique  point of view. While those aspects certainly apply to executive communications, owned platforms allow for other elements to shine through: personality, authenticity, humanity, and honesty (not to mention they can also be more genuinely self-promotional).

Richard Branson comes to mind here for a reason. One look at his blog and you feel it immediately captures his fun, adventurous, encouraging, philanthropic spirit. His personality suffuses the words and images on the site, and, of course, the broader Virgin brand.  

While not everyone can be a Richard Branson, each leader has a singular life story on which to draw. In 2020, for instance, Guru Gowrappan, then CEO at Yahoo/Verizon Media, wrote about his experiences voting for the first time in U.S. elections as a way into discussing the importance of factual and trusted information – and to highlight how the company’s content provides that for people. Sometimes, an owned platform empowers leaders to shine the light on others, too. Mark Baer, CEO at Crowe, used a post about the firm’s Crowe Gives Back campaign to spotlight the specific charitable and volunteer activities of employees throughout the firm.

Ideally, the best owned executive communications combine these elements with those of good authority positioning to offer personable content that demonstrates a unique and useful point of view. Scan LinkedIn’s Top Voices for Management & Culture, and you’ll find the list filled with (seemingly) counterintuitive headlines that go on to provide useful guidance, including the co-founder of software developer Aha! talking about why he “will never hire another salesperson” and corporate strategist Molly Moseley using Tesla’s lateness policy (“How to get fired in 9 minutes” reads the headline) as an entrée into guidance on how HR teams can build loyalty among employees.

Want to learn more about developing an owned executive communications platform to support goals and values? Let’s talk.   

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The ground-breaking nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court means professional services firms have a lot to consider when it comes to their PR strategy. The key question is whether – and how – to weigh in publicly on an appointment that could have far-reaching business and social implications.

As her Senate confirmation hearings begin this week, Jackson stands on the threshold of one of the most consequential jobs in the country, ruling on issues that are critical to U.S. business, governance and civic life. If confirmed, she would be the first Black woman on the court as well as the first justice to have worked representing poor criminal defendants.

Her nomination comes as the public is increasingly looking to business leaders for guidance and opinions at important moments of civic discourse. Offering a point of view at such times shouldn’t be done without care. But organizations that consider the matter strategically have an opportunity — and in some cases, a responsibility — to express true positions of authority at a key juncture in U.S. history.

Jackson’s nomination isn’t the only high-profile personnel move that might tempt professional service organizations to speak up. We asked Greentarget’s senior leaders about the advice they offer clients who come to us for guidance in these moments, and it starts with a few questions.

Is There a Direct Connection?

The first couple queries are fairly open-and-shut and pertain to the direct connection to the person being nominated or appointee.

Does the nominee/appointee have a personal connection to your organization?

An organization that has such a connection almost certainly has the authority to say something. That might not be the case if, say, a 67-year-old is appointed to a significant position 40 years after working at a law firm as an associate. But if the connection is stronger, putting out a short congratulatory statement that acknowledges the connection is probably a smart play, assuming things didn’t end on bad terms.

Making such a statement is a point of credentialing for an organization, even if it’s not one that will likely generate tons of headlines. Of course, there’s the inverse to this question …

Does your organization have an obvious conflict when it comes to commenting?

This is probably another question without much gray area. The decision to say something publicly might be a simple “no” because there’s a direct conflict – in the case of Jackson, a law firm might be set to argue before the Supreme Court in the next term. That might not automatically rule out saying something, but it could limit what can be safely said. And a milquetoast point-of-view might not be worth the time it takes to work it up.

What if There’s No Direct Connection?

Depending on the answers to the first two questions, some organizations may simply shrug and move on. But there are other important questions to consider before doing so.

Does the position relate directly to a major focus or emphasis of your organization?

Say your organization does a lot of work in securities or finance. It’s likely that your team includes someone – probably multiple someones – with strong perspectives when a new SEC chairman is named. Or, perhaps your organization has expertise on workplace issues. The appointment of a new secretary of labor will probably elicit a reaction or two from members of your team.

Still, making public comments in such moments isn’t a given. It’s important to actually have something to say about the person being nominated – and that what you’re saying is insightful enough for the reward to outweigh any potential risk.

