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creating small media
PR
How to reach your audience and why even small media projects need to be noticeable
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Small media PR. What is it and why is it important?
It is much easier to advertise a small media project in an environment with many similar projects and a strong community of media-activists, than in one lacking the strong peer connection. Friendly media can provide huge support by spreading the initial information about your project, they can help attract new readers by means of mutual reposts, collaborations and joint materials.
Always remember that advertising through social media does not only help you grow your audience and share your content, but also brings the project some money. Small media PR is a constant advertising of a small project in an aggressive world of big publishers and news agencies. You have more chances of surviving if you cooperate and collaborate with other small media.
Always remember that advertising through social media does not only help you grow your audience and share your content, but also brings the project some money. Small media PR is a constant advertising of a small project in an aggressive world of big publishers and news agencies. You have more chances of surviving if you cooperate and collaborate with other small media.
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How to find and attract your target audience?
There are two ways to define your target audience. The first one is to analyze the people who already read, listen or watch you. The second one is to think about who, in theory, might be interested in what you create. Usually when you start a project, some kind of an idea about your target audience is already there, so your first subscribers will, most likely, have the same interests.
After you define your target audience, you have to study each segment of it: its informational background, the environment it exists in, the country or the city where it lives. This can be done using various analytical services, such as Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica, KISSmetrics, Sprout Social, etc.
A careful analysis will help you create content that will definitely be read by your audience. It will help you understand what the core of your texts, video or audio should be, what will catch your audience's attention and help your reader finish the text.
After you define your target audience, you have to study each segment of it: its informational background, the environment it exists in, the country or the city where it lives. This can be done using various analytical services, such as Google Analytics, Yandex.Metrica, KISSmetrics, Sprout Social, etc.
A careful analysis will help you create content that will definitely be read by your audience. It will help you understand what the core of your texts, video or audio should be, what will catch your audience's attention and help your reader finish the text.
Blankspot
Blankspot Project is a citizen financed online media outlet, focusing on the media blank spots of the world
Initially, our founders' social media channels on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter, where we live-streamed content, were our primary communication hub. Instagram, Flickr and Slideshare also played a role over the years. The focus was on dialogue and interaction, and a continuous stream of communication. Of the eight founders, not all had an established presence online, but those who did, made use of it. This was primarily Martin Schibbye, Magda Gad (who is no longer part of the project) and Brit Stakson, who used our Twitter account and blogs as part of our campaign strategy.
A piece of advice for anyone planning to launch a crowdfunding project, is to make sure that participants have a social media following, and if that isn't the case, to establish a hub for the project independent of the chosen crowdfunding platform. We went from conception to campaign launch within two weeks, and due to lack of time we decided to focus on our own digital channels, with the project website functioning mostly as a business card.
A piece of advice for anyone planning to launch a crowdfunding project, is to make sure that participants have a social media following, and if that isn't the case, to establish a hub for the project independent of the chosen crowdfunding platform. We went from conception to campaign launch within two weeks, and due to lack of time we decided to focus on our own digital channels, with the project website functioning mostly as a business card.
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Online promotion tools
Social media is the main tool to attract your target audience. That's why it is important to clearly state in your media's profile who you are, what you are doing and why you are doing it. This will help new readers introduce themselves to your project and monitor the updates. The more platforms you use – the better. This way you can extend your online-presence and attract a bigger audience. You will want to post unique content on each platform while keeping the same style of interaction.
Moloko plus maintains accounts on VK, Instagram, Telegram, Twitter, Facebook and Patreon. We also have a YouTube account we used to stream.
We do not use paid social media advertising as that would contradict the very idea of our project. However, target ads are a very useful instrument. Correct targeting and further work with the target audience can attract new loyal subscribers. The main thing here is to find a good, clickable image or a video that would later be promoted in ads and to realize what kind of audience you are looking for.
If you are using different crowdfunding services, like Patreon, Kickstarter, or Liberapay, it is important to issue regular reminders about why it is important for your readers to subscribe or to extend their subscription. Even though such reminders can tire your subscribers, our experience shows that, by regularly mentioning our Patreon page in our social media, we have attracted new donors.
Moloko plus maintains accounts on VK, Instagram, Telegram, Twitter, Facebook and Patreon. We also have a YouTube account we used to stream.
We do not use paid social media advertising as that would contradict the very idea of our project. However, target ads are a very useful instrument. Correct targeting and further work with the target audience can attract new loyal subscribers. The main thing here is to find a good, clickable image or a video that would later be promoted in ads and to realize what kind of audience you are looking for.
If you are using different crowdfunding services, like Patreon, Kickstarter, or Liberapay, it is important to issue regular reminders about why it is important for your readers to subscribe or to extend their subscription. Even though such reminders can tire your subscribers, our experience shows that, by regularly mentioning our Patreon page in our social media, we have attracted new donors.
It is effective to advertise on Facebook, but the best advertising is really to be at book fairs and talk to interested readers, answer their questions and show them who the faces behind Brand are.
Blankspot
Blankspot Project is a citizen financed online media outlet, focusing on the media blank spots of the world
We don't pay for any advertising, except for sponsored posts on Facebook.
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Offline promotion tools
Don't forget to organize offline events, such as presentations, lectures, festivals, film screenings, reading clubs, etc. This way you will become closer to your audience and will be associated with your brand, because it's easier for people to remember you if they see what you look like, how you move and talk. You can also use events as an opportunity to sell your merchandise or advertise new projects.
When organizing an event, don't forget to invite journalists and colleagues from other friendly projects. This way you will form a community of similar-minded people, a strong chain of a large number of small projects. Your guests can also advertise your project in their social media and widen your audience. Another thing you can do is organize joint events, which will boost your reputation.
When organizing an event, don't forget to invite journalists and colleagues from other friendly projects. This way you will form a community of similar-minded people, a strong chain of a large number of small projects. Your guests can also advertise your project in their social media and widen your audience. Another thing you can do is organize joint events, which will boost your reputation.
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Summary. How to advertise your project:
- Constantly maintain social media accounts (on VK, Instagram, Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, etc.);
- Create a community around your project;
- Look for new friends and cooperate with them;
- Communicate with your audience both online and by means of offline events.
We believe that members recommending our journalism to others, and sharing our work on social media is the most effective form of advertising for our project. To gain new paying members, the best marketing is really to produce quality journalism, which people will feel is worth paying for. Marketing in the conventional sense is more about raising the project's public profile.
Blankspot
Blankspot Project is a citizen financed online media outlet, focusing on the media blank spots of the world
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