Become a Media Star

If you are a leading woman in sport and you are making big moves, but you aren’t getting media attention, then something is wrong… or perhaps you want to be low key.

But why fly under the radar, when you can make the headlines, grow your brand and attract personal sponsors? Do I have your attention?

There are some practical things you can do to build your media profile. If you keep things simple at first, you can do this yourself!

Personal Profile:

Have a one page profile writeup documenting your journey – your highlights, learnings and aspirations. Include a high-res profile picture, and your social media/personal contact details, so the media can easily contact you. It is not easy to write about yourself so it may feel frustrating at first, but ultimately it will clear your mind and help you craft the right messaging to fit your brand image. Need some inspiration? Check out this personal blog by world acclaimed wheelchair tennis star and celebrated Momentum gsport Award winner, KG Montjane, back in 2018, as she was still building her brand. Look at her today!

Build Media Relationships:

There are a host of women and men in media who cover women’s sport. Get to know who they are, follow them on social media, introduce yourself at events, and ensure they know who you are and that you are worth talking about. Someone like #MomentumProteas stalwart, Mignon du Preez, is brilliant with media relations, and journalists around the world always regard her highly.

Use Social Media:

Use your social media accounts to share news of your journey. If you have excelled on the world stage, you could take to your Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok accounts and share the news personally. Always get someone to take a picture of you with your medal or trophy, which you can share with your news. Media outlets will pick this up and include your story in their next sports bulletin. An athlete that is really good at this is Michaela Whitebooi who uses her social media platforms to message her journey in sport.

We have previously shared five tips to build your personal brand which makes for useful reading as you plot your way towards a greater media presence.

Finally, it is always useful to be part of the gsport community. Follow us on social media and use your voice to amplify women’s sport and grow your online presence. Remember to sign up for the gsport newsletter and you can also register a free membership on gsport.co.za where you can blog about your journey in sport.

We are always here for you to help you along the way in your media journey!

gsport Team