{"id":7524,"date":"2020-05-21T07:00:58","date_gmt":"2020-05-21T05:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=7524"},"modified":"2022-09-05T19:24:33","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T17:24:33","slug":"what-a-digital-pr-professional-needs-to-know-about-media-relations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/public-relations-blog\/what-a-digital-pr-professional-needs-to-know-about-media-relations\/","title":{"rendered":"What a digital PR professional needs to know about media relations"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_3-1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"679\" height=\"479\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-building_relationships_with_the_media-c-1-l-2-e1589986380881.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - digital PR\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-building_relationships_with_the_media-c-1-l-2-e1589986380881.jpg 679w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/i-building_relationships_with_the_media-c-1-l-2-e1589986380881-600x423.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>A significant part of the digital public relations profession includes working with the media. Digital PR seeks to gather publicity that benefits a client. Therefore, learning the best way to develop as well as manage relationships with reporters and editors is essential to your outreach strategy.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is media relations?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The terms \u2018media relations\u2019 refers to the mutually beneficial relationship between journalists and digital PR professionals. One of the biggest benefits of these interactions, for journalists, is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The easy access to story ideas, as well as<\/li>\n<li>Convenient access to sources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Reporters devote a significant amount of time in addition to effort assembling information to write a story. Working with digital PR professionals cuts down on the time required to search for sources and other information in order to validate an article\u2019s content.<\/p>\n<p>Public relations professionals benefit from media relations as it secures free publicity in addition to promotion for a client. Through the process of using media as a promotional tool, they are able to reach a large <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/how-to-tailor-your-social-media-content-to-your-target-audience\/\">audience<\/a> without high costs.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Ethics that digital PR professionals need to keep in mind with media relations<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In the day and age of the multitude of fake news, it\u2019s difficult for reporters to know who to trust as well as where to source reliable data. If an organisation should be noted in an article may be a challenging ethical decision for a journalist. Questions which will be going through their minds are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is this resource an expert?<\/li>\n<li>Can a vendor be an impartial source as well as an expert?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Paying for placements without revealing that money has changed hands is never grey. When a brand or PR agency pays a writer for placement needs to be disclosed. That is not media relations \u2013 it&#8217;s paid advertising. In a similar fashion, when a brand pays an <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/how-to-pick-the-perfect-social-media-influencer-for-your-brand\/\">influencer<\/a> that too must be clearly disclosed.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Value of Media Relationships<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>PR is not merely about the number of clips you can acquire for a brand. Yes, we would like to see that the brand mentioned favourably in print, however that\u2019s an outcome or consequence of our \u201creal\u201d job. Our real job is to build brands as well as reputations \u2013 for the organisation at large or its executives, thought leaders in addition to customers.<\/p>\n<p>Part of this brand or reputation-building derives from our being gurus of media relations. Putting together a strong relationship with a reporter happens over time \u2013 after having connected him\/her to credible experts, opinions or data they need to write powerful stories. By providing reporters with valuable information, we start to gain their trust and build a relationship.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Vimeo video player\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/319811915?autoplay=0&loop=0&autopause=0&color=00adef&portrait=0&byline=1&title=1&controls=1&muted=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowfullscreen loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2><strong>How to pitch your story<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Organising media relations in the digital age offers a paradox. The profusion of blogs, email, and social media has made it simpler to be seen however more difficult to be noticed:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you wanted like to obtain press coverage for your company 20 years ago, you would give a press release or media kit to a journalist, maybe through a PR agency.<\/li>\n<li>Today, contacting journalists is simple. It is possible for you to reach out to them over Twitter, email, or leave remarks on their articles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All this is apparently great news for companies who want to get their name out there however the new world is not short of its challenges. You\u2019re not the only company out there attempting to leverage digital communication as well as social media in order to get noticed. Journalists get hundreds of email pitches every single day. This means that you need to develop strategies to make yourself stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Key takeaways <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Journalists are extremely busy people<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You need to offer them a reason to open as well as respond to your email. Journalists are curious about stories. They\u2019re not interested in marketing your business just for the sake of it. Creative presentation is more likely to attract attention as opposed to traditional press releases.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Relevance is key<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pitching to the correct journalist is just as important as getting your pitch to stand out. Social media presents novel opportunities for contacting journalists on a personal level.<\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/contact-us\/\">Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>Want to learn more about digital PR? If you do then you should check out our Digital Public Relations Course. For more information, please follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-public-relations-course\/\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-public-relations-course\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7501 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Public-Relations-600x96.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing- Public Relations\" width=\"600\" height=\"96\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Public-Relations-600x96.jpg 600w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Public-Relations-300x48.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Public-Relations-1024x164.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Public-Relations-768x123.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Public-Relations.jpg 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-btn-wrapper align_justify\"><a class=\"w-btn us-btn-style_2\" href=\"#enquiry\"><span class=\"w-btn-label\">Enquire Today<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Blog Categories<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/blog\/content-marketing\/\">Content Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/digital-marketing\/\">Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/cyber-security-blog\/\">Cyber Security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/graphic-design-blog\/\">Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/blog\/public-relations\/\">Public Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/blog\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/social-media-marketing\/\">Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/web-design-blog\/\">Web Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">You might also like<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"w-html\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/social-media-marketing-blog\/zero-moment-of-truth-benefit-social-media-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/your-complete-guide-to-ppc-marketing-basic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Complete Guide to PPC Marketing Basics. 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