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Thoughts on books, publicity, and the media from our Cave Henricks staff.

Capitalizing on a great media placement

press

As book publicists, we have the joy of working with authors and publishers to bring important books to widespread attention – chiefly through strategic media placements. These placements are typically the result of many months of planning and serve three main functions: to spread the author’s message, drive book sales, and build the author’s platform.

When a fantastic media placement comes through for a book, thereby furthering the functions listed above, the publicist and author typically do the happy dance, praise the excellent teamwork, and close the day with a big smile. (This is all an important part of the campaign to be sure. See my blog post on savoring the moment here.) But along with the celebration, how can you, as an author, make the most of a great media placement?

Be Social

Social media is fantastic way to increase the visibility of a media placement – when used correctly. Save in the case of a stellar book review in Financial Times or another prominent outlet, focus your tweets and Facebook posts on the takeaway for others. What critical skill will they learn by reading your article? What new perspective will they observe by watching your interview on CNBC?

Amp Up Your Bio

When someone finds out that an outlet they associate with credibility (say, The New York Times, Fortune, or Entrepreneur) thought your opinion or insights were worthy of ink, your credibility gets an instant boost. Adding mention of these outlets at the close of your bio can be a great way to showcase coverage and boost your credibility in the same swoop.

Update Your Website

In addition to mentioning coverage in your bio, include links to all prominent media coverage on your website as well. One way to do this is to feature linkable logos on the home page or “Press” page. This allows those who visit your site to quickly recognize the outlets. Adding media coverage to your website is especially beneficial in boosting your platform.

Send an Email

When a significant review of feature article runs, consider sending an announcement via email to your colleagues, clients, and friends. Include a link to the coverage, or consider embedding the article in the email. You can also (gently) encourage recipients to share the coverage with their social networks, if they are inclined.

Participate

Finally, you can—and should!—participate in the conversation surrounding your media coverage. If you’ve written a bylined article, frequently check in for new comments to which you may be able to respond. Scan social media networks, and engage with those who have shared your article or interview. Most importantly, be mindful that any comment should add to the conversation and should always be gracious.

Considering how long and hard you (and your publicist) have pined, planned, and worked for these great media placements, it is absolutely essential that every effort is made to extend the reach and life of the coverage. The above tips will give you a solid starting point.

Have other ideas for capitalizing on media placements? Share in the comment section below!