Should You Pay For Media Coverage? The Answer is....

Absolutely not, especially if you want to be viewed as creditable. A friend of mine called me about a media opportunity that was offered to her son, who is an aspiring musician. Someone who presented himself as writer for XXL Magazine offered to do a story on him for $100. Mom was suspicious and did her due diligence and reached out to the writer on social media. Turns out this wasn’t the first time he had heard this offer being made using his name. He assured my friend that it wasn’t him and that the only payment he gets is from XXL. Obviously, her son was crushed, but at least he still had his money in his wallet.

Recently a PR colleague of mine , Jennifer Singh, posted on Instagram about this same issue. She, along with many of us, have been receiving offers in our DM’s offering coverage - sometimes even a cover story - for a price. I’ve gotten payment requests as high as $2500. As Jen puts it, “Accepting money in exchange for coverage goes against journalist ethics. Journalists need to be objective to the stories they cover, if they are getting paid it's hard to say whether or not they are being objective.”

If your goal is to get media coverage or to position yourself as an expert, then you don’t want to pay for it. Your credibility is questioned. Organic coverage is always best. If the media thinks your story is good enough to tell a mass audience or a show wants your expertise on a topic, then it boosts your trustworthiness and reputation.

Now, there are companies that pay for advertorials or integrated branding which often fool the less savvy reader, television watcher or radio listener. There is often a disclaimer in fine print that lets you know the segment or coverage is paid for, but it’s often in the fine print or said at the beginning or end of the show. If you miss it by tuning in late, you wouldn’t know it was paid for by the participant.

You have to decide what’s right for you and your brand. Just make sure that if you decide to pay for coverage that the person or outlet is legit and it’s not a scam. Don’t be afraid to call the outlet directly or research the person who reached out you. Remember journalism works both ways!