How to Build A Media Kit for Your Brand
Photo by Karolina Grabowska.
If you’re a brand owner, chances are you are always looking for new ways to grow your reach. There are myriad ways of going about this, from searching for opportunities for media coverage to collaborating with another brand.
But how do you make sure that you’re reaching the right people? How do you align yourself with those who can help give your brand the boost it needs? Not to worry — this is where your media kit comes in.
What is a media kit? I can assure you, it's not as intimidating as it may seem. A media kit is a document (usually one or two pages) containing information about your business, brand, or product. In the corporate world, media kits are often given to journalists and other members of the media as a means of providing a snapshot of a company overall.
Brands, bloggers, and small business owners (that’s you) usually use media kits as part of a pitch to collaborate with others who are in a similar field or share a particular focus.
In a nutshell, a media kit is your chance to sum up your business and online presence to market yourself to prospective clients and gain growth opportunities.
So how do you go about building your media kit? Read on for some helpful guidelines to get you started. Even better, click here to download your media kit template. Just plug in your information, and you’re ready to go!
Your media kit should include:
Your Contact Information: This includes your website URL and email. You can put this information virtually anywhere in your media kit, but I find it’s most helpful to include this information at the footer (bottom) of each page of your media kit.
Your Photo: Everyone likes to see exactly who they’re working with! However, if you’re a little camera shy, it’s perfectly okay to include a modified version of your brand’s logo (such as your secondary logo or submark) in place of a photo.
About You and Your Brand: Be sure to include information about how and when your brand was founded, why you built your brand, and what your focus is. If you feel comfortable, it’s also okay to include some personal information. For example, you may want to include a blurb or two about your family, your pets, your hobbies, or anything you like to do in your spare time.
Your Social Media: This one may seem obvious but don’t forget to include which social media you use, plus direct links to those accounts.
Statistics and Analytics: Be sure to include up-to-date information on how many page views your website receives as well as any important demographics (these include the primary gender of your readership, their age group, etc.). Also be sure to include statistics regarding your social media, such as how many followers you have on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and any other social media you use.
Brands You’ve Worked With: If you’ve done any collaborations with other brands be sure to mention these! Likewise, if your work has been featured in any publications, blogs, or other media, make sure to list these too.
Testimonials: If you’ve worked with others, now is the time to get them to talk you up! Consider contacting a few people you’ve worked with and politely ask that they give you a brief review of their experience. Likewise, if you’ve ever received any positive emails or comments from your customers or readers, you can include these in your testimonials as well. Important: Always get the person’s permission to use their feedback in your media kit. Make sure all quotations you use are accurately transcribed (this means no tweaks or embellishments) and be sure to include the source of each testimonial.
Your Rates: This includes what you charge for advertising and any other sponsored content. This can include sponsored blog posts, product reviews, giveaways, and any other content you create in collaboration with others.
Although it may seem non-essential, a media kit is an effective and relatively easy-to-put-together tool to grow your business. Get started on yours today!