Earned Media to Improve the Credibility of Your Independent Expenditurehope Mon, 12/23/2024 - 08:00 by Enrique Rivas (He/Him) Leveraging Earned Media to Build Public Trust in Your IE  When developing your strategy for an independent expenditure (IE), viewing earned media and press as an ally rather than an enemy will significantly benefit you. Earned media can help you increase visibility, raise awareness, and foster greater engagement from the general public for your independent expenditure campaign. The type of attention your campaign attracts, positive or negative, ultimately depends on you.  The Challenge with Earned Media for Independent ExpendituresIndependent expenditure campaigns often get a bad rap. Without contribution limits, there’s a general mistrust amongst the public about independent expenditure campaigns. Some public misconceptions include IEs being financed by “dark money”, that they are unreliable, or that they are not credible sources. Due to the general mistrust and bias on independent expenditure campaigns, it is important to overcome this skepticism and to get ahead of this perception before it becomes a roadblock in your ability to effectively communicate and engage with your target audience. Integrating Earned Media into Your Independent Expenditure StrategyWhen your campaign runs a negative digital ad or is mailing negative mail pieces on an opposing candidate, you should assume that the press is going to pick it up, write about it, and create some sort of buzz around it. Media coverage might be about the creative used in your mail piece or the claims you’re making in your digital ad about the opposing candidate. Typically, negative campaigns attract more media attention. Here are a few key strategies to maintain and safeguard your campaign’s credibility and help you leverage earned media for your independent expenditure. Accuracy and detailed proofingFirst, ensure that any information you use in your communications is accurate and can withstand media scrutiny. This includes a detailed and profound proofing process that ensures the information you are stating is valid and true. Transparency in your sources Showing your sources is crucial for maintaining legitimacy. Make sure you are using and relying on trustworthy sources and that you are showing them throughout your communication efforts. It’s important to be transparent as this enhances credibility, but also, it creates trust. Digital advertising: When it comes to negative digital ads, our approach involves creating or setting up dedicated landing pages. These pages serve as a resource for more information, where viewers of the digital ads can learn more by clicking through. On the landing pages, it is important to reiterate and expand on the facts you’re conveying in the ads. Make sure that you provide viewers with footnotes that directly link to the original sources of your information, this allows your audience to verify the facts for themselves. Direct Mail: For a direct mail campaign, you should prioritize transparency by including footnotes at the bottom of each mail piece. These footnotes offer information about the sources used, allowing the recipient to easily trace the origin of the facts presented. Proactive MeasuresIf you know that you will be getting press coverage from news outlets or anticipate your direct mail piece or digital ad will create controversy amongst the general public, you should consider reaching out to news outlets ahead of time. This will ensure that your independent expenditure campaign is being fairly represented in the media. Proactively engaging with news outlets can allow for a more accurate presentation of your efforts. Mobilizing support from local steering committees or groups and organizations can also be a helpful proactive measure when it comes to earned media strategies for independent expenditures. They can talk about the issues you’re raising and validate the facts you’re using for your digital and/or direct mail communications, adding credibility and depth to your message. Strategy for Press Engagement Develop and have a well-defined and clear strategy and plan for engaging with the press. Regardless of the size of your independent expenditure campaign, it is important to stay ahead by preparing for all possible scenarios. Proactive engagement and thorough planning are key strategies that can help you navigate and prevent potential challenges effectively.   Many independent expenditure campaigns only think of paid media as a means of communicating their message. Often, earned media is seen as a potential risk rather than an opportunity for independent expenditures. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. If you follow the steps provided above, with strategic planning and a commitment to transparency–demonstrated through using and referencing credible sources throughout your communication efforts¬–earned media can be transformed into a valuable (and fairly inexpensive) asset within your broader communication tactics. By embracing earned media, your independent expenditure campaign can leverage additional channels to amplify its message, build trust with the general public, and ultimately help you achieve your goals. For additional tips on running successful IE campaigns, be sure to visit our blog and read our 6 Tips for Your Independent Expenditure Campaign. Have questions? Drop us a note! Questions? Email Us Categories Press Release Strategy Tags Earned Media| Independent expenditure strategy| Independent Expenditure Campaigns| Press Strategy

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