PR media relations is beginning the next step in its evolution, and the four biggest implications can be seen in the 2015 Business Wire Media Survey.
- Prevalence of “Sexy Headlines”
The advancement of technology and advertising methodology has put pressure on journalists to get clicks on their article using “Sexy Headlines,” which may be misleading or host content that is irrelevant to what a user is searching for.
Let’s make one thing clear: Clicks are king in this new era of journalism. Some are pushed to sacrifice the quality of content specifically for clicks on the basis that their jobs may very well depend on it. Because online news outlets primarily receive income via online advertisers on each page, there is an incentive for employers to push their writers in the direction of attractive headlines and establish a quota for clicks an article must deliver. This contributes to the prevalence of big ambiguous titles that are quick to grab attention, but hold little in actual substance.
- News Needs To Be Told Differently
Although it’s not exactly your typical news site, the majority of the surveyed journalists claim that Buzzfeed and similar sites are the future of media. The answer is simple, interactive news telling. The casual language and efforts at humor draw more and more readers to these sites, creating an effective and profitable business plan for publishers to exploit. - Coverage Guarantees Are Changing
Just a few years ago an effective infographic included in your press release meant journalists would more likely pick up the news, compared to press releases without infographics. But now it appears that even if you include several multimedia assets, only 13 percent of surveyed journalists say they are more likely to pick up your story. In fact, most say that the biggest asset you can include is not infographics or video, but photos, the most static of all multimedia resources. This emphasizes the necessity of strong content and writing strategies included in your work.
Based on the Media Survey, it’s becoming more crucial than ever to know exactly what journalists are looking in a press release. Primary focus needs to be centered on the story, not mixed media assets PR pros have relied on in the past.
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