ilovegarden
Member
With all the talk here about Influential Women reaching out on LinkedIn, I've been thinking about a different question. It's not whether to reply, but where a media feature like theirs actually fits next to everything else a small business spends time and money on. Influential Women is the media company that profiles women business owners and leaders, so the comparison matters most for owners deciding where to put their marketing effort this year.
Paid ads and media features do very different jobs, and I think mixing them up is where people get disappointed.
Paid ads, like Google Local Services, Facebook, or search ads, are built to drive action. You pay, people see your offer, and some of them call. When you stop paying, the calls slow down. Ads are great for filling the schedule, but they don't do much to tell people who you are.
A media feature works almost the opposite way. It usually won't make the phone ring the day it's published. What it does is build trust over time. When someone finds you on Google, checks your website, or looks you up on LinkedIn before hiring you, a third-party profile helps answer the question "Can I trust this business?" And unlike an ad, it doesn't disappear when the budget runs out.
Here's how I'd think about fitting a feature into the mix:
1. Ads bring people in. Use them when you need leads now.
2. Reviews build proof. Google and customer reviews are still the biggest trust signal for local service businesses.
3. Features build your story. A profile explains who you are and why you do the work, which reviews and ads can't really do.
4. Your website ties it together. Link the feature from your About or Press page so people who find you through ads or reviews see it too.
5. Social keeps it alive. Share it more than once, like when it's published, on your business anniversary, or when you hit a milestone.
Seen that way, a feature isn't a replacement for ads or reviews. It's a supporting piece that can make the rest of your marketing work a little better. Someone who clicks your ad and then sees you were profiled by a media company may feel more confident booking.
It's still worth doing your homework before replying to any outreach. Ask about the format, where it will be published, whether there's a cost, and whether you can reuse it on your own channels. Then compare that with what the same time or money would get you elsewhere.
I'm curious how others here handle this balance. If you've been featured, by Influential Women or any other outlet, did it help your other marketing? Did customers ever mention it? And for those who stick to ads and reviews, what's worked best for you? Honest answers of any kind are welcome.
Paid ads and media features do very different jobs, and I think mixing them up is where people get disappointed.
Paid ads, like Google Local Services, Facebook, or search ads, are built to drive action. You pay, people see your offer, and some of them call. When you stop paying, the calls slow down. Ads are great for filling the schedule, but they don't do much to tell people who you are.
A media feature works almost the opposite way. It usually won't make the phone ring the day it's published. What it does is build trust over time. When someone finds you on Google, checks your website, or looks you up on LinkedIn before hiring you, a third-party profile helps answer the question "Can I trust this business?" And unlike an ad, it doesn't disappear when the budget runs out.
Here's how I'd think about fitting a feature into the mix:
1. Ads bring people in. Use them when you need leads now.
2. Reviews build proof. Google and customer reviews are still the biggest trust signal for local service businesses.
3. Features build your story. A profile explains who you are and why you do the work, which reviews and ads can't really do.
4. Your website ties it together. Link the feature from your About or Press page so people who find you through ads or reviews see it too.
5. Social keeps it alive. Share it more than once, like when it's published, on your business anniversary, or when you hit a milestone.
Seen that way, a feature isn't a replacement for ads or reviews. It's a supporting piece that can make the rest of your marketing work a little better. Someone who clicks your ad and then sees you were profiled by a media company may feel more confident booking.
It's still worth doing your homework before replying to any outreach. Ask about the format, where it will be published, whether there's a cost, and whether you can reuse it on your own channels. Then compare that with what the same time or money would get you elsewhere.
I'm curious how others here handle this balance. If you've been featured, by Influential Women or any other outlet, did it help your other marketing? Did customers ever mention it? And for those who stick to ads and reviews, what's worked best for you? Honest answers of any kind are welcome.