Managing your reputation
Chapter 1:
Media presence
& visibility
An essential guide for building
your brand's media profile
Part of the RepScale Guide Series
Reputation
Businesses and organisations are facing pressures like never before and it's easy when focus is often on sales and bottom-line costs to neglect one of the most important measures of value: reputation.
Being good at what you do is not enough. You need to be seen, heard and recognised as a credible voice in your field. Media presence is not vanity - it is commercial strategy. It's also too late to try and manage it when a crisis hits – think of it like your own health – you need to eat well, get enough sleep and exercise to create long term health. It's the same with your business.
Reputation is made up of multiple factors. We have broken this down into five key pillars to create RepScale – a simple, free benchmark assessment to give you a measure of your current reputation.
Five pillars of reputation:
- Media presence and visibility
- Online reputation and search presence
- Crisis preparedness and management
- Thought leadership and authority
- Stakeholder relationships and trust
In this first chapter in our series on reputation we focus on media presence and visibility.
Why media presence matters
Companies with strong media visibility outperform competitors in customer acquisition, talent recruitment and stakeholder trust. Yet most businesses treat media relations as an afterthought, missing opportunities to shape their narrative and establish authority.
It's also not just your company's reputatation that matters here, it's how to curate your own reputatation with media contacts that will deliver results for the long term.
The evidence: media coverage drives business results
Research consistently shows the commercial impact of media visibility:
What effective media presence looks like
Media coverage is not about volume. It is about visibility in the right places, with the right message, at the right time.
Regular, quality coverage
You appear consistently in relevant publications. Not necessarily every week, but reliably enough that stakeholders associate you with expertise in your field.
Strategic positioning
Your coverage aligns with your business priorities. E.g. if you are launching in the US, you are being quoted in US trade press. If you are recruiting tech talent, you are visible in tech media.
Proactive contribution
You actively contribute commentary, op-eds and insights. You are not waiting for journalists to call (it takes time for that to happen unless you're in a crisis situation). You need to curate and offer genuine valuable material that audiences want to see, hear and read. BUT this is not the same as your sales messages.
Consistent messaging
Your spokespeople deliver coherent, quotable insights across interviews. Journalists know what to expect and return for more.
How to build media presence: a practical framework
Building media visibility requires strategy, consistency and discipline. Here is your step-by-step framework:
STEP 1Define your media strategy
Before pitching a single journalist, answer these questions:
Who do you need to reach?
Be specific. Not consumers generally — which consumers? Which sectors? Which geographies? What are their interests and motivations? Your media targets should mirror your commercial priorities.
What do you want to be known for?
Pick one or two clear areas of expertise. The tighter your positioning, the easier it is for journalists to remember you.
Which publications matter?
Create a target list of 15-20 outlets where coverage would genuinely move the needle for your business. Do not chase vanity coverage.
STEP 2Build media-ready assets
Journalists work fast. If you cannot provide what they need quickly, they will move on. Prepare these in advance:
Key messages document (one page, quotable, no jargon)
Spokesperson bios (100-word and 50-word versions)
Company backgrounder with key commercial metrics
High-resolution images in a shareable media library
STEP 3Develop a proactive outreach plan
Do not wait for journalists to find you. Build relationships deliberately:
Quarterly commentary pitches
Identify 3-5 relevant trends or news stories each quarter. Draft expert commentary from your CEO or subject matter experts. Pitch to target journalists with a one-paragraph summary and offer a 200-word quote.
Data-driven stories
Original research, customer surveys or proprietary data make compelling stories. Commission an annual survey (even 200 respondents) and use the findings to generate coverage. Journalists love new data.
Reactive newsjacking
Set up Google Alerts for relevant industry terms. When breaking news aligns with your expertise, offer quick comment within 2 hours. Speed wins reactive opportunities.
Op-ed submissions
Target 2-3 bylined articles per quarter in priority publications. Op-eds establish authority and are highly shareable. Pitch the headline and first paragraph — editors rarely commission without seeing your angle first.
