What were the news stories in 2013 that stuck with you? In the world of business, at least, they were probably stories on tech, according to a new infographic from Dow Jones. To mark the end of 2013, Dow Jones released data on the year’s “most talked about companies.” Tech giants Google and Apple led the pack—by far.
According to Dow Jones’ data, Google received more than 123,000 media mentions between January and November last year, an increase of nearly 10,000 over 2012. Apple was not far behind, receiving just over 120,000 media mentions—a decrease of about 40,000 from 2012. And just behind those two is Microsoft, with more than 80,000 media mentions.
Just how visible was the tech industry in the press? Dow Jones listed 10 public companies in this dataset and the four technology companies included (Google, Apple, Microsoft and IBM) accounted for more than 50 percent of all media mentions. Google and Apple alone accounted for more than a third.
What drove all of this coverage? Helpfully, Dow Jones’ infographic includes highlights of press coverage topics during each company’s busiest months. For tech companies, major product announcements generated tremendous coverage in 2013. Remember all the way back in May, when Google announced its new Moto X smartphone? The company received more than 13,000 media mentions in that month alone—its biggest month of coverage for the year.
In September, Apple—king of the product unveiling—announced two new iPhone models and the rollout of its mobile operating system iOS 7. With more than 15,000 media mentions as a result, Apple had the busiest month of any company included in this set.
When Microsoft announced Windows 8.1 in June, its media mentions peaked for the year at more than 9,500. Microsoft’s second busiest month, September, included the announcement of CEO Steve Ballmer’s retirement. That same month, Microsoft also publicly acknowledged its purchase of Nokia’s Devices and Services business.
It was particularly interesting to me that new product announcements continue to be one of the largest drivers of press coverage for the tech industry. No doubt this is why Apple puts considerable resources behind product unveilings, and (as we discussed previously) why Amazon strategically timed its announcement of delivery drones just prior to Cyber Monday: to leverage press coverage into sales at key moments in the year.
As you’re polishing communications strategies for 2014, it might be helpful to spend a few minutes reflecting on the stories that dominated headlines last year. Will consumer technology topics continue to lead the way for business press in 2014? What can tech companies large and small learn from Apple’s and Google’s press rollouts? How can you leverage spikes in positive press into sales?
Dow Jones’ data shows that technology continued to be a favorite topic for press in 2013. It’s an exciting time to be working in technology communications and all of us at Communiqué PR are excited for what 2014 will bring!