Newsrooms throughout the nation are shrinking, that means fewer journalists are sometimes tapped with overlaying extra beats and inundated with much more pitches. On the similar time, the 24/7 information cycle—and the social media churn that has been feeding instantaneous updates over the past decade—has created an setting wherein a well timed story takes on a complete new that means. What’s pressing in a single second could also be outdated information within the subsequent.
To interrupt by means of the noise, organizations might profit from reimagining their method to media relations efforts. Following are ten storytelling and relationship-building suggestions to assist garner media protection within the present local weather.
Technique #1: Create Multimedia-Wealthy Story Packages
Consideration spans are brief. When tales catch our eye, they’re extra more likely to seize curiosity. Providing reporters the chance to incorporate visuals of their piece might assist improve the probabilities of media protection.
Video Content material Powers Trendy Media Relations Methods
Video content material has grow to be significantly precious. That is very true for short-form clips (30-90 seconds) that may be embedded in on-line articles or shared throughout social platforms. These must be produced however genuine, specializing in human parts of the story moderately than overly polished company messaging. In the event that they really feel like an commercial, a publication will not be more likely to chew.
Infographics Rework Knowledge
Knowledge visualizations similar to infographics and charts remodel advanced info into simply digestible tales. Publications might favor to make use of their very own in-house groups to create these property, however it by no means hurts to supply your personal. Even when not utilized in an article, infographics and charts will be leveraged to advertise the story on social media or in different owned content material.
Broadcast Visuals Amplify Affect
For broadcast, have visuals able to go. Whereas producers might need to seize their very own content material, providing any supporting pictures, video clips, and even b-roll footage you may have readily available might help transfer the needle and construct out your story.
A phrase of warning: usually, it’s greatest apply to keep away from together with attachments in preliminary outreach to reporters. Doing so might ship your e-mail to their spam folders or trigger it to be misconstrued as a phishing try. Take into account linking to supporting media or sharing it through attachment after aligning on this method together with your reporter or producer contact.
Technique #2: Leverage Knowledge-Pushed Public Relations Storytelling
In an period wherein misinformation and disinformation abounds, it may be advantageous to have entry to the info—and by info, we imply proprietary knowledge that grounds your insights.
This might take many varieties: recurring market analysis initiatives, inner knowledge that’s analyzed and externalized, pulse surveys, and extra. However knowledge alone isn’t a silver bullet to ensure media protection. The info must be well timed, compelling, and related to the reporters’ space of focus.
Technique #3: Construct Relationships with Journalists
It might appear apparent, however it’s price repeating: Media relations is a two-way avenue. The journalist on the opposite finish of the pc or telephone is a human, too, with their very own skilled and private wants and targets. Don’t simply ask journalists that will help you—ask your self how one can assist them. Don’t ship them pitches that you recognize aren’t a match for his or her protection. Take advantage of their time, they usually’ll be extra inclined to benefit from yours.
Whereas social media engagement is usually a useful software in nurturing journalist relationships, it’s not the one method to forge significant conversations. Don’t be afraid to community in particular person over espresso.
In case you have the chance to get to know journalists higher as folks—to listen to about their pursuits, hobbies, and so on.—embrace it. As with all type of networking and relationship-building, this helps construct genuine connections.
After assembly, contemplate methods to remain in contact. It could possibly be following the reporter on LinkedIn and fascinating with their content material (particularly in the event that they publish one thing you’re employed on collectively). For instance, this could possibly be so simple as inviting the reporter to attend an organization occasion, if open to media, or asking the reporter to host a lunch and be taught session together with your group.
Technique #4: Use Social Listening to Embrace Actual-Time Information Alternatives
Social listening and newsjacking strategies can generate important media consideration when executed thoughtfully. The bottom line is discovering the precise intersection between trending tales and your group’s experience or perspective. Profitable newsjacking requires each velocity and relevance; trying to pressure connections to unrelated information occasions will injury credibility.
Timing issues are essential. The window for newsjacking is usually measured in hours, not days. The best response comes early within the information cycle when journalists are nonetheless creating their protection angles and searching for skilled views.
That mentioned, typically a day two or day three story is extra applicable. Take heed to what you’re pitching round well timed occasions, particularly in the event that they contain delicate points that impression folks’s lives. If it’s not essentially the most urgent story as a result of it shouldn’t be, wait to pitch till the timing is correct.
