Your CentrAL INC! feature shouldn’t end when the magazine hits the coffee table. Being featured in a respected local publication does more than put your name in front of readers. It gives your business something every brand is working to build: authority.
Consumers are constantly asking: Who should I trust? Who knows what they’re talking about? Who has credibility?
Search engines are asking similar questions. Your website, social media, reviews, digital content and third-party mentions all contribute to the larger picture of your brand. A feature in CentrAL INC! can become one more piece of that picture, but only if you leverage it.
The real opportunity isn’t simply being featured. It’s what you do with the feature after it publishes.
START WITH YOUR WEBSITE
Your website should be the home base for your brand’s credibility. If your feature is available online, add it to your website. Consider creating an “As Featured In” or “In the Community” section where visitors can see the publications, organizations and media outlets that have recognized your business.
You can also reference the feature on relevant pages throughout your website. Instead of simply saying: “We are a trusted local company.”, you can demonstrate that credibility: “Our team was recently featured in CentrAL INC! for our work serving Central Alabama.”
That distinction matters.
Your website tells potential customers what you do, and third-party recognition helps reinforce why they should believe you. From an SEO perspective, connecting your website with credible external content can also help search engines better understand your brand, your expertise and the topics associated with your business.
THINK BEYOND THE BACKLINK
When businesses hear “SEO,” they often think about keywords, rankings and backlinks. Those things matter, but authority is bigger than one link.
Consider all the ways someone might encounter your story:
- A reader sees the feature and later Google searches your company.
- A customer sees the story shared by a friend.
- A prospective customer recognizes the CentrAL INC! logo on your website.
- A potential employee sees the article while researching your company.
- A referral partner discovers an area of expertise they didn’t know you offered.
- A customer shares the story with someone looking for your services.
Those interactions matter, too. The better question isn’t simply, “Did I get a backlink?” It’s: “How many ways can this feature help people discover, recognize and trust my brand?”
TURN ONE FEATURE INTO A BODY OF EXPERTISE
Let’s say a Central Alabama HVAC company is featured in CentrAL INC! discussing ways homeowners can improve energy efficiency. The company now has a credible starting point for an entire content strategy.
That one article can become:
- A website resource explaining the recommendations in greater detail
- A Facebook post highlighting one of the tips
- A short video featuring the owner discussing a common HVAC mistake
- An email newsletter shared with customers
- A LinkedIn post about what the company is seeing in the market
- A Google Business Profile post directing customers to the website
Suddenly, one article isn’t just a magazine feature. It’s the beginning of a conversation about what that company knows.
DON’T LET THE STORY LIVE IN ONLY ONE PLACE
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is treating their CentrAL INC! feature like a one-time announcement.
They post: “We’re excited to be featured in CentrAL INC!”, and then move on. Instead, think about how many places your audience could encounter the story:
- Add it to your website.
- Share it on social media.
- Include it in your email newsletter.
- Feature it in your sales presentation.
- Add it to your media or press page.
- Use a quote from the article in a social graphic.
- Have your leadership team share a personal takeaway on LinkedIn.
- Turn one of the article’s ideas into a video.
- Reference the feature when appropriate in proposals or presentations.
You aren’t creating the same piece of content over and over. You’re extending the life of an asset you’ve already created.
Because in today’s marketing landscape, authority isn’t created by simply saying you’re an expert. It’s created by giving people, and search engines, reasons to believe you are.
Author: Christina Bennett, Senior Account Manager at exploreMedia
