Press relations is a much more complex area than it might seem. It’s not just about sending emails with press releases to journalists, but about creating and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with the media. Writing press releases can be a more difficult task than many people realise. You need to know how best to capture the journalist’s attention and communicate in an easy and simple way in order to maintain that relationship in the long term.
Although press relations is a diverse area and can be carried out in various ways, there are a few key points that are fundamental to creating and maintaining a good relationship with the media.
Firstly, have an up-to-date contact list of media outlets and editors that are relevant to your clients, so that you know which are the most appropriate to publish about your clients’ context. In this sense, it is also important to do some research before contacting any journalists, to ensure that they are the most suitable journalists for the subject of the article.
The way the content is written and developed that is sent to the media is the key to capturing their attention. It is essential to draft press releases that are easy to read and understand, with catchy headlines, interesting information and relevant quotes, so that the journalist gains interest in the topic and consequently writes about it.
For example, in the case of an interview proposal, it’s important to be an intermediary between the client and the media outlet to facilitate the process. This is also how the relationship with journalists grows and becomes one of trust.
Nowadays, social networks have a huge influence, especially when it comes to sharing news, and they can impact the press office in various ways:
- In terms of visibility, since social networks have a greater reach, publicising articles on social networks gives them a greater chance of visibility;
- Rapid sharing, since it’s easy for news to spread quickly on social networks, allowing information to reach the public almost immediately;
- Interaction with the public, in the sense that social networks allow the public to interact with the news/article. This interaction can be used to receive feedback from the public, which helps the communications agency gain a better insight;
- Monitoring news and trends, in the sense that through social networks we can always be aware of the public’s needs and preferences, which helps with the press office strategy.
Following good practices makes the process of communicating with the media easier, since communicating with the media can be challenging. Although social media is transforming the world of communication, we mustn’t forget the most traditional way of transmitting news: the press. It’s the press that we can count on when we want credibility in the news we hear. Even though social media is a powerful vehicle for disseminating information, it’s the media that is the bastion of credibility. How many times have you searched newspaper or TV websites to see if a piece of news is true or not? Finding a balance between press relations and social media management is fundamental from a communications agency’s perspective, as we can help our clients benefit from both of these communication tools.
Photography: FreePik