So how do I know if what we have to say is insightful enough?

For either of the above examples, your organization’s subject matter experts might have thoughts on how the new SEC chair or labor secretary might perform, how policy or enforcement might change and, ideally, practical guidance on how companies should adapt. Importantly, subject matter expertise doesn’t have to be confined to the focuses of practice groups within your organization.

In the case of Jackson’s nomination, Littler utilized an existing podcast on inclusion, equity and diversity to post an interview between Cindy-Ann Thomas, the co-chair of the firm’s EEO & Diversity Practice Group, and Bernice Bouie Donald, a federal judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Thomas and Donald, both of whom are Black women, discussed the importance of diversity on the Supreme Court, strategies for female jurists of color in managing biases and advice from Donald for other female attorneys of color, among other topics.

Walking the Walk and Talking the Talk

The life and professional experiences of Thomas and Donald meant they had gravitas to comment on Jackson’s nomination. But Littler as an organization also could authentically and effectively weigh in because the firm has addressed similar issues for five years on the podcast (in addition to a variety of other channels). These factors tie directly to the next question on our list.

Is your organization able to speak to that point effectively and authentically, particularly in historic moments?

This was a question that came up a lot over the past couple years as organizations decided whether and how to contribute to the conversation in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and a broader racial reckoning. As my colleague, Steve DiMattia, smartly noted last year, it’s important that public comments in these moments aren’t just words:

The authenticity and credibility of any statement issued to address a fraught moment will not be judged against the values that you claim to profess but by the values you demonstrate through your actions. Values reveal themselves in observable behavior. And an organization that claims to stand for diversity and inclusion, but which has done nothing to advance diversity and inclusion, needs to think carefully about how it participates in the conversation about diversity and inclusion or risk alienating its audience.

The Need(?) to Say Something in the Digital Age

Here’s one more piece to the puzzle: Not only do we live in an era when news can make it around the world in minutes, we live in one in which technology makes it easier than ever to hold organizations’ feet to the fire.

Take what happened during International Women’s Day earlier this month. A slew of organizations posted what were fairly banal comments meant to celebrate the day – and were then quickly skewered by a bot that replied to the original posts with pay gap data about the organizations. The organizations, many of which quickly deleted their original tweets, learned the hard way that it’s never been more important to think through points-of-view before going public with them.

But that shouldn’t keep companies from commenting at all. As my colleagues Pam Munoz and Howell J. Malham Jr., noted last year, “It’s not an option for companies and their leaders to avoid entering into the fray of complex social challenges anymore.”

It could be argued that companies can enter the fray without entering it at every possible moment – and in the case of Jackson’s nomination, the moment might simply not be right based on the criteria outlined above. Indeed, organizations should pick their spots, because an empty/by-the-numbers move will be at best a non-factor.

But smart and incisive commentary, delivered thoughtfully and at the right time, is likely worth the risk, and it can make for a smarter conversation.

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In today’s digital-first environment, people are empowered to seek out uniquely meaningful information from an ever-growing pool of sources. Counter to this growth in choice, however, is the declining trust in traditional media channels, with business emerging as the most-trusted institution.

That’s according to Edelman’s 2022 Trust Barometer. For organizations, notably professional service providers, this is an opportunity – maybe even an obligation – to provide answers in times of great uncertainty through owned content channels. To be clear, traditional earned media engagement remains an invaluable tool and likely always will. But increased trust in business means that every research report, blog post, white paper, or podcast demonstrates your firm’s ability to meet the specific needs of your audience, helping them make sense of an increasingly chaotic world.

As such, some of the things that we (along with others in the public relations and content marketing space) have been saying for years about the importance of producing owned content – and producing it well – have never been more salient.

1. Quality, Self-Published Content Establishes Your Firm’s Authority

The experts at your firm know your industry inside and out. They possess valuable insight and experience that benefit your clients every day. And their deep knowledge empowers them to communicate positions of authority that differentiate your firm from the competition.

It can seem counterintuitive to give some of their hard won expertise away for free. But that’s exactly what effective content marketers do. They identify topics and ideas that will resonate with prospective clients and provide useful information to help solve their toughest challenges. This establishes credibility and sparks the prospect’s interest to learn more. 

