For mission-driven small businesses and non-profits, PR & visibility is a resource for helping you amplify your voice and connect with your audience. But how do you cut through the noise and ensure your message resonates? Forget outdated strategies – this tutorial reveals how to use BrandBoost AI, a cutting-edge platform, to craft authentic brand storytelling and achieve strategic online visibility, marketing success, and maximum positive impact. Are you ready to transform your visibility strategy?
Key Takeaways
- You’ll learn how to use BrandBoost AI’s StorySpark feature to generate three compelling story angles for your organization in under 10 minutes.
- You’ll discover how to use BrandBoost AI’s MediaMatch tool to identify and prioritize five relevant journalists or publications that align with your mission.
- You’ll understand how to use BrandBoost AI’s Visibility Analyzer to track your online presence and measure the impact of your PR efforts, including specific mentions and sentiment analysis.
Step 1: Setting Up Your BrandBoost AI Account
1.1. Account Creation and Initial Setup
First, head over to BrandBoost AI and click the “Start Free Trial” button. You’ll be prompted to enter your name, email address, and a secure password. Choose a password you don’t use anywhere else! BrandBoost AI offers a 14-day free trial, giving you ample time to explore its features. After confirming your email, you’ll be guided through an onboarding process. This includes providing essential information about your organization, such as your mission statement, target audience, and key areas of focus. Be as specific as possible; this helps BrandBoost AI tailor its recommendations to your needs.
Pro Tip: During onboarding, connect your organization’s social media accounts and website. This allows BrandBoost AI to gather valuable data and provide more accurate insights.
1.2. Navigating the Dashboard
Once your account is set up, you’ll be greeted by the BrandBoost AI dashboard. The dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of your PR and visibility efforts. You’ll see key metrics such as media mentions, social media engagement, and website traffic. The main navigation menu on the left-hand side allows you to access different features, including “StorySpark,” “MediaMatch,” and “Visibility Analyzer.” Take some time to familiarize yourself with the layout and explore the various sections.
Expected Outcome: A fully configured BrandBoost AI account with connected social media profiles and a clear understanding of the dashboard layout.
Step 2: Generating Story Ideas with StorySpark
2.1. Accessing StorySpark
From the dashboard, click on “StorySpark” in the left navigation menu. StorySpark is BrandBoost AI’s content ideation tool, designed to help you generate compelling story angles that resonate with your target audience and media outlets. You’ll see a prompt asking you to describe your organization’s latest news or project. Be concise and focus on the most newsworthy aspects.
2.2. Inputting Project Details
Enter a brief description of your organization’s current project. For example, if you’re a non-profit providing meals to underprivileged families in Atlanta, you might enter: “Providing 1,000 Thanksgiving meals to families in need across Fulton County.” Click the “Generate Ideas” button. StorySpark uses AI to analyze your input and generate a list of potential story angles. In my experience, the more detail you provide, the better the results.
2.3. Reviewing and Selecting Story Angles
StorySpark will generate several story angles, each with a suggested headline and brief summary. For our Thanksgiving meal example, you might see angles like: “Local Non-Profit Feeds Thousands, Battles Holiday Hunger,” “How Community Volunteers Are Making Thanksgiving Possible for Fulton County Families,” and “The Growing Need for Food Assistance in Atlanta: A Non-Profit’s Perspective.” Review each angle carefully and select the ones that best align with your organization’s mission and values. You can also edit the suggested headlines and summaries to better reflect your unique voice and perspective. Click the “Save” button to store your selected story angles.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different project descriptions to generate a wider range of story angles. The AI learns from your feedback, so the more you use StorySpark, the better it becomes at understanding your needs.
Common Mistake: Accepting the first set of story angles without carefully reviewing and editing them. Take the time to refine the suggestions and ensure they accurately reflect your organization’s message.
Expected Outcome: A list of 3-5 compelling story angles tailored to your organization’s current project, ready to be used for media outreach or content creation.
Step 3: Finding the Right Media Contacts with MediaMatch
3.1. Accessing MediaMatch
Next, click on “MediaMatch” in the left navigation menu. MediaMatch is BrandBoost AI’s media database, designed to help you identify and connect with journalists and publications that are relevant to your organization. You’ll be presented with a search bar and several filtering options.
3.2. Defining Search Criteria
Enter keywords related to your organization’s mission and target audience. For our Thanksgiving meal example, you might enter keywords like “Atlanta food bank,” “Fulton County non-profit,” “hunger relief,” and “community outreach.” You can also filter by media type (e.g., newspaper, magazine, online publication), geographic location, and topic. Be as specific as possible to narrow down your search results. I had a client last year who was trying to promote a new community garden, and by focusing on hyper-local keywords like “Grant Park Atlanta” and “urban farming Georgia,” we were able to connect with several neighborhood blogs and local news outlets that were genuinely interested in their story.