STEP 4Build journalist relationships
Media relations is relationship-building. Journalists do not owe you coverage — you earn it through reliability and value.
Follow and engage
Identify 10-15 journalists who cover your space. Follow them on Twitter/LinkedIn. Comment thoughtfully on their articles. Share their work. Build familiarity before you pitch.
Add value first
When you email a journalist for the first time, do not immediately pitch your company. Offer help: data they might find useful, an introduction to an expert source, or context on a story they are working on. Build goodwill.
Respect deadlines
If a journalist asks for comment by 3pm, deliver by 2:30pm. Reliability matters more than cleverness. Journalists remember who they can count on.
Never complain about coverage
If a piece does not go the way you hoped, do not complain. Politely thank the journalist anyway. Burning bridges guarantees future silence.
STEP 5Train your spokespeople
Your CEO or subject matter expert might be brilliant at what they do. That does not mean they know how to speak to media effectively. Invest in training.
Core skills to develop:
- Bridging: Answering the question asked, then pivoting to your key message
- Soundbite creation: Distilling complex ideas into quotable 15-20 word statements
- Handling difficult questions: Staying calm under pressure, avoiding no comment
- Storytelling: Using examples and anecdotes to bring data to life
Media training is not optional if you want consistent, quality coverage. One poor interview can undo months of relationship building.
Advanced media relations tactics
Once you have the fundamentals in place, these advanced tactics will accelerate your media visibility and strengthen journalist relationships.
Create an expert source database
Position yourself as a journalist resource, not just a pitch source. Create a one-page expert source document listing your team members by topic expertise e.g.:
- AI and automation: CTO name, mobile, email
- Workplace transformation: Head of People, mobile, email
- Sustainability in tech: Sustainability Director, mobile, email
Send this to target journalists with a note: Available for comment with 2-hour turnaround. Journalists will bookmark you as a reliable source.
A note of caution: do not put people forward as commentators unless they have been media trained.
Create a media monitoring dashboard
Use free and paid tools to track opportunities in real-time:
Free tools:
- Google Alerts for industry keywords and competitor mentions
- Twitter lists of target journalists (see what they are working on)
- Talkwalker (like Google Alerts but usually provides more social monitoring)
- LinkedIn hashtag following for industry topics
- Synapse: UK-based story exchange platform
- Qwoted: Like ResponseSource (below) but there is a free version
Paid tools:
- Meltwater, Cision or Mention for comprehensive media monitoring
- ResponseSource, HARO for journalist request alerts
Check your dashboard daily between 8am-9am. Always respond to relevant opportunities within 2 hours.
Leverage seasonal and calendar opportunities
Plan ahead for predictable news cycles:
- Budget cycles: Comment on sector spending announcements
- Annual events: Prepare thought leadership for industry conferences
- Awareness days: International Women in Engineering Day, World Mental Health Day, etc.
- Tax year: April commentary on business planning, investment
- Back to school/university: September education or skills content
Build a 12-month editorial calendar mapping these opportunities to your expertise areas. Prepare and issue commentary 2-3 weeks in advance.
Create shareable assets that journalists want
Make a journalist's job easier by providing ready-to-use materials:
Data visualisations:
If you publish research or data, create charts and infographics journalists can embed. Provide in multiple formats (PNG, PDF, high-res).
Case studies/human interest stories:
One-page customer stories with impact/quantified results. Include customer quotes, before/after metrics and high-res images.
Video soundbites:
Record 30-second expert comments on hot topics. Upload to a shared drive. Offer to broadcast outlets and online publications.
Measuring media presence: connecting coverage to business impact
Media coverage is not the end goal. Business results are. The myth that you can't measure PR is no longer true.
Create a measurement framework that connects media activity to tangible outcomes: website traffic, lead generation, brand perception and customer acquisition.
