Hot off the press: Cision’s 2023 State of the Media PR Report is now out! For the report, Cision surveyed more than 3,000 journalists worldwide to share insight about their biggest challenges, how the media industry continues to evolve amid emerging technology and what it means for communications professionals who look to partner with them. Cision’s State of the Media Report is an industry-standard resource for the public relations industry.
At Fort Lauderdale- and Aspen-based public relations and marketing agency Durée & Company, we value the insight from journalists so that we can effectively pitch our clients and secure earned media placements, resulting in valuable third-party endorsements. After reviewing the report, we are sharing our top five key takeaways to help build authentic and trustworthy media relationships and secure true and effective earned coverage for clients.
Accurate Information:
Public relations professionals who can pitch writers what they are seeking can be valuable and generate more dynamic editorial coverage. Although it may seem obvious, journalists’ main priority is ensuring that their content is accurate. To get in front of journalists with accurate information, it is important to understand the sources that journalists trust the most when it comes to validating the information. Newswires, such as Associated Press, PR Newswire and Bloomberg, industry experts, press releases and internal spokespeople topped the list, with company social media, email blasts and company blogs lower on the list. Journalists confirmed that they are more skeptical of pitches that rely heavily on marketing jargon rather than informative messaging.
Data:
According to the Cision report, 40% of journalists said they are relying more on data this year than in previous years to shape their editorial strategy. Not only do they rely on data, but they rely on public relations professionals to provide it. In fact, 37% of journalists said they won’t even consider covering a product unless the pitch includes data showing trends and problems the product is solving for their readers. As a PR professional, it is important to present the data in a meaningful way while telling a compelling and accurate story. This could be sharing audience demographic data to prove that one has researched the publication’s target audience, trend reports showing that the topic idea is timely, or research that the company or brand being pitched will resonate with the publication’s readers.
Multimedia:
Another important factor in securing a story with media is multimedia. Digging deeper into how writers and journalists use multimedia, top factors included high-resolution images (77%), videos (44%), data visualization and graphics (43%), and web polls and surveys (34%). As journalists continue to think of creative ways to engage with their audiences, PR professionals have an opportunity to do the same and offer creative ideas. While static images remain the standard, there are more opportunities to explore dynamic, lesser-used options if they are available and it makes sense.
Social Media:
Social media is here to stay! Most journalists, 96% to be exact, use social media for work-related reasons. However, it is key to understand what journalists are using social media for. Only 4% of all journalists surveyed want to receive pitches via social media. The top reason that journalists are using social media is to publish or promote content. Once a story runs, it is beneficial for the company featured or executive quoted to share on their socials and tag the outlet and journalist if possible. This helps the story gain additional traction and ultimately allows the journalist to write similar content if the content performs well. The survey results also shared that LinkedIn is the leading social media platform on which journalists plan to increase their usage the most in the coming year. It is no surprise that TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are also projected to increase in journalism usage, given the increased popularity of these platforms among consumers and the desire of journalists to be where their audiences are.
Red Flags:
As PR professionals, building and nurturing relationships with media is crucial. Communications professionals must find the balance between trying to shape the narrative of their brand or client while having the ability to give control to a journalist to tell the story with editorial integrity. There is no perfect recipe for securing a story, but one can help their success by avoiding the following red flags – don’t overdo it with outreach and follow-ups; don’t add to journalists’ busy schedules and frustrations with irrelevant pitches; and avoid using clickbait and marketing jargon.
Today’s media landscape is ever-changing. It is important to understand and adapt to the times and the journalists’ needs so that they can continue to have a platform to tell the stories of companies, brands and clients.
At Durée & Company, we work diligently to make sense of the many new communications mediums and editorial opportunities to help companies meet our client’s goals. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help your business grow.
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit practice areas for local, national, and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in business, fashion, hospitality, travel, health and wellness, cannabis and hemp, psychedelics, technology and cryptocurrency, marine and yacht, art and culture, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services and real estate. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, call 954-723-9350; go to dureeandcompany.com; cannabismarketingpr.com; or psychedelicpr.com. Join the social conversation and follow Durée & Company on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn at @DureeCoPR.
