Welcome back to our very first instalment of #FreeAdviceFriday for the brand-new year and to kick things off we hear from Gerard Doyle, founder of Fractal marketing consultancy who help innovative Startups find more customers and realise their business potential.

While Gerard has some controversial views about the value of a traditional newspaper, he has some very sound advice on how to effectively amplify your media and maximise the value of any PR coverage you secure.

Here’s what Gerard had to say:

As the consumption of “traditional” media falls, so does the AVE (advertising value equivalency). And it’s my opinion, (granted I come from a biased position here) that ‘media amplification’ is the key to maintaining value from PR sourced media coverage.

Let’s face it, who reads the newspaper anymore? The last AFR I read was in a Virgin lounge, and even before COVD-19, I didn’t travel much. Even if you do manage thousands of AFR eyeballs, how many read the article? Then of those that read the article how many of those are in any of your target markets?

Yet every Startup I work with who raises an investment round places the AFR as a top media target. Why?

The AFR is still the journalistic credibility in the financial space in Australia.

But if no-one sees you in the AFR, were you even there?

Step up, paid media amplification. Here how you do it:

1. You take a photo of the article in the paper. bonus points if it’s a picture of you ‘accidentally’ reading your own article 😉
2. You upload the image to your preferred social channels with a humble little brag.
3. You promote the post to your real target market. $200 on Facebook could reach 10,000 people.

Boom, you’ve now mixed the credibility of the AFR with cost-effective and highly targeted promotion for a winning combination.

The advertising line ‘As Seen On TV’ might have been created in the 1950s but the concept still rings true today. Traditional media channels still hold credibility that online websites do not, but the reach is falling, and targeting is pretty broad.

In my experience, media amplification creates a winning combination through PR and Paid social media.

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Gerard Doyle has over 20 years of marketing experience in helping businesses navigate through rapidly evolving marketplaces that are always under the threat of disruption.

Gerard’s career is a blend of agency and startups, which he uses to provide a unique and innovative approach to his marketing strategies. After spending ten years in London, Gerard has vast international experience working with some of the biggest global brands, including HP, GM, Microsoft, Coca Cola and Burberry. Gerard now runs his marketing consultancy Fractal helping brands and companies with innovative products.