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How do PR professionals engage journalists today [#DigitalInsights]

Author's avatar By Susanne Colwyn 01 Jul, 2015
Essential Essential topic

Which are the most popular channels for journalists today

For Marketers and PR Professionals, it's important to reach the right media influencers using the right media. Given the huge choice of communication channels available to us across social media, it's useful to know the preferences for channels amongst media professionals.

Cision's Social PR Study, using data from the Social Journalism Study 2015 reveals some interesting insight. So should you contact Journalists via phone, email or social media and are your current methods currently effective for contacting the right PR Professionals?

The survey reveals that '49% of PR Professionals prefer the phone, compared to 23% of Journalists'

How should you contact Journalists?

PR Professionals are reaching out to Journalists via email and phone, and social media is the third choice for pitching stories (amongst almost half of respondents).

So how do Journalists wish to be contacted? More contact via email, phone, social media and 8% would prefer more postal information. Contacting Journalists and Professionals

So, how positive are PR Professionals (PR) about their relationships with Media Professionals (Journalists)?

59% are happy with their relationship with Journalists and 48% still feel that contacting Journalists is still important for pitching their stories.

Attitudes of PR Professionals to Media Professionals

Though the survey has indicated that they felt social media has changed their relationship with Journalists.  As a result, Media Professionals are now less reliant on them and the report mentions that 'Journalists will use different digital platforms to source stories from social media thus bypassing PR professionals' so perhaps the PR Professionals need to take a step back and review their approach as it may change more in the future.

To read the full report, download Cision's Social PR Study 2015 (registration is required)

Author's avatar

By Susanne Colwyn

Susanne is a Marketing Consultant and Trainer, with over 20 years marketing experience in the public and private sector. She's passionate about supporting companies with practical result driven marketing, to help focus companies on evaluating and driving their marketing forward. Experienced in Integrated Strategic Marketing Planning, Data Segmentation, Customer Relationship Management Systems, Customer Insight and reviewing internal systems, data and processes, to maximise conversion strategies and the customer experience. You can connect with her via her LinkedIn or follow her @Qtymarketing.

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