PR packages include press release writing, distribution via segmented media lists and news agencies, media monitoring and reporting processes.
Even if the glorious days of print media are long gone and the way to execute PR and marketing is evolving continuously to catch up with digital times, some things still remain the same. Like the importance of press releases… The ingredients that form the essence of the press releases might change a little, so as the ways to distribute them, however, press/social releases are still and will always be an indispensable part of any PR (public relations) and marketing strategy. Here, we want to briefly inform you about the target of press releases, the new ways of news consumption according to the readers of the press releases, and how you can convey your messages to the target audience in this respect – whether the intention is to generate a buzz or getting your customers accustomed to your brand.
Press releases (which, we might also refer to as “social or news releases” if we are to adapt to change) are an excellent tool for heralding the news about your company and generating buzz and awareness, but the practice regarding it has changed a lot in the digital world. In the past, your PR department or PR agency would prepare a press release and then go through journalist lists to choose from and check if the contact info was up to date. Things were easier back then because of the variety of media outlets and hence the means to carry the news to your target audience was much more limited.
However, with the world embracing digital and the new generations born into it, news consumption also became increasingly digital which mandated a transformation in news dissemination and the recipe of press releases. Consider first the share of media outlets in relation to the choice of news sources among age groups as of the end of 2019 (see Figure 1). A study conducted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism based on a survey of more than 2,000 people from 10 countries reveals that even though there exists a generational divide among the age groups regarding the source preference in news consumption, smartphones constitute a whopping amount, especially among the young.
Figure 1
Nearly half of the youth (45%) aged between 18 and 24 consume news through mobile (in contrast to the 19% aged above 35). TV is still a channel to be mentioned however it looks like the share of it is gradually decreasing. Not to mention “print media” which is almost becoming obsolete among the young. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a youngster pick up a newspaper? The pandemic made the trend for print media even worse as lockdowns impacted physical distribution and accelerated the shift towards digital,more specifically to mobile.
After going over the data, it is much clear to see why the press releases are also transforming. It is important to understand where the evolution is heading, if you don’t want your news releases to perish in the waves of natural selection.
Digital is on the move but it is an immense world of media with a vast set of choices, so the question is; where to start? Let’s go step by step, and first take a look at the readers of press releases.
According to a 2021 Digital News Report by Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford, almost three-quarters (73%) of people (see Figure 2) now access news via a smartphone (up from 69% in 2020). The trendline is steeper in emerging countries with a younger population.
Figure 2
Take Brazil for example (see Figure 3) where the share of desktop (including laptops) and smartphones were 83% and 23% in 2013, and became 36% and 77% in 2021 respectively. Part of this can be attributed to the COVID-19 crisis but it only accelerated a general trend. The use of laptop and desktop computers and tablets for news is stable or falling.
Figure 3
When they are online or spending time on their smartphone, how do people come across the news? Half of the online news readers prefer to use search engines and social media for news consumption. Search engines are especially becoming an indispensable tool for journalists. According to the 2010 PR Week Media Survey, 95% of journalists use search engines for a story research, compared to 36% who use a commercial newswire or 34% who prefer a company blog. That is why the recipe of the press releases has changed to include SEO sensitive words. For both the journalists and customers searching for news and info, your press/news release content should also be shaped as its best to appear in an organic search.
After crafting it with an SEO sensitive structure, the next step is to determine the target of the press release so as to figure out where to send or how to share or post it. Understanding the dissemination process of online news has important implications for reaching your target audience and brand imaging as well as crisis management.
Before going into the means and tools of sharing your news, it is rewarding to review the demographics of your target audience, because the demographics info can help you eliminate your choices when you are chartering among the vast seas of digital media.
For example, if your target audience is aged between 18 to 29, you may have to reconsider your content taking into account that more than half of your customers is using TikTok or (hold on!) Snapchat to discover the latest news. (See Figure 4)
Figure 4
This is a fact driven from Pew Research Center’s “News Consumption Across Social Media” research in 2021. If you are going to address an audience with a college or above degree, you should be including LinkedIn and Twitter in your distribution channels.
Or you can choose the platform parallel to the objectives of your communication strategy. The options will change if your strategy is focused primarily on building brand loyalty or lead generation. (See Figure 5).
Figure 5
Taking into account all the facts you may think that formulating and circulating a news release can be frustrating and hope there was an easier way to get it seeded out quickly, at scale. Actually, there is…. There are press release distribution services and some of them go further in preparing the news release too. They even do tailor the content as per the readers of the press release.
In fact, if your company is still in a crawling or growing phase and lacks a department dedicated to online content management, then it would be better to progress with a digital PR company that can align and harmonize all the messages and the tone of your online content (including your news releases) with a holistic approach. These companies usually have the capacity and network to also distribute your news.
In the digital age, it is vital to produce regular quality content that leaves an impression on your targeted journalists and customers to build a relation. On the journalist side, continuous reach is important to familiarize your brand and your people to journalists even if they don’t cover all your bulletins. This way, you will be the one that comes first to mind in a relevant topic or will have priority in times of crisis.
Figure 6
On the customer side, it is more than producing and sharing a content but also creating the right content which requires quite an expertise, especially to connect with younger generations. The news consumption habits (or general lifestyle) of under 35s (Millennials) and 25s (Generation Z) is radically different than the older generations. The 15th edition of Deloitte’s Digital media trends reveals that these digital natives often seek video games and music rather than watching TV and movies (See Figure 6). They have grown up with social media, instant messaging, video games, and live-streaming influencers. Engaging with these audiences is challenging even for experienced journalists. Think how hard it will be for you.
Hence, working with an agency with distribution channels may not only ensure the coverage of your news but also save you all the trouble and not to mention a huge amount of time which you can be devoted to growing your business.
