How To Get Your Blog Noticed By The Media?

One great way to build traffic for your blog is to get noticed by the media. Traditional news releases can be helpful. However, the media is flooded with news releases every day, so it is hard to stand out that way.

A better way to get noticed by the media is to become a source.

There are generally four ways to accomplish this:

1) Send your local media an “Available for Interview” kit

This is like a press kit, only instead of pushing news; it shows off your credentials, accomplishments and knowledge. The folks in the trenches at the mainstream media companies are often looking for sources to quote. If you are truly an authority on the subject you blog about, they will be interested in talking with you.

2) Offer the news media a tip

I once received a tip about a major software product’s impending launch. I could have blogged about it. Instead, I held the story and shared with a journalist who covers the same space and let her have the scoop. I did this because I think she is good at her job and has a larger audience than I do so, it was best for everyone if she broke the story. However, the side benefit is that she now uses me as a reliable source for her news.

3) Be a great interview

This means actually listening to journalists’ questions and framing answers that are adapted to their questions, not your agenda. Short, direct answers that actually provide valuable, to the point information will make you a media favorite. In addition, be quotable. Do not be afraid to say something that shows off the real you.

4) Join a speakers’ bureau

The media will often peruse speakers’ bureaus looking for sources. Not only can these bureaus get you speaking engagements that will raise your profile and that of your blog, but also being listed by one can get you news coverage.