What Is a Media Kit?
A media kit is a package of information assembled by a company to provide basic information about itself to reporters. The media kit is a promotional public relations tool that can serve several functions. These functions include promoting the launch of a new company or announcing the launch of a new product or service by an existing company. You can present your company as you would like it be seen and save time by eliminating the need for you or your employees to repeatedly answer the same questions.
Key Takeaways
- A media kit is a public information kit a company presents to reporters and other media outlets.
- These kits usually include biographies, contact information, products and services, and more.
- You can include your website address, its demographics and traffic information, social media profile, and your goals.
- Most kits include a company's mission and vision statements to help those seeking information determine what it is trying to accomplish.
Building a Media Kit
A media kit should address your specific business's publicity and communication needs. A media kit should demonstrate your creativity and value while being informative and easily understood. It should convey everything outsiders need to know about your business, packaged up and ready to introduce you to anyone. Finally, you should put enough effort into your kit to be proud of it.
A media kit can be as simple as a page on a company's website or as complex as a package of information and product samples sent to selected media members. The media kit commonly provides the company's official name and:
- The names, titles, and biographies of executives and leadership
- Information about the company's history and function
- Photos and any relevant and positive press releases
- Contact information for reporters
Possible Components of a Media Kit
Social Media Following
Include information on your social media platforms, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Meta (Formerly Facebook), Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, Snapchat, or any other social media platform on which you might have a presence. This will give people a quick idea of your social media reach.
Social media influencers can also benefit from media kits by including information on their user base and followers for potential partnerships.
Website Traffic
Sharing your website stats showcases your audience size and characteristics. It’s important to include figures such as your bounce rate, page views, and duration of visitors in the kit. Google Analytics is the industry standard for sharing website traffic data.
Audience Demographics
Google Analytics can also track your audience demographics. You can also learn more through other tools, such as Iconosquare for Instagram. Understanding your audience demographics is not only beneficial to you, but it is also beneficial to people that might want to engage you somehow. If your audience aligns with their goals, a collaboration might be a good fit for you both.
It's okay to include your rates in your media kit. Doing this can help prospects save time deciding whether they can afford your products or services and save you time by screening them out before even talking to them.
Your Goals
It's smart to identify your goals in a media kit, so a recipient can also self-identify their potential role in them. By noting the capabilities you'll use to achieve your goals, it could spark ideas and interest on the part of your press kit recipient.
Contact Information
There is little point in sending a media kit with no contact information. You should ensure your contact information is up-to-date and as timeless as possible. This means a phone number, website, social media account, or email address that will not change anytime soon.
About You
Include a short paragraph about you and your organization. This is a great place to discuss what you do and why you do what you do. Reiterate your strengths and unique characteristics. Provide insight into who you are and why you would be a good collaborator.
Example of a Media Kit
One example of a media kit is the one for finance website Kiplinger.com. Its media kit presents a clear value proposition on why Kiplinger’s advice is trusted and highly practical “for readers seeking actionable solutions.” Below this headline are product links, including the Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, Kiplinger Retirement Report, and Kiplinger’s Custom Content option.
In addition, Kiplinger offers native advertising, a retirement planning guide, and email opportunities. The site also includes a quick link to contact an Ad Sales Representative. This example is on the simpler end of media kits; however, the materials still display Kiplinger’s important information in a readily accessible form to promote the company's product and clearly communicate its mission and audience.
What Is a Media Kit and Why Is It Important?
A media kit is a bundle of materials and information you put together to hand out to members of the press or other media outlets. Having one is important because it gives reporters numbers to contact, establishes your brand, and promotes your amicability towards sharing information.
How Do You Make a Media Kit?
How you make a media kit depends on what you do. Generally, it includes contact information, company history, mission and vision statements, biographies, client stories, and anything else you think might interest the press. It can also be as minimal as a webpage with basic information.
Who Needs Media Kits?
Media kits should be an essential part of the toolbox for every business endeavor. You never know when you might need to make your company information easily accessible. It is also a great marketing tool that is usually less expensive than most marketing campaigns.
The Bottom Line
Media kits function as more than informational packets for the press. You can use them for marketing purposes and brand growth. If you have new products, you can send samples to review websites and social media influencers or even include a video review of the product in your kit. Lastly, every business should have some form of online media kit because it's another way to reach a target audience and extend their reach.