Mastering Media Coverage and Giving Interviews

• December 1, 2025

By Mia McGowan

Public relations is more than press releases and media headlines—it’s about building relationships, shaping perception and telling your story in a way that earns trust and builds credibility. As an independent insurance agent—whether you’re a solo practitioner, a small business or a growing large agency—strong PR can help you connect with your audience, protect your reputation and stand out in a crowded world.

With the proliferation of content, finding ways to engage with current and potential customers can be tricky. Earned media, generated through public relations, is an important piece of any insurance agency’s overall strategy to connect with consumers and generate awareness for your business.

At its core, PR is about managing how a person, company or organization is perceived by the public, namely through earned media. Instead of focusing on direct sales or advertising, PR builds and maintains a positive reputation through communication and relationship-building.

In concert with marketing and advertising efforts, an effective PR strategy will build your brand, help increase your customer base, educate consumers and further reinforce the importance of working with an independent agent.

Earning Media Coverage

There are three types of PR: owned, earned and paid media. They each play a distinct but complementary role within a strategy.

Owned media—like a campaign’s website, email list and social channels—serves as the foundation, providing consistent messaging and a trusted hub for information. Paid media—including digital ads, mail and sponsored content—amplifies that message, targeting key audiences and driving them back to owned platforms. Earned media—coverage from news outlets—adds credibility and expands reach through third-party validation.

When aligned, these three forms of media reinforce one another. Paid drives awareness, owned deepens engagement, and earned builds public trust. Use of each creates a powerful, cohesive communication ecosystem.

In communications, it’s important to use a mix of owned, paid and earned media to reach audiences. Each serves a distinct role, and the strongest strategies integrate all three for maximum impact.

To craft your perception by your local audience, earned media offers a unique opportunity to bolster your reputation.

Earned media refers to unpaid third-party coverage or organic recognition that a brand or organization receives. Common examples include press coverage, word-of-mouth referrals, social media shares and online reviews.

The biggest advantage of earned media is its credibility. It carries more weight because it comes from independent sources rather than paid promotion. It also helps expand reach beyond owned audiences and can build lasting reputational value.

However, earned media has its challenges. Organizations have limited control over the message or timing, and it can be difficult to predict or measure its impact. Maintaining a steady flow of earned media also requires consistent effort and engagement.

Speaking With the Media

Earned media is usually generated as part of an interview, which is an opportunity to share your expertise, highlight your agency and influence public understanding of the role independent insurance agents play in their communities.

While interviews can feel intimidating, preparation and a clear approach will help you communicate confidently and effectively.

Ultimately, how you approach an interview matters as much as what you say. Confidence, clarity and an understanding of the process will set the tone for success. Remember that an interview is a conversation, not an exam—you’re there to inform and engage.

Before you begin, research the outlet, interviewer and audience so you can tailor your delivery. A local TV station might want simple consumer tips like, “Three things every homeowner should know about flood insurance.” A business journal might seek insight into how insurance trends affect small business owners: “Why rising commercial premiums matter for Main Street.” A trade outlet, on the other hand, might look for deep expertise on specific industry issues, such as “How independent agents are navigating the hard market.”

Also, ask about the setting, format and who else may be participating. For example, is the segment live or recorded? Are other experts being interviewed for the piece? Let the journalist know you’d like to be as prepared as possible with the right points and ask if you can see the questions or general topics for discussion prior to the interview. Some reporters may share questions ahead of time while others won’t, but it’s always worth asking.

Above all: Don’t be afraid. Treat interviews as opportunities, not tests. Reporters are people too, so think of conversations as collaborative, not confrontational. They’re looking for useful, real-world insight, just like your clients. Guide the discussion by steering, not lecturing—and never wing it. Even seasoned experts benefit from preparation and rehearsal.

The 4 Cs of Communicating Clearly

Going into an interview without a clear message is like starting a trip without a destination. Your key points will help you stay focused, no matter how the conversation develops. Limit yourself to two or three big takeaways that the audience should remember.

