Michael Norton

About Michael Norton

Michael Norton is a Harvard Business School professor, behavioral scientist, and best-selling author whose work explores the power of human connection, happiness, and meaning. In partnership with Zilker Media, Armada Digital, and Simon + Schuster, Michael launched a multi-channel platform to amplify his personal brand and promote his latest book, The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions. The campaign boosted Michael’s visibility and engagement and positioned him as a go-to authority in behavioral science.

The Challenges

Establishing Thought Leadership Ahead of a Major Book Launch from Scratch

Despite an impressive academic and professional reputation, Michael came to Zilker Media with a clear goal: to elevate his author brand and broaden the reach of his ideas ahead of his book launch. His objectives included:

• Establish a strong personal brand and thought leadership presence online
• Amplify his media coverage across social and owned channels
• Grow and engage a qualified email list
• Position The Ritual Effect as a conversation-starter across behavioral science, business, and leadership communities
• Leverage digital tools to drive deeper relationships with his audience

The Solution

Strategic Thought Leadership and Multi-Platform Engagement

Zilker Media focused on building the infrastructure to support long-term platform growth, using Michael’s earned media as a launchpad to deepen his digital presence and authority.

Key components of the strategy included:

• Creating and growing a branded LinkedIn Newsletter tied to the book’s themes
• Social content strategy for LinkedIn and X, including press remarketing and original thought leadership
• Audience funnel development via a custom quiz tied to the psychology of rituals
• Ongoing analytics and optimizations across owned and rented media channels
• Personalized brand messaging and social media content aligned with Michael’s expertise

The Execution

Turning Momentum into Movement

With Michael’s PR team securing media attention, Zilker Media ensured those wins were strategically repurposed and amplified across channels, not just for a spike in views but to build lasting trust and engagement. In PR, the real value isn’t in the instant eyeballs alone, it’s in turning that attention into credibility, consistency, and connection over time.

Press Amplification:

• Remarketed over 16 press appearances across Michael’s social media
• Created LinkedIn content that drove high engagement with thought-provoking reflections on each feature
• Leveraged a consistent posting cadence and book-related CTAs to reinforce his positioning

LinkedIn Growth:

• Over 2,000 new followers gained during the campaign
• 160K+ total impressions and 3,000+ engagements in 6 months
• Gained 927 subscribers with 2,208 views and 15,778 impressions in the early months for his LinkedIn Newsletter

Owned Media Engagement:

• Sustained average open rates of 60%+ and click-through rates as high as 12.9% for his email newsletter
• 315 total quiz takers gained throughout the campaign

The Results

A Platform Built for Longevity

The partnership drove meaningful results in the lead-up to Michael’s book launch:

• Michael transformed from a “PR moment” to a lasting digital presence that drives ongoing conversations around The Ritual Effect
• His online audience expanded meaningfully, particularly on LinkedIn, where he now has a scalable platform to continue driving engagement
• His branded newsletter and quiz funnel laid the groundwork for future books and audience relationship building
• The campaign helped position him not just as a researcher but as a relatable and relevant voice in leadership and personal development

Zilker Media’s partnership with Michael Norton was a testament to the power of amplifying earned media with the right owned and rented media strategy. By combining personal branding, digital infrastructure, and audience engagement, Michael now has a platform that reflects the substance of his research and the staying power of his message.