The purpose of publicity, also referred to as exposure, is to get certain information to the largest audience in the shortest time.
As a publisher, why should you work on a publicity strategy to incorporate a level of media coverage? It increases readership and brand awareness, builds credibility, and helps to propel a brand into a well-known figure in their niche. Exposure not only draws a website into the spotlight, but also supports partnership development and strategic collaboration efforts.
Leveraging our expertise as a leading global performance marketing network, here are a few recommendations for affiliates looking to acquire publicity for their website:
Keep content up to date
Make sure website content is regularly updated to attract readers and support SEO efforts. A website serves as a calling card and 24/7 promotion, so it’s important it has current information, has a well-designed structure and is user-friendly. Publishers should also ensure all affiliate links, pages, and forms are working on their websites. An invalid link or technical issue shouldn't be the make or break in retaining traffic or driving sales.
Develop an elevator pitch
As a publisher, you should have an elevator pitch at the ready whenever someone asks for an explanation of your brand. This pitch should position you as a thoughtleader within your niche and should be supported by content on your site. At minimum, a good elevator pitch does the following:
- Introduces you: Explain in a few sentences who you are, what your site is about and what you have to offer. Be sure to communicate your value proposition and how you can cater to different segments of an audience.
- Communicates an end-goal: You want to craft a pitch that is helpful, interesting, and takes a strong position or unique angle on a topic or offers new insight. Craft a message that is straightforward and professional.
- Ends on a friendly note: The idea of any pitch is to build new relationships. Always end on a friendly note and be sure to follow up with anyone the pitch is shared with. If a pitch gets rejected, it's most likely timing. That said, keep the line of communication open - it might benefit you down the road.
Guest post
Guest posting is when you write a content piece for a website or blog other than your own. It’s an effective way to connect with new readers and get your name out there. There are three main benefits to guest posting to generate free publicity:
- It's relationship building. By guest posting, you are adding value to someone else's website, building a relationship with that brand and their audience. This is great news for an affiliate's publicity efforts as their name is entering into a whole new pool of readers. Having strong relationships with other thoughtleaders can also grow a publisher's own influence and develop more strategic collaborations. As a direct result, website’s traffic will increase.
- It boosts SEO. One important criteria of good SEO is having quality backlinks. By guest posting on websites relevant to your own, you increase your ranking via back links.
- It establishes authority. Conversion and website growth is about building a strong authority. A guest post on an already-established website can establish you too as an expert to a new group of readers. If that website trusted you enough to add content to their site, then their audience is also more likely to share interest in the content found on your blog.
Start podcasting
Podcasting is on the rise. More and more people regularly tune in to their favorite podcasts, and affiliates should consider tapping into this marketing channel. It brings all the benefits of guest posting, with the added bonus of humanizing a brand.
Unlike guest blogging, podcasting forces you to have a real, live conversation with the audience. On average, a single podcast episode is more than 30 minutes, leaving plenty of time for an in-depth dialogue.
Publishers are most successful when they actively build an audience that knows and trusts them based on the high-value content they share. Incorporating publicity tactics into a marketing strategy will help you stand out as a thoughtleader and draw more readers to your website, which as a result, will increase chances for conversion and affiliate sales.
For more recommendations on how to optimize your own affiliate activity, please contact our publisher management team. Now is also a good time to mention the new Awin Talk affiliate marketing podcast, where we delve into key industry topics.
