In today’s political environment, getting your candidate’s message in front of voters requires more than simply issuing a press release and hoping the media picks it up. Campaigns need a thoughtful, integrated earned media strategy that creates compelling narratives, drives news coverage, and keeps candidates part of the conversation.
A successful earned media strategy starts with a powerful narrative. Campaigns need to understand what matters to their target audience, identify the issues that will resonate, and develop messaging that gives reporters and voters a reason to pay attention. But getting the story out doesn’t stop once an article is published or a candidate appears on television. Social media has become an essential part of extending the life and reach of earned media.
For campaigns, social media provides an opportunity to take a news story, interview, op-ed, or other earned media placement and put it directly in front of voters. Rather than relying solely on television, radio, or print to reach an audience, campaigns can use platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to amplify their message and engage with voters where they are already spending their time.
And the benefits go beyond simply sharing coverage.
Social media can help campaigns build an audience, demonstrate a candidate’s expertise, and create a more authentic connection with voters. A strong earned media placement can be repurposed into multiple pieces of content — from sharing a link to pulling a compelling quote, creating a graphic, recording a short video, or highlighting a key takeaway. One media opportunity can become an entire series of touchpoints.
The key is knowing how to maximize those opportunities.
At K2, we draft, oversee, and execute social media content for our clients every day. We know that being part of the conversation requires campaigns to move quickly, post consistently, and create content that people actually want to engage with.
That means highlighting a candidate’s expertise on key issues, responding to breaking news, sharing relevant coverage, and finding creative ways to package information. Posts with compelling visuals, video, relevant links, and timely commentary can help a campaign cut through the noise and reach audiences that traditional media alone may not reach.
The bottom line: earned media doesn’t end when the story runs.
The most effective campaigns know how to take every media opportunity and maximize it — using strategic messaging, social media, and timely content to extend the reach of their message and keep their candidate at the center of the conversation.
At K2 and Company, we help campaigns develop and execute communications strategies that do exactly that: get the right message to the right audience at the right time.
-Brittany Yanick, Vice President of Political Communications