Technique #5: Develop Thought Management Platforms
Don’t restrict your self to earned media alone or pressure earned media to function in a silo.
Owned content material gives one other highly effective avenue to inform your story. Determine the intersection of the problems vital to your viewers and the place you may have distinctive experience and construct a thought management platform round this junction.
Whether or not it’s publishing a recurring column in your group’s weblog, internet hosting a podcast, or creating a talking platform, there are numerous methods to share your thought management alongside earned media.
Technique #6: Take into account Contributed Content material
Contributed content material gives an avenue to share executives’ factors of view whereas sustaining management of the narrative—although the ensuing articles will probably want to fulfill publications’ editorial requirements.
This might take form in a wide range of methods, from creating articles which are revealed regularly (e.g., month-to-month or quarterly) to drafting a well timed piece one time. Contributed content material will not be promoting and shouldn’t be handled as such. It ought to present a publication’s readership with well timed, actionable insights and keep away from overly promotional or salesy language. Moreover, the content material needs to be distinctive to the outlet, that means you possibly can’t plug and play the identical byline throughout publications.
Be sure to analysis publications’ tips and submission course of earlier than sharing drafts for his or her consideration.
Technique #7: Analysis Partnership Alternatives
Take into account creating ongoing content material partnerships with choose publications or journalists that present them with common, unique entry to your group’s insights, knowledge, or management views. This may take the type of month-to-month business briefings, quarterly development reviews, or first entry to proprietary analysis findings. These partnerships create a win-win situation: publications get dependable, high-quality content material they’ll depend on, whereas your group builds deeper relationships and constant media protection.
The bottom line is guaranteeing the unique content material is genuinely precious and newsworthy, not simply repackaged advertising supplies. Give attention to insights that assist journalists higher perceive business traits, market dynamics, or rising challenges their readers care about.
Technique #8: Examine Non-Conventional Media Channels
It’s no secret that podcasts are an extremely highly effective media platform, providing listeners in-depth conversations that may humanize your group and its management.
When pitching podcast appearances, analysis the present’s format, viewers, and up to date episodes. Come ready with compelling tales and a conversational method moderately than company speaking factors.
Whereas media coaching is at all times integral to executives’ success in interviews, that is very true in relation to long-form and/or visible codecs (podcasts might have accompanying movies, too). It’s because components similar to pacing, staying on message, pivoting round more durable questions, and physique language must be sustained for longer time period. Apply right here is useful. Past an preliminary coaching classes, it’s useful to brush up on key messages and overview the way to deal with difficult anticipated or potential inquiries to construct confidence and put together for the interview itself.
Technique #9: Incorporate Occasions into Your Media Relations Technique
Your occasion technique must be built-in into your broader advertising and communications plan—and it must also be related to your earned media method.
Occasions present a chance to share important information, introduce or launch a brand new services or products, and join extra broadly together with your goal audiences whether or not you’re talking or attending to community.
No matter the way you’re collaborating in business conferences, take into consideration how one can maximize your presence on the bottom and disseminate insights earlier than, throughout, and after the occasion.
For instance, can you safe a listing of reporters who’re attending, and if that’s the case, are you able to schedule interviews through the occasion? How are you going to package deal learnings into owned content material following the occasion? Are you posting on social media with key takeaways throughout compelling classes? Are you able to pitch insights following the occasion as nicely?
Technique #10: Grasp Cross-Platform Storytelling
Profitable media relations requires the power to craft tales that may seamlessly adapt throughout a number of platforms and codecs whereas sustaining constant messaging.
It may be useful to begin with by mapping out key messages and variations, as applicable, on your goal audiences. These messages can then be tailored as wanted for platform-specific makes use of, adjusting size, tone, and extra.
One story is perhaps communicated by means of a press launch, a visible infographic for social media, a conversational podcast interview, and a weblog publish. Every model of the story, whereas it might comprise totally different info and have a unique positioning, ought to reinforce the core narrative whereas maximizing engagement on its particular platform.
This multi-platform method permits you to take many bites of the apple, taking advantage of your insights and lengthening their attain and self-life.
The Way forward for Media Relations
The way forward for media relations belongs to organizations that may adapt to journalists’ evolving wants whereas creating compelling, multi-dimensional tales. By embracing these ten methods, organizations can obtain impactful media protection and make significant connections in an more and more aggressive panorama.
