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Media Relations | 4 Reasons to Build Media Relationships
When working on a PR campaign or plan, taking into account the media is always key. Despite the number of tactics that one can employ on their own, without the assistance of the media, they are still a pivotal component to the success of your reach and brand awareness.
Why are the media still important for PR? For a few reasons:
1. Magazines and newspapers have gone virtual.
While there are still hard copies being printed (
though subscription rates and circulation have certainly gone down), big names know that the place to migrate to is the Internet. So they have. Every large print newspaper and magazine has a website, and you can not only find content and information there, you can also share it, like on BusinessWeek's BusinessExchange, which I've
referenced in the past as a great place to share content.
2. People still find these sources credible.
They've been running print publications offline for years, so why wouldn't their reputation follow them online? Getting an article posted in the New York Times or Time Magazine is still worth something to a brand, and that can be seen through the traffic they receive online, the number of followers they have, and the still circulating publications that they continue to sell.
3. People still watch TV.
Advertisements may not be effective anymore, but getting your product featured on Good Morning America or Oprah seem to be top goals for media coverage. To get on these shows, you must have current relationships with the media that work there.
4. Media can help to promote and cover events.
These two things are possible to do in-house, but again, their credibility and reach can assist you when putting on an event. Sending out requests for coverage in a Media Alert can't hurt, and chances are, your event will need all the help it can get. Customers are busy and with the bombardment of information we experience every day, having a reliable news source share your news.
It may seem like media is becoming obsolete, but don't let the Internet fool you with its social media tools and press release distribution sites. While those things definitely make it easier to bypass the media and connect with your buyers directly, the media are still playing an important role in the development of brands by providing news coverage that still reaches consumers, advertising space when the brand image and reputation needs to be maintained (
instead of built), and a sense of authority when it comes to things relevant. They are, after all, the source for news and updates.
Lastly, though it is vital for you to have a good standing relationship with media contacts to get coverage, it is even more important to
have something newsworthy to send their way. Ensure, too, that you target the right media by
knowing who your target audience includes and by knowing what each media contact covers, enjoys, writes about, etc.; anything untargeted is really spam, and that's no way to run a campaign or to get coverage and support. It's also not the right way to build media relations.