The Internet has changed the nature of PR, primarily because it has changed the way in which people
communicate online. Since people from across the globe can send and receive messages instantly, timing has now become an even more important element in PR.
And considering that the world has virtually become a global village, PR professionals now need to take time zones into consideration when sending out their messages to the media.
The team at
media update takes you through three elements you can use to ensure that your PR timing is
always perfect.
So, when it comes to getting your timing just right, PR professionals can use:
1. Technology
It’s no surprise that the way people speak to one another has been disrupted due to the rise of technology. People now communicate through online platforms and it’s a form of instant communication. This may be viewed as a pro or con for many PR professionals.
Thanks to technology, PR professionals have a lot of different solutions to choose from. Take, for example,
Target Media Directory — a comprehensive media database that PR pros can use to identify and target the correct people within the media industry.
They can also use this platform to create targeted media lists where they can add all the relevant media people who will be receiving their press release.
When a PR professional is working with time-sensitive content, a service such as Target Media Directory can ensure that they meet their clients’ deadlines and get the news to the correct people in a timely manner.
2. Social media
PR pros need to be active on social media as these platforms offer them great opportunities to connect with journalists. This allows them to learn a little more about the journalists’ opinions on certain topics, as well as what topics they are most likely to publish stories about.
Keeping your finger on the ‘what’s trending’ pulse allows you to keep an eye on what is being discussed in the media industry, meaning you’ll be able to send relevant press releases that are tailored to those conversations. Services like
amaSocial allow you to track specific people, such as journalists, or keywords on social media — meaning you’ll always know what’s going on in the media sphere.
Additionally, you’ll be able to spot the journalists that are talking about topics in relation to your clients’ brands. All you have to do then is follow them and send a message (
remember, building good relationships with the media is vital).
Being well known among journalists will also put you ahead of other publications as the journalists will be more likely to publish the content you send to them.
Why? Because once you know what publications like to post about, you’ll be able to tailor your press releases to suit them!
For example, if a PR notices that no publication has posted a thought-leadership article about crisis management they will be the first one to send them a write-up!
3. Media monitoring
Media monitoring can assist a PR pro because they can show their clients when a press release was published in the media. This allows PR pros to better their timing because they are able to identify when publications do share their content. This makes it easier for the PR pro to identify any issues or errors that may have occurred in the press release.
Additionally, PR professionals will see when and where a crisis has occurred in relation to its clients’ brands because they will be able to pick up when their clients’ brands are receiving negative coverage. This helps with the decision-making process, as the PR pro can then write up a press release or statement that will help to bring the crisis to an end.
Timing is vital when it comes to crisis management, as you need to ensure that you engage with the audience as quickly as possible in order to prevent things from escalating and to avoid any further damage to the brand’s reputation.
What other tools do you use to ensure the timing of your press releases is perfect? Let us know in the comments section below.
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