Free publicity: what is it and what can you do with it?

Publicity is a way of bringing your brand, product or service to the attention of a large audience. You can do this in various ways, including paid advertising, campaigns on social media or attending events. Another option is free publicity, also known as "free publicity". Sounds ideal, of course, but what exactly is free publicity and how can you make use of it? We are happy to explain it to you.

Author: Mediatic 18 January, 2023

PR Public Relations

What is free publicity?

Put simply, free publicity is a form of publicity where you do not pay any money to get your brand, product or service noticed. Unlike paid and owned publicity, you get free attention, usually through press releases, interviews and articles in off- and online media. This can be a very powerful way to raise awareness of your brand, as it reaches a large audience and is often considered more trustworthy than advertorials or articles shared on your self-managed communication channels.

How do you get free publicity?

There are a number of ways to get free publicity, but before we list them, we need to take a few steps back. For free publicity is only free in terms of money; there is a service in return. In most cases, it is information or knowledge that the party giving you publicity is interested in. This party could be a journalist, influencer, customer or blogger, for example.

The differences between free, paid and owned publicity

Free publicity: editorial (unpaid) attention via external media channels
Paid publicity: purchased (paid) attention via external media channels
Owned publicity: attention via own-managed channels, such as websites and social media channels

Send press releases in exchange for free publicity

One of the most effective ways of obtaining unpaid publicity is by sending out press releases. These are short news releases in which you give information about a new product, service, event or research you have done. These releases are sent to journalists and editors of magazines, newspapers and online media. If a journalist is interested in your story, he or she may decide to write about it, resulting in free publicity for your brand. Make sure your press release is newsworthy, objective and non-commercial.

Sharing insights through interviews

Another way to get free publicity is by giving interviews. As a thought leader in your field, you may be approached by journalists looking for comment or insight. Or you approach them. By giving a good interview, you can bring your personal brand as well as your company to the attention of a large audience. Because you provide clarifying insights, they will also come to see you more as a knowledge authority.

Making knowledge public in a (specialist) medium

Finally, you can get free publicity by writing guest blog posts or (opinionated) articles for magazines, newspapers and online publications. This allows you to share your knowledge and expertise with a large audience and at the same time draw attention to your brand. Trade media in particular are often interested in in-depth industry knowledge for their specific target audience.

Are you ready for free publicity?

In summary, free publicity is a powerful way to bring your brand to the attention of a large audience. By sending press releases, giving interviews and writing guest blogs or articles, you give a piece of information in exchange for publicity in an independent medium. Does this still seem difficult to you or are you not sure where to start? Then we will help you.