Fall is fast approaching, folks.
At some point summer came and went, flying by just as fast as Usain Bolt crossed the finish line during the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and fall and winter’s other holidays will be here sooner than you know it, bringing with them plenty of inspiration for engaging content.
And while holiday content opens up earned media and revenue opportunities, planning all of those PR and marketing campaigns can be overwhelming.
”Every brand wants to stand out during the holiday season, but this can be a challenge when your competitors are looking to do the same,” writes Katie Gaab in Pitching Kit: Cision’s 2016 Holiday Gift Guide PR Kit.
To compete with big name brands, you need to get creative. However, you don’t necessarily need to break the bank.
What if there was a way to stay ahead of the game without a mega budget?
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons tackled this strategy successfully with attention-grabbing back-to-school content.
Back-to-school is the second biggest retail holiday, with many families stocking up on new textbooks, electronics, and of course – backpacks.
AAOS seized the opportunity with their press release Back-to-school: How to keep kids’ spines healthy and happy.
This release is an excellent example of how press releases have evolved to stand on their own as unique pieces of marketing content.
With more than 26,000 people treated for backpack injuries in 2015, the safety advice in this press release not only benefits consumers, it also showcases AAOS’ expertise and services.
Read on to see how the content best practices AAOS followed can help you earn high marks this holiday season.
Find the right voice to deliver your brand’s message.
Celebrities often line the holiday campaign route and can be helpful in certain pieces of content. However, a celebrity spokesperson isn’t always necessary to make your story sing.
Look at the topics you’re planning content around and think about who can contribute an authentic, informed point-of-view. It may very well be someone at your organization or an industry influencer you already have a relationship with.
In this case, AAOS turned to a practicing surgeon to provide backpack advice for avoiding injuries.
“Use both shoulder straps to keep the weight of the backpack better distributed and adjust the shoulder straps to keep the load close to the back,” counsels AAOS spokesperson and orthopaedic spine surgeon Nitin Khanna, MD. “Roller bags are also a good option, if easily used at your child’s school.”
Medical advice from an active professional in the field enhances AAOS’ content. Readers know they can rely on this information as up-to-date and trustworthy.
Focus your efforts on identifying who will have the right voice to deliver your message. Credible content will help build audience confidence and loyalty towards your brand.
Stick to quick tips.
Including expert advice in your press release demonstrates credibility and provides insight. But remember that your readers’ attention span is limited during the holiday season.
In addition to Dr. Khanna’s advice, AAOS offers several quick safety tips in their release.
By breaking the advice into a couple of bulleted lists (one for general backpack use, one for parents), using bolded section headings, and following other content formatting best practices, AAOS makes their release easy to read. This is especially important as parents are pressed for time sending their children back to school.
Keep things simple and scannable in your press release, and follow AAOS’ lead of linking to owned media channels for readers who want to learn more.
Target your content distribution.
Content marketing doesn’t start and stop with creating content. You need a distribution strategy that makes your brand’s story easy to find.
Before you sit down and write your holiday content, think about your intended audience. This will not only help you craft a message that’s relevant, it will also help you select distribution options that truly reach them.
Geography, industry, and whether you’re targeting consumers or businesses should all play into your holiday distribution decisions (and yes – B2B companies can get in on the holiday fun, too!).
Identifying and focusing on the distribution channels that drive results may also save you money.
As you continue planning your holiday content, keep these tips and AAOS’ press release in mind. And download our free guide Driving Audience Awareness by Targeting Your Press Release to learn more about getting your story in front of the right audience.
Author Elisha Levingston is a customer success representative for channel and advocacy marketing at PR Newswire.
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