Use the four Cs to get your message across:

Clear: Avoid jargon and explain ideas plainly. Example: Instead of “P&C coverage gaps,” say, “Homeowners may think they’re covered for flooding when they’re not.”

Concise: Stick to a few key messages. For instance, “Independent agents help clients compare coverage options, explain what’s included, and advocate when claims arise.”

Consistent: Reinforce the Big “I” message that independent agents are trusted advisors and community advocates.

Call to action: Be explicit about what you want people to do. For example, “We encourage homeowners to contact an independent agent before storm season to make sure their coverage is up to date.”

Reporters are always listening for short, memorable quotes that can be used directly in print, radio or TV. If you don’t provide them, your key points may be lost or paraphrased. Preparing sound bites ensures that your message gets across clearly and quotably.

Here are a few tips to provide winning soundbites:

Keep it short. Aim for one sentence or less than 20 seconds.

Make it visual. Use simple analogies or comparisons. Example: “An umbrella policy is like an extra seatbelt—it protects you when the unexpected happens.”

Focus on people. Tie your point back to families, small businesses or communities. Example: “When a storm hits, independent agents are often the first call from families looking for guidance—not just coverage.”

Be definitive. Avoid hedging words like “maybe” or “kind of.” Speak with confidence.

Repeat as needed. Don’t be afraid to restate your sound bite. Reporters may circle back to it.

Maximizing Media Coverage

Amplifying earned media coverage is essential because it extends the reach and impact of credible, third-party validation after the initial publication.

When a news outlet or influencer highlights your work, it carries far more weight than self-promotion alone. Earned media builds trust and reinforces your message through an independent lens.

By strategically sharing that coverage across your owned channels—such as social media, email newsletters and your website—you not only maximize visibility but also strengthen your reputation and authority.

Once media coverage has been secured, it’s important to promote it across all of your business’s platforms to increase its visibility and reach. This includes the website set up for your independent insurance agency. Consider creating a “News,” “In the News,” or “Media Coverage” section on your website where all the backlinks to your media coverage can live, allowing people to sort through and view each clip easily. When listing each piece, include a brief description or headline, date of publication and the link.

Other platforms to consider sharing your media clips on include your business social media pages, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X. When posting, include a short caption explaining the context of the piece, the outlet that published it and its newsworthiness.

Also, use relevant hashtags in posts, such as #InsuranceAgent and #IndependentInsurance. To increase the visibility of the post, tag the publication and reporter when possible. Only video and image clips should be posted to Instagram, as it is a visual-forward social media platform. When posting videos, the clips should be short, about 15-30 seconds in length.

An email newsletter can be a great way to share your agency’s media coverage, as well as any news or important updates with your professional network, clients and prospects. A well-crafted e-newsletter can keep your business top-of-mind, drive traffic to your website to boost search engine optimization (SEO) and provide consistent value to subscribers.

When including media coverage in an e-newsletter, list it toward the top to draw immediate attention. Include a brief, eye-catching headline, such as “Our Agency Featured on Local News Channel,” or “Agents Recognized as Top Industry Leaders in Trade Publication.” Include a brief 1-2 sentence description of the media hit and its newsworthiness. Either program a clickable “Read More” or “Watch Here” button or hyperlink the words to click through to the full article or video clip. Consider including a graphic image—either a thumbnail photo, outlet logo or screenshot from the video clip—as long as it is clear, properly credited or allotted permissions, and sized adequately for email.

To make the most out of media coverage, it’s important to maximize its potential and reach by sharing it strategically across all platforms. Through thoughtful and consistent promotion of media coverage, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in the insurance industry and your agency as a knowledgeable, reliable resource that clients and prospects can depend on for exceptional insurance guidance.

Public relations is an ongoing process of connection, credibility and communication. By embracing earned media and engaging confidently with reporters, independent insurance agents can position themselves as trusted voices in their communities. Every interview, article and social media mention is a chance to tell your story—one that highlights your expertise and reinforces the value of independent advice.

Mia McGowan is marketing and communications manager at Trusted Choice^®.