How Sharing Expertise through Content Generates Business

Here’s a real-life example of how the content marketing dynamic works. I’m an avid runner, and I recently began experiencing hip pain that slowed me down. I turned to Google for answers. My search brought me to an article on the Treadlabs blog that explained how different types of foot arches can influence a runner’s gait. I scoured their site to learn more about what might be causing my issues. After reading several of their in-depth, thoughtful articles, I deduced that my high arches were the culprit. As a result, I purchased insoles from their site. They gained a happy customer, and I found a solution to lessen my pain. 

Although this is a B2C example, the same principle works in the B2B space. Communicating your message directly to your audience in a way that’s useful and informative draws them in and shows them the value of becoming your client.

Your Owned Media Program Must Function Like a Well-Oiled Machine to Be Effective

As you create an owned media/content marketing program at your firm, be aware of the pitfalls that can hinder your progress. For one thing, generating content takes a tremendous amount of time and attention. As such, it’s crucial to think like a publisher. Stay hyper focused on your content plan. Determine what questions your target audience needs answered and set deadlines to publish content regularly. Consistency is the name of the game. 

Additionally, it’s unlikely your subject matter experts have the bandwidth to author their own content without significant support. They have myriad priorities competing for their professional attention. And without a plan, your owned media goals can easily fall to the bottom of their lengthy to-do list. 

As a marketing leader, it will take a concerted effort on your part to draw out your colleagues’ expertise. Furthermore, you will have to think through how to position their ideas in a way that matters to your audience. You may find it necessary to hire an employee to focus on this effort or engage a comms agency to help. 

2. Content Marketing Gives You a Direct Line to Your Target Audience 

Media attention can be a cause for both celebration and concern. Yes, it’s exciting when a journalist picks up your story. But at the same time, you ultimately have no control over how that news outlet communicates your message. They might shorten a quote, leave out salient information, or pick and choose what to focus on based on their own editorial needs. 

Furthermore, it’s difficult to track the effectiveness of these PR efforts. Given the multitude of media outlets available today, there’s no guarantee earned media coverage will reach your target audience at all.

By contrast, a solid content marketing strategy allows you to craft the right narrative using your own brand voice and style. For example, let’s say you want to communicate your firm’s position on a hot button social issue. Owned media allows you to contextualize and fully flesh out your position so that your meaning is crystal clear. 

Using keywords and smart SEO tactics help your audience find the information they’re looking for. But you don’t have to wait for organic search to bring you prospects. Using paid media and social channels, you can share and promote content to attract your target audience. Additionally, because your insights live on your site, you can easily track what prospects read, see how much time they spend on each piece of content, and observe whether they take the next step to subscribe to your emails, fill out your contact form, or request more information. 

3. Owned Media Can Generate More of the Earned Media Coverage You’re Looking For

It won’t happen overnight, but once you’ve established a consistent owned media program, you may find that it generates meaningful earned media coverage, too. Highlighting your firm’s expertise while simultaneously providing useful insights to your audience has the potential to command attention. 

As part of our own content marketing program, Greentarget has written and spoken about fake news and its impact on journalism for the past two years. We’ve conducted and published in-depth research and shared our POV on the topic with our audience in various channels. As a result, MSNBC picked up the story and used it as a basis for further exploration of and conversation around the topic.

We’ve worked with clients to achieve similar results with their owned media programs as well. It takes time and dedication, but the results speak for themselves.

Make Owned Media Part of Your Multi-Faceted Communications Program

Owned media isn’t meant to supplant your other communication efforts. Rather, it should work in tandem with your paid, social, and earned media efforts to function as part of a vibrant ecosystem. You write quality content and promote it via paid and social media channels. Your audience engages with that content by visiting your site and perhaps sharing insights with their own network. And when that happens, you’ve created the right conditions for journalists to use your content to craft compelling earned media stories. 

Do you need guidance thinking through how to tell your firm’s story while highlighting your talent’s expertise? We’d love to help direct conversations that matter as part of your comprehensive media strategy. Let’s talk.

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