Securing media coverage generates incredible publicity for an ICO. Nevertheless, gaining exposure from the media is increasingly hard as interest in cryptocurrency markets dwindles.
In other words, the bear market has taken the spotlight far away from the crypto markets. To make things worse, with traditional markets in turmoil the media is too distracted. Even so, there are other avenues to explore when trying to promote an ICO. What’s more, these can sometimes be every bit as powerful as traditional media coverage.
But what alternative is there to generate publicity for an ICO?
In this article, we will take a look at some options that can generate publicity and get the masses talking about your ICO:
1. Writing the Press Release
As with any business plan, you need to know precisely what media to target and what angle you will take with the story itself. Needless to say, you should already have this information fully researched and compiled within a press release.
We wrote an article recently, which outlined how to write a press release for an ICO. With a press release tailored for the crypto space, you can capture media attention when it matters most.
One thing that many ICOs forget is that this press release can be added to the website of the ICO and then self-promoted through social media channels. Either way, every reputable ICO should have a press release. If you don’t have one, then this should be your primary focus. Pressfarm’s campaign plan is very effective in helping you get your press release right.
In addition to helping you craft an effective press release for your crypto project, the team at Pressfarm can also help you develop engaging guest posts as well as an eye-catching media kit. With this content, you can capture the right attention and earn trust from the public. If you need help putting your brand in front of the right eyes, then you can also take advantage of Pressfarm’s winning distribution strategy.
By submitting your startup to the right media outlets and startup directories, Pressfarm can boost your online visibility and ensure you rank in relevant search results across different search engines. Finally, as a client, you get custom media kits as well as access to a media database of 1 million+ journalists, bloggers and influencers. With these contact details, you can continue doing media outreach for your brand for a long time.
One of Pressfarm’s PR packages could be just what you need to earn credibility for your ICO project.
2. Making the Most of Social Media
As you may know, Facebook issued a blanket ban on cryptocurrency ads in 2018, then later eased these restrictions to allow adverts from pre-approved brands. For this reason, if you have a Facebook page for the ICO, then you should also have a reasonable budget for promoting the page through ads. After all, without this promotion, there is little reach on the platform. However, while it’s possible to advertise on Facebook, waiting for approval can be frustrating, especially if you’re on a time crunch.
If going through this approval process proves too nerve-wracking, then you might want to consider advertising on alternative platforms like Telegram. Unlike Facebook, Telegram doesn’t have a strict vetting process for crypto ads. The fact that the platform offers end-to-end encryption has contributed to its popularity among crypto enthusiasts. Since you can also send branded messages and updates, a Telegram profile can help you build a memorable and robust brand.
That being said, Twitter and Instagram are also good alternatives for reaching your target audience. Searching for keywords related to cryptocurrencies can bring you right to the doorstep of those interested in the concept. Furthermore, these are great places to interact with the community and drop the word about your upcoming ICO.
Social Media Tip: Search for keywords related to cryptocurrency and check the comments on popular posts. It may take time but interacting with people in these comment sections generates free publicity. If you do this in a meaningful way, you can start curating an engaged community on your own account.
3. Working on a Media List
Email is an old-school way to contact media or even individuals about an ICO. However, it’s also proven by marketers to be one of the most effective ways to deliver a message.
For this reason, every ICO should work hard to compile a media list containing contact information from relevant magazines and newspapers along with any relevant online publications. You can easily find these email addresses in the “Cryptocurrency” section of Pressfarm’s large database of journalists.
Building an effective media list will help you send your email pitches efficiently when it’s time. After all, once you have an email list, it’s just a matter of pasting the addresses, personalizing your emails and waiting to see who bites.
4. Guest Posting on Relevant Websites
As you know, guest posting is important when it comes to getting traction for a website and creating publicity for an ICO. Needless to say, the websites on which you guest post must align with the ICO itself so you need to identify which websites will be best for the guest posting. By choosing the right websites, you can build a reputation for yourself as a thought leader. Earning this reputation, in turn, will help boost your credibility in the public eye. Gaining credibility is important for any brand, but it’s especially important in the crypto industry which people are still wary of.
As a rule, sending a personalized email pitch is the best way to pitch your story about the ICO. However, if you have nobody in-house to write the article itself, then you can always outsource this part of the job to a freelance writer. Quite often, guest posting is a numbers game. This simply means that the more websites you contact, the more likely it is that you will receive a favorable reply. At Pressfarm we create custom guest posting plans for our customers. We can do all the outreach, and we have a team of expert writers who can write them and get them featured in industry blogs.
Similarly, you should know that contributing content to online platforms such as Steemit and Medium offers a fantastic opportunity to reach a large audience with news about the ICO.
5. Interviewing on Alternative Channels
As already mentioned, getting into the mainstream media is a difficult task. Moreover, many ICOs make the same mistake of trying to come up with “Viral ideas” which is often a waste of time and resources. Of course, when this works out, the results are undeniable. However, for the most part, the chances of being successful with this option are quite slim.
Instead, one of the most effective ways to get publicity for an ICO is by giving certain influencers the opportunity to interview a spokesperson for the ICO. For example, many YouTube personalities have a large audience and love nothing more than speaking with the top brass in an ICO. After all, this gives them interesting content and credibility in the online world.
On the other hand, partnering with the right influencers gives you the opportunity to speak to a highly relevant and substantial part of your target market.
6. Play an Active Role in Industry Events
Credibility is one of the most valuable assets for an ICO project. Aside from guest posting on the right sites, being an active participant in industry events will help you build credibility for your brand.
In order to play an active role in these events, you must do more than just attend them. Rather, you should start by picking educational events which crypto enthusiasts will find value in. Once you’ve picked these events, you should consider volunteering for speaking opportunities. After all, giving a presentation or a lecture at a conference will immediately give the conference attendants the impression that you are a trusted authority in the field. If, however, you can’t secure any speaking opportunities, then you can still take do face-to-face networking. By allowing people to put a face to your brand name, you can earn their trust.
You can go one step beyond attending industry events and host some events of your own once in a while. Whether you’re hosting a webinar or an in-person conference, such an event will immediately command respect for your crypto project.
As you know, results are never guaranteed with any of the above strategies. For this reason, it’s important to experiment with various combinations of the strategies recommended. Only by doing so will you find out what works for your brand. Ultimately, the right combination will help you generate as much publicity as possible and get people talking about your ICO.