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Mat Releases | Earned Media Coverage | Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Client thinking of questions about mat releases

So, you’re doing a mat release to help complement your upcoming media relations campaign. Great! Now, you just need to find out which mat release provider can give you the most placements for the least amount of money – right?

Not so fast!

While price and placements are certainly part of the equation, there are a few other factors to consider. Below are three questions to ask when shopping mat release options.

1) What kind of clips do you generate for mat releases?

Getting 600, 700 or 800 placements without having to pitch an editor may sound like a dream come true, but it's important to go beyond the numbers. You should always find out about the quality of the placements that you'll receive too.

A few qualitative measures to think about:

  • Front-of-section placement
  • Full-page stories
  • Color placements
  • Key message pull through
  • Brand retention

2) What types of media outlets typically cover your mat releases?

This is a key area to probe on. You want to choose a mat release provider that has solid relationships with a variety of media outlets as that's going to help guarantee you the best coverage results.

Start by asking about the size and scope of their network.

  • How many outlets do they have?
  • Where do they typically get coverage?

Then, think about what's important to you and/or your clients.

  • Do you want print coverage, online stories or magazine placements?
  • Are you trying to reach people in the top 100 markets or expanding your reach into community areas where your team doesn't have the bandwidth to pitch?

Beyond the network, be sure to ask the mat release provider what their editor contacts have to say about them and their content as this says a lot about the company as a whole.

3) How do you measure mat release results?

Clear and transparent results reporting is critical and it's not necessarily a given so definitely get more details about the final results.

  • Find out what kind of multiplier the mat release provider uses to calculate their impressions results
  • Ask how they calculate online metrics
  • And, most importantly, talk to them about clips and if you'll get an actual copy or link to the majority of placements secured

Bottomline: Make sure there are no "smoke and mirrors" or outrageous multipliers with impressions or placement numbers. You'll be glad you did!

Keep these questions in mind the next time that you're exploring mat release providers. You might be surprised by what you find out when you go beyond price and placements.