How does your online newsroom score?
An online newsroom is a convenient way to provide media with basic information about your organization. But companies often get caught up in the ”wow” factor when putting together their web sites, overlooking some very important basics. One of the most crucial considerations when designing a site is ensuring that it is media friendly.
Remember, your web site is not just a sales tool. It is an important resource for journalists to check out your latest news, get background information on your company, confirm facts and find the contacts they need. The last thing they want to do is spend extra time wading through flash intros, complicated links or file downloads.
Following are some suggestions on what you can do to create a media friendly web site:
Focus on the steak, not the sizzle While the sizzle may be great for the casual visitor or prospective clients, too much will frustrate media when searching for information that is relevant to them. Separate the two elements by providing an easy link on your home page for press to visit. And leave the fancy fixings to other parts of your web site.
Call it what it is Don‘t use terms such as “In the News” since that implies you only have news coverage. Try “For the Media,” “Newsroom” or “Press Room.”
Make it fast Where possible, avoid downloadable documents. While this can’t be done for all collateral (white papers and research reports for example), definitely avoid PDF formats for press releases and other timely items. Make them easy to print or email.
Seek so they shall find Provide a clear, chronological index of all releases with simple headlines and easy links. Where there are many releases, divide them by category (e.g. investor relations, product releases) or archive them by years.
Don’t get dated Nothing is more frustrating for a journalist than to find that your latest release, company data or product update is six months old. It also doesn’t do much for bolstering your reputation as a thriving company when you have dated releases.
Make it useful When it comes to selecting content, make sure you provide background documentation that will help journalists and fact checkers. Include such items as a company fact sheet, historical highlights, a product portfolio listing, executive team members and biographies (bios are important but often overlooked, since they help journalists confirm titles and roles), etc.
Don‘t hide behind the scenes Provide press contact information up front, including name, title, telephone number and email address. Do not use generic links such as info@xxxx.com, which will irritate reporters when there is a need to get contact information quickly.
Paint a picture Media love photography. If you can provide a downloadable photo library in high resolution JPEG or TIF format (and include access to thumbnails for easy viewing) they will keep coming back for more. Include photos and cutlines with press releases where relevant.
Keep the sales pitch to the rest of the world While press often likes to find out who your customers are, that‘s for the fact sheet. The press room is not the place for pre-packaged testimonials and other sales pitches.
Keep it short Media don‘t like to spend time reading oceans of material. If your press releases tend to be lengthy, consider providing a synopsis or lead paragraph with a ‘read more’ link. This approach helps media sort through materials and pick and choose what they want to explore without having to open multiple documents.
Of course, there are many finer points to be considered when putting together a media-friendly newsroom, and the rules can vary depending on your type of business or service. However, following these few simple basics will definitely help to make your online newsroom a popular destination for media.
