The world of entertainment marketing is vast and exciting. More than ever, people are joining online communities surrounding movies, television, and even books. Fandom is stronger than ever, and the success of major intellectual properties, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars, websites that discuss media, share news, and analyze stories are very popular with fans.
While there are some significant players in the world of entertainment media, there is still room for smaller websites that are up and coming. If you’re in this space as a smaller media website looking to grow your following, this article is for you.
You’ll get some practical tips on how to market your media site. Let’s jump right in to learn more.
Tip 1: Determine What Your Brand Is
When you’re starting any online venture or business, you will struggle to find followers unless you have a cohesive brand. While determining this at first can be complex, it’s vital for building your website and finding more readers.
You should start by determining what sets your website apart. While you’ll likely have many similarities with other entertainment and media websites, you can find your unique viewpoint or selling point for your potential followers. Otherwise, your website won’t have anything different to offer, and it will be harder to find a way to market to your possible audience.
Tip 2: Invest In Cybersecurity
A critical aspect of running a website is cybersecurity. While it’s relatively simple to get started with a WordPress site and start posting some articles, you may forget about the more technical side of things unless you have a lot of experience in this field.
While you might not think that anyone would try to hack or mess with a smaller site, this sadly isn’t the case. There are many scams and online risks that can happen to anyone, whether an individual or a business. So, make sure that your cybersecurity approaches are sound from the jump.
Tip 3: Find A Niche, But Don’t Limit Yourself
When running a business or selling a product, you want to have a target audience that you are marketing to, and the same thing applies to building up a website following. After all, unless you’re also selling products, the only way to monetize is to get ads on the site. To get ads, you’ll need enough readers that other brands want to partner with you.
So, while you want to reach your target audience, you also don’t want to limit yourself too much, especially with an online site. You’ll need to get as many eyes on the site as possible, so be sure to offer a mix of more niche content as well as broader articles that appeal to more people.
Tip 4: Build Up Social Media Profiles
An essential part of marketing strategy, whether for an online brand or a storefront, is running social media profiles. While there are many social media platforms out there, it’s often best to focus on just a couple. Be sure that you post consistently and cater your content to your audience.
So, even if your media site has a fully set up website, you also need to make social media profiles that lead followers back to the website.
Tip 5: Make Adjustments With Time
Remember that what works as you start building a brand might not work as your brand grows. So, take what advice is applicable to your website or business and leave what doesn’t suit you behind. You’ll likely need to continually shift your marketing approach as best practices change.
FOUNDER & CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER | Founder and COO of Seat42F, a leading source of entertainment news, information, television and movie resources.
