By Linda Forrest
Over the next few weeks, I would like to address individually some of the components of what we at inmedia consider to be an integrated public relations program. One of the sales challenges that we can face as an agency is shattering prospects’ perception that public relations consists solely of sending out news release upon news release, as far and as wide as your distribution method can take it. At inmedia, we consider news releases to be just one of the many arrows in our media relations tactics quiver. This series will hopefully shed some light on other methods of generating media coverage that have proven effective for our B2B technology clients.
Today, I would like to address bylined articles. Let’s start with the basics: what is a bylined article? According to Dictionary.com, a byline refers to “A line at the head of a newspaper or magazine article carrying the writer’s name.” Therefore, a bylined article is a feature that is (ostensibly or actually) written by an expert in a particular space and published in an appropriate venue, such as a trade magazine, a consumer-focused publication, or on a web site.
How does one secure a bylined article opportunity? Often, as part of our ongoing contact with editors, we will discover a planned editorial calendar opportunity that might be well suited to a piece written by one of our clients. Other times, we create a pitch and proffer it to an appropriate publication. Most editors will want to see an abstract, a quick summary of the key points of the article, before the go ahead is given to write the entire piece. It’s important to secure the opportunity before drafting the bylined article. This will help ensure the piece adheres to the editorial guidelines of the publication.
What types of bylined articles are there? Sometimes, we will craft a pitch that allows us to position our client as thought leaders in a particular space, addressing business issues addressed by specific technologies without blatantly promoting their own solutions. That said, it is not difficult to draw the line between the idealized solution and the offerings of the author. Other times, we’re lucky enough to secure promotional pieces for our clients wherein they can show value and ROI for their solutions through case studies and analysis without resorting to hyperbole and buzzwords.
What are the advantages to bylined articles? Besides positioning the author as an expert in their space and as having valuable insight into their market, we are raising awareness about our client, their company, their offerings and the key business issues that their solution addresses. It is assured that a piece written by the company will be on message and that information will be accurate, which is not always the case when a client is interviewed.
“But I’m not a writer – that’s why we hired a PR agency!” Not to worry. Often, we will ghostwrite the article for our client, having interviewed the knowledge keeper and then formulated the piece based on the specific editorial guidelines. If indeed we have a very technical piece or have a particularly talented writer as a client that would like to develop the first draft and then use our services as editors, that works too. Pieces can range from just a few hundred words as a guest blogger to multiple glossy pages in a trade publication. Work with your agency to determine how best to manage the requirement in the time allotted.