Track website traffic impact
Media coverage should drive qualified traffic to your website. Here is how to track it:
Set up UTM tracking:
When journalists request a link to your website, provide a UTM-tagged URL so you can track referrals in Google Analytics. Use format: yoursite.com?utm_source=publicationname&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=topicname
Monitor referral traffic:
In Google Analytics, check Acquisition > All Traffic > Referrals. Look for spikes following media coverage. Note which publications drive the most engaged traffic (time on site, pages per session).
Create a media dashboard:
Build a simple spreadsheet tracking: Date of coverage | Publication | Article headline | UTM link | Referral traffic (7 days) | Conversions (if tracked). Review monthly to identify which coverage types and publications drive results.
Connect media coverage to lead generation
Track whether media coverage generates enquiries, demo requests or sales conversations:
Add a source question to enquiry forms:
How did you hear about us? Include Media article or press coverage as an option. This provides direct attribution data.
Train sales teams to ask:
When prospects reach out, sales teams should ask: What prompted you to get in touch now? If they mention an article or seeing you in media, log it in your CRM as a media-attributed lead.
Track conversions in GA4:
Set up conversions in Google Analytics for key actions: demo requests, downloads, contact form submissions. Filter by UTM source to see which media coverage drives conversions.
Monitor brand search volume
Effective media coverage increases the number of people searching for your brand:
Use Google Search Console:
Track branded search queries (your company name, product names, executive names). Look for spikes following major coverage. Rising brand search volume indicates growing awareness.
Monitor Google Trends:
Enter your brand name into Google Trends and filter by your target geography. Compare search interest before and after major media campaigns or coverage events.
For B2C brands: track impact on consumer reviews and trust
Media visibility influences consumer review behaviour and online reputation:
Monitor review volume after coverage:
Track Google reviews, Trustpilot, G2, or sector-specific platforms. Media coverage often triggers review activity — both positive and negative. An uptick in reviews signals increased visibility.
Measure sentiment shift:
Analyse review sentiment before and after major media campaigns. Positive coverage should correlate with improved sentiment scores over time.
Track trust indicators:
Use surveys or Net Promoter Score tracking to measure whether awareness of media coverage increases trust. Ask: Have you seen us featured in the press? and correlate responses with trust metrics.
Create a monthly measurement dashboard (that your board and non-PR people understand!)
Pull all measurement together into a simple monthly dashboard:
| Metric | What to track | Example target |
|---|---|---|
| Media coverage | Number of articles in target publications | 3-5 per month |
| Website traffic | Referral traffic from media sources | 10% month-on-month growth |
| Brand search | Branded search volume in Google | 15% increase quarter-on-quarter |
| Lead generation | Leads attributed to media coverage | 5-8 qualified leads per month |
| Review activity | New reviews on Google/Trustpilot | 10+ new reviews per quarter |
| Share of voice | Your mentions vs top 3 competitors | Top 2 position in your sector |
Review this dashboard monthly with leadership. Adjust strategy based on what drives results. If a particular publication consistently delivers high-quality traffic and leads, prioritise relationships there. If brand search is flat, increase visibility efforts.
And finally, a few words to the wise:
- Never use AI to draft press releases in their entirety – everything you issue should always be carefully checked
- Always check and verify your sources, fact check stats and research mentions – you will not be a journalist's friend if you provide incorrect information
- Never lie – sounds obvious but important. And don't get caught in exaggeration and trying to make a narrative 'fit'.
- Say what you mean and mean what you say. Don't be disingenuous – honest, authentic and transparent communications is a non-negotiable.
- If you promise an 'exclusive' to a journalist stand by that. Integrity is everything.
- Be tenacious. Sometimes a story doesn't land the first time. Review, check your angle and go again.
Ready to build your media presence?
Building visibility takes time, but with strategy, discipline and consistency, you can become the voice journalists, analyst, commentators and opinion formers turn to in your field.
Get expert support
At Purplefish, we specialise in building media presence for ambitious businesses who want to be heard. From strategy development to spokesperson training and proactive PR execution, we can help.
www.purplefish.agency
hello@purplefish.agency | +44 (0)117 925 1358