When it comes to PR, as event professionals, the immediate thought is often to cast a wide net, trying to capture the attention of as many people as possible.
While increasing brand awareness for your event company among a larger audience certainly has it benefits, it’s time to begin embracing the idea of giving niche media outlets a little more love.
When comparing niche media and traditional media, the biggest difference you’ll notice is the focus of the content. Niche media tends to concentrate on one subject—be it a Jewish wedding blog or a magazine tailored to modern celebrations, it has a much narrower focus compared to traditional media that tends to cover a whole array of topics and trends.
So, what are the benefits of niche media?
Chances are that you have a certain clientele that you enjoy working with the most—your target audience. Whether you love catering for corporate events or you can’t imagine a career without luxury wedding décor, your target audience will define your public relations efforts in terms of outreach. If corporate events are your thing, being on the first page of a top wedding blog would be amazing but wouldn’t necessarily bring you the business that you’re looking for.
When it comes down to it, where you’re featured equates to the business that you attract. That’s why it’s so essential to pick media outlets that fit your brand and align with your niche or even your preferred clients.
What’s my niche?
Funny you should ask because nobody can tell you where your heart belongs. Sometimes discovering your niche may be as obvious as looking at the events you’re currently working on, but other times it may take a bit of soul searching especially if you’re looking for a shift in business. Look at what you love and what you’re passionate about, then look at what you’re good at. You will find your specialty at the middle of these points and, once you do, everything will start to make sense.
When you find your own niche, you’ll notice that competition loosens up as your specialty is less saturated than the greater market. You’ll also begin to attract the right kind of customers to further expand your niche expertise and you will feel fulfilled by the opportunity to put your passion to good use each and every day.
I’ve found my niche. How do I find the right media outlet(s)?
This is the easy part! Google is a good place to start looking for niche media – simply run a search for your niche along with words like ‘blog,’ ‘media,’ and ‘publication.’ You can also look for websites of other industry professionals who are leading the niche and check out their press to see where they’ve been featured.
Once you have a good idea of what the right outlets are, take some time to review both the content and the voice on the site to ensure that it fits your brand and your overall company goals. Take a peek at their social media to see who interacts with the outlet—does their target audience match yours?
If all the boxes check out, then it’s time to begin developing media relationships and submitting real weddings or pitching yourself as a guest writer. Although the profile of high-traffic general industry blogs and websites can certainly be tempting, rest assured that using niche media to pinpoint your ideal clientele is the key to pushing your company to the next level.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding marketing and wedding PR firm OFD Consulting, which specializes in getting wedding professionals their brides. She is a highly sought after industry speaker and serves as a Public Relations adjunct professor for Virginia Commonwealth University.
