Could bylined articles help meet your PR goals?

Bylined articles(or even better: a regular column) in well-known target publications are an attractive PR tactic for many businesspeople, and for good reason:

• Bylined articles help grow your personal brand
• It assists in growing awareness of your business and services
• It helps position you as an ‘expert’ on the topics you write about
• Linked back to your website, they can increase the Google ranking of your site
• They help cement your credibility and that of your business
• They help back up your credentials and impress customers – many businesses add published stories to their websites and marketing collateral
• It can often be the first step towards regular speaking engagements or your own book!

Are bylined articles for me?
Article contributions are not for everyone. You do need to enjoy writing, have a flair for it, and have a strong opinion on a topical issue in your industry.You also need to ensure you have the time to write them.Yes, you can get your PR consultant to edit them, but the content and opinion needs to come from you. And don’t expect to be remunerated – paid articles are usually reserved for high-profile people whose presence in a publication usually helpslift the publication’s profile too.

Which publications to target
It’s best if the publications attract the audience you want to attract. For your own benefit, the publications should also be open tolistinga brief author’s bio and websitealongside his/her name. And know the publication: your articles will need to match its focus, tone and language style.

What to write about
Think about why you want a published article in the first place. If it’s to generate leads, it might be a good idea to share strategies and tactics – linked directly to customer benefits – about your goods/services. Perhaps addyour own case study example at the end, showing how you did it. It might sound like you are giving away too much, but this kind of free prescriptive information (ie, value to readers) is what the media is looking for if they are to give you editorial space.

If the purpose of the article is to grow your profile as a leading expert in your field, then focus on thought leadership articles. Know the topical issues that are being reported on in your industry – and stick to issues within your industry. The media won’t consider you qualified to speak about an issue that you don’t specialise in through your work or business.

Whichever type of article you go for, it’s important that you don’t blatantly promote your business in it. It’s not an ad, and many editors will reject an article that is promotional. Your brand is promoted through the bio and web URL – and perhaps your photo – that runs after your article.