Today’s consumers are savvy. Bombard them with a blatant advertisement and they’ll change the station, channel or webpage immediately. Offer them content they can use, though, and you’ll keep their interest long enough to deliver your brand’s message.
MAT releases remain one of the industry’s best tools for delivering this message, provided they’re done well. So how do you do a MAT release well? Let’s start with article basics.
Your MAT release has two parts: the content that informs or entertains your readers, and the branded messaging that supports this content. I listed them in this order deliberately. If you focus on the brand before the content, your MAT release will be nothing more than an advertisement. Which won’t get read.
Instead, put the focus on the content by finding a timely angle or providing helpful information that readers need. Remember, your target audience is online and in print newspapers; visitors come to these sites for information. They are looking for editorial content of value that can solve a problem, answer their question, save time or money (or both), or give them an idea for improving their lives in small or big ways.
Once you’ve determined the angle, then it’s time to weave in your brand messaging in a supportive role. Maybe the tip or technique you are describing is best performed when using your product, Or perhaps your company’s executive is an expert on the topic being discussed. However the MAT release can be applied to your brand, make sure you never lose track of what is really important – the content.
Now let’s talk about distribution. Even the greatest MAT release is of little value if no one reads it. Your distribution network should cast a wide net across your targeted area, be it the region or the entire nation. Not every publication or website will use your article ‒ in fact, many won’t ‒ so don’t get too focused on certain locations.
The right distribution partner can help, but have faith in the MAT release you’ve created. If the content is good, editors will find it and deliver it to all those savvy consumers you’ve been looking for all along.
