68% of journalists want data in the form of original research, such as trends and market data, according to the latest global State of the Media report by Cision. Not only do they rely on data, but most journalists rely on PR professionals to provide it – excellent! Most importantly, our job is to help our clients discover what data is relevant and how to present it.
Data – structured, relevant and verified data – can be what makes your message stand out and brings additional value to your relationship. There is a myriad of ways journalists are using data. Whether you are serving up audience demographic data to prove you’ve done your research on their audience, trend reports to show that your story is timely, or unique research your client has created that will resonate with the reporter’s audience – opportunities abound.
What do they see as the best source for trustworthy information? Newswires, industry experts, press releases, an internal spokesperson, customers of a brand. Fundamentally, this hasn’t really changed, however, the crucial part is creating that newsworthy story. It’s all well and good providing data but if it isn’t relevant or interesting to the journalist then its wasted.
As journalists think more about visual storytelling to engage their audiences, PR and communications professionals have an increasing opportunity to do the same. Indeed, the nature of PR and communications has shifted so it’s not all about the press release, it’s about the creative ideas which get you noticed – 27% of journalists say that providing multimedia in pitches and press releases is one of the top ways PR professionals can make their lives easier.
Overwhelmingly, the outreach methods that impress journalists the most are the ones where public relations teams have clearly taken the time to understand the journalist, their audience and content that they would find relevant. This hasn’t changed, this is something that we pride ourselves on at Oracle; knowing the journalist, their audience and what they like / don’t like is paramount!
When it comes to social media, LinkedIn is the platform on which journalists plan to increase their usage the most in the coming year, followed closely by Instagram. Twitter is the platform journalists plan to decrease their usage the most, followed closely by Facebook.
According to Muck Rack’s 2023 state of journalism report, most journalists consult a company’s social media in their reporting, reaffirming the fact that businesses need to ensure they are not left behind when it comes to social media presence. For more information on how we can help you grab a journalist’s attention and create newsworthy headlines, contact caroline@oraclepr.co.uk