Bite Size Comms

Digital communications, basically a website and own social media pages, is a necessity for every organisation. Many small and medium-sized organisations (companies and not-for-profits) do not bother with media relations work. Yet some people, especially BBC journalists and some PR agencies, believe that PR is primarily about publicity in the media.

The news media has evolved over time. There are far more sources of news and the big ones are less influential, meaning less people see their content. National newspapers are focused on keeping up to date with news as it happens. They need video content (OFCOM annual research shows that the UK’s preferred sources of news and information are all video-based: YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.) And what decent national newspaper does not have a daily podcast? The free local newspaper printed and put in your letterbox died during the pandemic. News websites with banner advertising replaced those. The largest local newspaper owner in the UK, Reach Plc, uses newsletters rather than websites for many of its titles now. Magazines are finding it harder to make a profit. People increasingly see the UK news media as going the American route of publishing alternative facts – opinions, or basically code for not telling the truth (Reuters Institute found that only 33% of the population believe published news, and 4 in 10 people actively avoid it). Apple News and such like are by default echo chambers – they tell you what you like and already know. PR agencies may extol the virtues of press releases on anything just to get some publicity. The results of small pieces of research are apparently the in-thing, to gain backlinks on a news media website. That tactic will only work once. Consistently, journalists say the thing they dislike most about PR is that practitioners do not understand their publication and audience.

Against this backdrop, a small or medium sized organisation would have to work hard or pay good money to a PR agency to get some coveted publicity. The days of measuring communications effectiveness by column inches in newspapers is long gone. As have inches and rulers! A simple formula has replaced the hype. What is the purpose of communicating (what do you want to raise awareness of, change opinions or attitudes about or get action taken or behaviour change), who are the audiences for this, and then, what would be the best way of reaching or engaging those audiences?

For a large company or government, that may be media relations. The press release in these organisations is regarded as an official statement, agreed by leaders. For most organisations it is going to be the channels that your audiences prefer to hear from you. The importance of media coverage is overplayed.

[Image: Unsplash]