Online Newsrooms - Is yours in shape?

Published 2007

While you are busy sending journalists press releases hoping they will run them, most journalists are busy researching information for stories they are currently writing and, according to a recent survey, they are increasingly expecting to find that information in a newsroom on your web site.

Findings from a TEK group International Inc 2006 survey indicated that journalists expecting a company to have an online newsroom ranked with a high 83% response, up 10% in just one year.

Other key findings from the survey include:

• 94% of respondents agree that companies will possess online newsroom in the future
• 90% said online newsrooms are important or very Important for accessing press releases
• 73% said online newsrooms are important or very Important for accessing breaking news
• 71% said online newsrooms are important or very Important for obtaining information on brands

About the survey: TEKgroup has conducted the Online Newsroom survey since 2004. Almost 7,000 journalists were successfully polled in 2007 with nearly a 2 percent reply. The full survey is available at http://www.tekgroup.com.

So what are the essential elements of an effective Online Newsroom? Here is a checklist that can help you audit your own site.

1. Clearly identified link on homepage

A clearly titled link such as “media”, “newsroom” or pressroom” on the homepage means that reporters can identify it quickly.

2. Media releases - timing is everything

Make sure you post your release to your website at the same time you release it to your media distribution list. Leaving it for a few days will not be good enough.

3. Contact information

Ensure your contact information for your pr team or key contacts is on your website and easily seen.  If journalists want more information while they’re on your site, access should only be a click away.

4. Media kits

Online media kits are a useful way to package up a variety of information for the media. They should  include fact sheets, executive bios (with photos), company milestones, relevant analyst reports and recent media releases.

5.Tools

Extra tools can be provided online to assist the media. For example an Expert Database for a company can be very useful - so reporters can identify quickly the best spokesperson for the topic.

6. Corporate information

Do a check on your website to see if you have provided the basic company information. This could include: financial information, CSR activities and awards.

7. Recent coverage

Be sure to post recent coverage on your site. The fact that media are reporting (positively) on you will help raise your stature in the eyes of visitors.

8. Reporter access to your news

Many journalists cover particular topics or product areas, and there are ways you can help them and yourself therefore to potentially more coverage.  In the past this might have been a simple form with a list of topics they would like to be emailed when you hade new information, but today adding an RSS feed is a simpler way for them to stay in touch with your news.

9. Make media releases searchable

Often media releases will be listed in date order but if you have a large list this is cumbersome. Add a simple search to that list to help reporters find the release they are looking for.

10. New Media - Podcasting

Be sure to take advantage of the new media that lends itself to online dissemination.  Podcasts for example are easily downloadable and journalists can listen to them in their car or at home and that ease of use is beneficial to getting your messages across.