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What reporters want: Online news rooms
With last minute deadlines looming over their heads, reporters don’t have time to put hours of research into finding a good public relations or communications contact when writing a story. To save time, many reporters are using the Internet as a research tool. However, they are running into the problem of not knowing exactly where to look on a company’s Web site for basic company information or public relations’ and communications’ contact numbers.
Companies often build Web site content around potential customers or investors. These Web sites will more than likely include a brief history of the company, list of services, whom to contact to purchase a product and a customer help-line number. While this information is exactly what your customers may be looking for, it’s not quite enough for reporters.
The best way to guide reporters to the proper information is by having an identifiable media room on your company’s Web site. The most important thing about the media room is making sure it has the information reporters may be looking for. Some of these items include:
• Public relations/communications contact information
• Recent news releases
• Company history
• Brief explanation of company activities
• Company fact sheet
• Bios on the organization’s key people
• Photo gallery
• Annual reports (for business reporters)
Finding these items in a central location allows reporters to research an organization at their own depth and pace. It also relieves the stress of having to call five different departments just to get in touch with a public relations professional.
Here’s what local experts have to say about media rooms:
Paul Monies, business reporter, The Oklahoman: “Media rooms are usually either the first or second place I visit on Web sites of companies I'm not familiar with … nothing is more frustrating than seeing a press release with no contact information at the top, or just an e-mail address. Despite everything being high-tech and people being tethered to their BlackBerries, I'm still looking for phone numbers above all else.”
David Page, reporter, The Journal Record: "I often visit company media rooms for different levels of research – to determine if we want to do an article, for historic information about a company and to see previous releases. I also use media rooms to localize national wire articles, such as finding out how many stores a national company has locally."
Shane Kempton, Phase 2 Interactive: "Most of the Web sites we develop have some type of media room. The trend we’re encouraging our client to be a part of is providing interactive media like audio and video files. It’s often more effective to have Web site visitors view your latest commercial or listen to a PSA than have them read lots of press releases. High-speed Internet connections and seamlessly incorporating video into the Web site experience have allowed us to further explore this type of interactive communications."
Jennifer Mock, reporter, The Oklahoman: “I go straight to the media part of a company's Web page. I read recent press releases and read about the company. Good media rooms have clear press releases, sortable by year and month. They also have an ‘about us’ section that gives the media a quick snapshot of a business they may have never heard of before.”
What's a communications audit?
A communications audit allows you to view your organization's communications efforts from an outside perspective. When 20 Hats performs a communications audit, we help you determine if your organization is consistent with messages and design, what communications you are doing well and what communications you need to improve upon.
We obtain samples of various communications tactics used by your organization including brochures, internal and external newsletters, Web site design and copy, press releases, media kits, business cards, crisis communications plans, marketing plans, etc. We'll also look at the demographics of your target audience in comparison to the communications tactics you use to reach out to them. We review all these materials and meet back with you to discuss our observations and recommendations for moving forward.
20 Hats recently conducted a communications audit for HeartLine, a non-profit that provides emotional support, referral to community services, crisis intervention and suicide prevention awareness to the Oklahoma City community. Here’s what Kelly Bishop, development director, had to say about the experience:
“The outside perspective of 20 Hats was so beneficial as our organization began to look for ways to improve our effectiveness of delivering our message to the public. What was uncovered during our communications audit was not necessarily eye-opening for us, but because an outside observer clearly saw gaps, need for change and opportunities for improvement, we were more motivated to act on their recommendations to improve our overall image.
“The professionals at 20 Hats took the amount of time necessary to truly understand our organization's history, needs and services, and subsequently provided strategic recommendations geared for our audiences. What was generated wasn't a “canned” approach at problem-solving PR, but one that worked for our particular needs.”
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