Navigating the New Media

Posted by commadmin on Mar. 3, 2014  /  Subscribe 0

Moderated By: Paul Maccabee (Maccabee Public Relations)
Panelists: Chris Hudson (AIA, Architect MN), Jake Anderson (Twin Cities Business), Janet Moore (Star Tribune)

Summary

During this session, a Twin Cities media panel shared how their publications are adapting to new media in order to remain current and connect with their audiences. Those who attended the program were given an insider’s look at how content is developed and how they are handling the shift from traditional publishing to multiple outlets.

Presentation Tidbits

Q1: How do I get my press release published? And how has the way that you (the media) garner stories changed?

• The majority of the panel agrees that when it comes to getting your press release published, your relationship with the publication is increasingly important. Traditional press releases are less likely to get published, or even noticed, unless you have an established contact. Their best advice is to nurture your relationships and, if you have no prior connection, be sure that you pitch makes it clear that the story is relevant and interesting to the audience of the editor or reporter.
• The increase of stories being published on social media has led to an expansion of how publications interact with their readers and get leads on other possible stories or follow-up stories. Instagram has been a particularly interesting venue for story ideas and interaction.

Q2: How do I know if a story is compelling?

•  When asked how publications measure a story’s interest and whether or not it is compelling, the panelists said that beyond looking at the analytics or metrics of stories online, they will see an increase in response to these stories via email, phone calls and letters to the editor.
• Video blogs or clips are another great way for publications to gauge whether or not their audience is engaged. The comments, views and likes are easy to measure and they are easy for the readers to share.

Q3: Where should they land (in print or online)?

• All three panelists said that they try to marry content and find a balance of print and online content to keep their audience engaged. They may have a printed article that pushes readers online, or have an article on their website that refers to something in their print issue. They agreed that as long as readers are sharing content, they are happy—regardless of whether it is in-print or online.

Q4: Is photography helpful?

• For Chris, good photography is key. Both Jake and Janet stated that it is helpful if the photo is relevant, such as a professional headshot for a promotion or new hire announcement, or a shot of a building that is going up or being demoed. Janet and Jake also mentioned that providing a video clip and its embedded code is helpful to them as well.

Q5: How do you (the media) view outlets with little original content?

• All three panelists agreed that, when done right, this can be very helpful if the reprinted content provides an additional perspective on the topic. However, they prefer original content. Janet pointed out that she has only used anonymous sources two times in 17 years. Be original!

Q6: How do you (the media) rely on new stories?

• When you are sending in a new story to any publication, make sure you have done your research. Know the publication’s readership and why your story would be relevant to their audience. Know the “voice” of the publication and ask yourself if your story reflects the tone and style of the publication you are submitting it to. Relationships are key; knowing your contacts will boost your chance of getting your story published.

 Below are a few key points based on the additional questions posed by the audience:

• Exclusives are preferred, BUT…
• Don’t lie about having an exclusive if you are going to call several other publications. Those in the media can easily find out whether or not a story has already been picked up.
• Be sure to do your research and fact checking ahead of time. Printing false information will make both the publication and your firm look bad. Not to mention lower your chance of having anything published in the future.
• Stories are being published in many places. Not everything in print is online, and vice versa. Some stories might only be sent out via social media, whereas other in-depth stories might make it to print. The way readers consume news has changed, so be open to “non-traditional” outlets.
• All three panelists said that they would be happy to meet with new PR or media professionals for coffee to establish contacts and help them get started in the Twin Cities media field on the right foot. So if that’s you, give them a call!

Melissa Trost, Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Virginia McCoy, Communications Consultant
Ingenuity Marketing Group

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