Last month, Muck Rack released a report in which they surveyed more than 500 journalists across the U.S. and world to understand their perspectives on the state of journalism. The survey covered topics such as objectivity, reporting in the current political climate, social media and shareability, data and analytics and the use of press releases.
While there are many important takeaways in this survey, the points that will be most informative for PR professionals are that journalists are influenced by social media, both in how their articles are shared as well as how they digest news. Additionally, the survey sheds light on journalists’ perception of their relationships with PR professionals and their perspective on press releases.
The Influence of Social Media
Of the more than 500 journalists surveyed, 41 percent of them indicated that the potential shareability of an article influences what topics they choose to write about. Additionally, 63 percent of journalists in the U.S. track the number of shares their stories earn on social media.
There are a variety of ways journalists can measure the traction their articles are gaining, whether it’s pages views, time on a webpage, or where the clink-through came from, but it is incredibly helpful to know which numbers journalists are considering when developing their stories. As you consider positioning stories, it will be important to weave messages into the pitch or release that demonstrate the shareability of the story. Take the time to craft an attention-grabbing subject line, unearth shocking data points or secure a controversial perspective. All of these items will help the journalists clearly see the story you’re offering as well as make it more appealing and shareable.
The survey also uncovered which social media platforms journalists often turn to as a source of news. Twitter remains the top news-source tool, with 27 percent of journalists referring to it as their primary source of news. What’s also interesting is what social media platforms journalists believe they’ll spend more time on in the coming year. For both Twitter and Instagram, 37 percent of journalists expect to spend more time on the platforms. Given the nature of the content, consider how to incorporate images or leverage them as a way to provide more information. Content on both platforms tends to have limited text and it’s important to use images to your advantage.
The Relationship with PR Firms and Press Releases
The relationship between PR professionals and journalists can be somewhat inconsistent. There are journalists who build strong relationships with PR teams and get access to stories and spokespeople, and there are journalists that prefer not to interact with PR firms. The perspective is varied and unpredictable. According to this survey, more often than not, journalists see the benefits of PR professionals. Fifty two percent of journalists in the U.S. view their relationship with PR professionals as mutually beneficial, and 21 percent of them see it as antagonistic, but not inherently a bad thing.
The key to building strong relationships with journalists is being thoughtful in what you’re offering. It is important to present story ideas that the journalist would find interesting, but also think through the elements you’re providing. Is there enough to craft an article that will capture their audience’s attention?
Another important aspect of building a strong relationship is asking for feedback. If it’s a reporter you are eager to work with, ask what they need to make this story interesting. If they aren’t going to cover something, ask why they didn’t find it interesting. This will inform your approach with them moving forward and make it more strategic.
As people’s preferences around news consumption evolve, so has the method in which journalists want to receive the news. While press releases still hold value in announcing news, providing detailed facts and building SEO, not many journalists rely on them anymore. Only 3 percent of journalists in the U.S. rely on press releases heavily and only 29 percent rely on them somewhat. In fact, 53 percent of journalists in the U.S. stated that they do not rely on them at all.
Interestingly, 15 percent stated they rely on press releases, but would prefer something different. As indicated by additional findings, it appears that incorporating meaningful visual elements may capture more attention. Nearly 50 percent of journalists stated they would pay more attention to a press release if it contained an infographic and 13 percent said if press releases had video components they would pay more attention.
While press releases may not be dead, we can evolve how we craft them and incorporate elements that make them more intriguing and easier to digest. In addition, having visual elements can also be useful when sharing the news on social media and may lead journalists to view the news and its accompanying resources as shareable.
This helpful survey gives insight into how journalists are choosing the stories they plan to cover, define successful articles, what they think of their relationships with PR professionals and their perspectives on press releases. This information can be leveraged to be more strategic in our outreach and how we present stories to journalists. Our relationship with journalists is critical to our success and the success of our clients. Just as we constantly seek to provide value to our clients, it is crucial that we provide value to journalists and strive to build and maintain mutually beneficial relationships.