Media Flywheel
A self-reinforcing cycle where earned media coverage generates more coverage opportunities through increased visibility and credibility.
Definition
The media flywheel describes how initial media coverage creates momentum that makes subsequent coverage easier to obtain. Early placements build credibility, making pitches more compelling. Coverage in one outlet often leads to others picking up the story. Executives become recognized experts, attracting more interview requests.
This compounding effect means PR efforts build on themselves over time. The challenge is generating enough initial momentum to get the flywheel spinning—after that, maintaining it requires less effort than starting it.
Why It Matters
Understanding the flywheel helps set realistic PR expectations. Early campaigns require more effort per placement. But as coverage accumulates, opportunities compound—journalists reach out proactively, speaking invitations arrive, and pitches land more easily.
This dynamic rewards consistent, long-term PR investment over sporadic campaigns.
Examples in Practice
An executive featured in Forbes gets invited to speak at an industry conference, where a reporter interviews them, leading to another article and more speaking requests.
A startup's funding announcement coverage leads to "rising startups to watch" list inclusions, which generates podcast interview requests, further building visibility.
One viral thought leadership piece on LinkedIn leads to journalist inquiries, which produces articles that drive more LinkedIn engagement and additional media opportunities.