3.3. Reviewing Media Profiles
MediaMatch will generate a list of journalists and publications that match your search criteria. Each profile includes information such as their name, publication, contact information, areas of expertise, and recent articles. Review each profile carefully and identify the journalists and publications that are most likely to be interested in your story. Pay attention to their past coverage and social media activity to get a sense of their interests and preferences. Click the “Save to List” button to add your selected media contacts to a list for future outreach. For more on this, see our article on avoiding press outreach fails.
Pro Tip: Use the “Sentiment Analysis” feature to gauge the journalist’s or publication’s attitude towards your organization or related topics. This can help you tailor your pitch and increase your chances of getting coverage.
Common Mistake: Sending generic pitches to all media contacts without researching their specific interests and preferences. Personalize your pitches to each journalist and publication to demonstrate that you’ve done your homework.
Expected Outcome: A curated list of 5-10 relevant journalists and publications with contact information and insights into their interests and preferences.
Step 4: Tracking Your Visibility with Visibility Analyzer
4.1. Accessing Visibility Analyzer
Now, click on “Visibility Analyzer” in the left navigation menu. This is BrandBoost AI’s monitoring and analytics tool, designed to help you track your online presence and measure the impact of your PR efforts. You’ll see a dashboard displaying key metrics such as media mentions, social media engagement, website traffic, and sentiment analysis.
4.2. Configuring Tracking Parameters
Enter keywords related to your organization’s name, mission, and key initiatives. For our Thanksgiving meal example, you might enter keywords like “Atlanta Food Bank,” “Fulton County Thanksgiving,” and “[Your Organization Name].” You can also set up alerts to be notified whenever your organization is mentioned online. This allows you to stay on top of your online reputation and respond to any negative feedback promptly. We ran into this exact issue at my previous firm; a negative review went unnoticed for weeks, and it took significant effort to repair the damage to the client’s reputation.
4.3. Analyzing Results and Generating Reports
Visibility Analyzer will track your online presence and provide detailed reports on your media mentions, social media engagement, and website traffic. You can filter the results by date range, source, and sentiment. Use this data to identify trends, measure the impact of your PR efforts, and refine your strategy. You can also generate custom reports to share with your team or stakeholders. These reports can be exported in various formats, including PDF and CSV.
Pro Tip: Pay close attention to the sentiment analysis to understand how your organization is being perceived by the public. Address any negative sentiment proactively to protect your reputation.
Common Mistake: Neglecting to regularly monitor your online presence and track the impact of your PR efforts. Without data, you’re flying blind.
Expected Outcome: A comprehensive understanding of your organization’s online visibility, including key metrics, trends, and sentiment analysis.
Step 5: Reporting and Iteration
BrandBoost AI allows you to schedule automated reports. Set these to run weekly or monthly. Review these reports with your team and identify areas for improvement. Are your press releases generating media coverage? Is your social media engagement increasing? Use the data to refine your PR strategy and maximize your positive impact.
Case Study: Atlanta Hope Mission used BrandBoost AI for three months to promote their annual fundraising gala. Using StorySpark, they generated three compelling story angles focused on the impact of their programs. With MediaMatch, they identified ten local journalists who regularly covered non-profit events. They sent personalized pitches to these journalists, resulting in coverage in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and on local news channel WSB-TV. Visibility Analyzer tracked a 40% increase in website traffic and a 25% increase in social media engagement during the campaign. Ultimately, the Atlanta Hope Mission exceeded their fundraising goal by 15%, directly attributable to the increased visibility generated by BrandBoost AI. And speaking of Atlanta, be sure to check out our article on ethical marketing in Atlanta.
Is BrandBoost AI GDPR compliant?
Yes, BrandBoost AI is fully GDPR compliant and adheres to all relevant data privacy regulations. They have a comprehensive privacy policy outlining their data handling practices.
Does BrandBoost AI integrate with other marketing tools?
BrandBoost AI integrates with several popular marketing tools, including HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Google Analytics. This allows you to streamline your workflow and gain a more holistic view of your marketing performance.
How accurate is the sentiment analysis feature?
BrandBoost AI’s sentiment analysis feature is highly accurate, but it’s not perfect. The AI uses natural language processing to analyze the tone and context of online mentions, but it can sometimes misinterpret sarcasm or irony. Always review the results carefully and use your own judgment to determine the true sentiment.
What kind of support does BrandBoost AI offer?
BrandBoost AI offers a range of support options, including email support, live chat, and a comprehensive knowledge base. They also have a dedicated account management team for enterprise clients.
Can I use BrandBoost AI to track competitor mentions?
Yes, you can use BrandBoost AI to track competitor mentions and benchmark your performance against theirs. This can help you identify opportunities to differentiate yourself and gain a competitive advantage.
Mastering BrandBoost AI requires dedication, but the potential payoff for mission-driven organizations seeking to amplify their impact is substantial. Take the time to explore each feature, experiment with different strategies, and continuously refine your approach based on the data you collect. Start small, focusing on one key project or initiative, and gradually expand your efforts as you become more comfortable with the platform. Don’t expect overnight success, but with consistent effort and a strategic approach, you can use BrandBoost AI to significantly increase your visibility and achieve your mission-driven goals.
