In broadcast PR, making a radio or TV appearance is a powerful method to increase awareness of a product or service. Broadcast PR experts will use their knowledge to support a product or service gaining airtime, but crucially, they will also know how to maximise the impact of a TV appearance beyond just the airtime.
Here are some effective ways to magnify the effect of a TV appearance:
Publicise to maximise awareness
When a TV slot is confirmed, it’s important to publicise it as widely as possible. First and foremost, this will likely lead to more people tuning in to see the story, but also, appearing on TV builds credibility. The audience will make an unconscious connection: “If this product is on TV, it must be taken seriously.”
Circulate clips
After completing a successful recording, it’s important to circulate the clip widely. A short segment on TV can have a lasting impact beyond the time it was on the air. As mentioned, credibility can be further built by showing off TV credentials. Also, when pitching for future TV slots, demonstrating successful experience in previous airtime appearances can demonstrate to a broadcast journalist that you can be a positive contributor to their show.
Write about your experience
In many cases, people are interested in the experience of other people being on TV. This can be a conduit to garner interest in your product or service. Broadcast PR is about building a relationship with your target audience. If the time you spent on air was successful, this can help further that relationship. If it didn’t go as well as you’d hoped, or there were some difficult questions that weren’t answered to your satisfaction, then it’s worth discussing and analysing them. This is especially true in the immediate time after a broadcast has finished. It is important that any momentum that is built up through a TV appearance is exploited.
Make it easy for your audience to find you
If a product or service is at the beginning of a journey, having parallel marketing and communications steps in place is key to maintaining a presence in the consciousness of a target audience. For example, after a TV appearance, if the audience is interested in what was said, they might decide to search for you online. Therefore, your product or service needs to be easy to find and engage with. It is important to recognise that publicity can produce a snowball effect. One successful TV appearance is likely to generate interest elsewhere. As your product starts to become more prominent in the target audience’s awareness, everything needs to be in place to maximise engagement and achieve your marketing and communications objectives.
Broadcast PR is an effective part of a marketing and communications strategy. It is important to maximise broadcast appearances to build rapport with an audience. A first TV appearance could be the gateway to achieving wide-reaching audience awareness, so it is important to maximise the potential impact through broadcast PR experts.
