First things First…What is an Online Newsroom??
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: February 23, 2009
Online newsrooms were originally created so that corporate communicators and public relations professionals could take a company’s message and target specific media outlets namely newspaper, television, radio and magazine. Today, however, other more specific audiences can use a company’s online newsroom. Such audiences include media relations, analyst and investor relations, community relations, and consumer social media relations.
So what does an online newsroom provide exactly?
Usually an online newsroom will contain an electronic press kit, news releases, logos, audio and video files, executive biographies, contact information, events, interactive forums etc. Online press rooms can either be a part of a corporate website or a link from a corporate website. Above all, the main goal is to reach media vehicles in any way possible and promote the company’s brand.
Publisher Bill Stoller highlights the benefits of having a corporate news room…
- Can get relevant information through to spam-weary journalists
- Companies can simply direct reporters and other media to their online newsroom’s URL.
- It saves time because uploading content to a website is less labor-intensive than making several media kits, each having to be relative to that specific media.
- It saves money because printing,assembling, and distributing to the media is now irrelevant.
Stoller also provides a simple guide of ” Do’s” and “Dont’s” when deciding to implement an online newsroom into your company’s media relations strategy:
DO- offer an RSS feed to journalists to keep them abreast of current affairs.
DONT- force journalists to join the RSS feed or give out their e-mail address. Annoying them right off the bat would be a huge mistake.
DO-provide a link to your consumer FAQ page and Customer Service page for non-journalists to go to get their questions answered.
DONT- try to design an online newsroom if you are not web savvy. The face put forth to the media should be very professional and easy to navigate.
DO- hire a professional designer or web developer
Finally, there are a few elements that MUST be included in an online newsroom that Apryl Duncan, an advertising writer for About.com, lists here in depth. However, for times sake, here is the “to the point” version of her list:
- Press Releases
- Images/Logos
- Videos
- News-Related FAQs
- Historical Time line
- Executive Bios
- Awards and Recognition
- Customers
- Upcoming Events
- Contact Information
Now that you know the basics of what a corporate online newsrooms are, be prepared to study and discuss their effectiveness in each of the case-studies I plan to blog about in the coming weeks!
8 Tips For a Better Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: April 2, 2009
Additional Material: Based on our ongoing discussion of online newsrooms, do you think that Mark Ragan’s ideas mirror what has worked for the companies that we have studied?
Delta’s Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: April 2, 2009
Delta already had one of the best global online newsrooms for reporters, but they wanted to expand even more. Although another airline’s online newsroom was discussed in a previous blog, I thought we could discuss Delta as well because of their willingness to take the online social media of the company one step further…or should I say five steps forward.
By adding five new language options to Delta’s online media newsroom, Delta was able to create a large network of journalist contacts in their five newest international destinations. In doing this, they expanded their reach even farther, as they already offered Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian. The following languages were to be newly established:
- Hebrew
- Danish
- Greek
- Hungarian
- Ukrainian
Some of these languages presented a bit of a challenge because they had to introduce characters from different alphabets into the system and restructure the page so that Hebrew could be read from right to left.
Delta chose TEK Group Int., the public relations software that was also chosen bya few big companies in previous posts including the Detroit Lions football team and Starbucks. TEK Group was able to launch the revamped site within a few weeks of Delta’s request. Once the new online newsroom was launched, Delta was able to keep in touch with representatives for media outlets in the countries that they accommodated in the media center.
Since Delta added the five new languages, they are better able get coverage in their new international locations. Local media in those regions are now able to give their residents current information about Delta. Among other elements provided are easy access to the most current news, automatic news release distribution, public relations contact data, efficient search capability etc.
Delta is a a great example of a company that is utilizing this new social media to engage the stakeholders that may need information in other languages. Delta’s efforts should be applauded as they are at the forefront of the new technological way of branding.
America Online’s Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 31, 2009
It isn’t too surprising that America Online, the nation’s top internet service provider would adopt an online newsroom to keep their brand on the cutting edge of new social media. Their online newsroom is applauded in Deirdre Breakenridge’s book PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences, as a great leader in how to manage an online newsroom. Upon entering AOL’s newsroom, you are able to access the most recent press releases, as well as the “most viewed” headlines within the last month. There is also an area that features downloadable logos and pictures that are free to registered journalists. Breakenridge details more of their “top-of-the-line” features in her book.
So we have seen yet another successful and well maintained newsroom. So why is AOL any more special than the other newsrooms covered? I found something on the AOL corporate website that visitors had to agree to before using the online newsroom. It is a Terms and Conditions page that outlines what is and isn’t acceptable when using the information provided in the online presskit.
This is a great idea because all of AOL’s intentions of their online newsroom are laid out on one easy-to-read page. Journalists must act accordingly to be able to use the information as news. If a journalist or other registered user violates the Terms and Conditions, they can be banned from the site.
This is a great way for AOL to monitor how people use the information they provide. This is not to say that they are not being authentic. They are simply just being careful with their brand name.
AOL’s newsroom is stacked with features and is definitely a standard for other corporate companies, but perhaps their use of a Terms and Conditions page should be adopted across the board as well.
Obama’s Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 26, 2009
Barack Obama is a prime example of someone who used new social media to their advantage. Is it any wonder he was able to win the election after connecting to millions of supporters through a variety of new mediums including Twitter, Facebook (which included 3.1 million friends), an iPhone application where anyone could subscribe to get immediate updates about the campaign sent to their phone and finally, an online pressroom for journalists so that news could be accessed immediately and made into stories. All of this social media was very successful as it kept Obama in the public eye, and most of all, made him seem like less of an unapproachable figure and more of a friend that was on America’s side. After the election was over, and Obama had come out of the race extremely victorious, all of these techniques did not seize to exist. Below is a powerpoint presentation that highlights how Obama used these media strategies to win over the American public.
Obama still has many social networking sites and keeps up a blog, twitter and iPhone application. All of these can be accessed through his official website. However, this blog is more concerned with how Obama uses his online newsroom to his advantage. The newsroom is a link from Barack Obama’s official website as well so it can be easily accessed. The newsroom primarily includes:
- news articles
- press releases
- a blog
- donation site
- contact information
- high resolution photos
- staff biographies
- mission statements
When looking at the Obama administration’s online newsroom, it is much like viewing a newsroom from one of the other company case studies I examined earlier. It contains all the information any journalist or interested person would need to access information about the administration and what is happening with it currently. Obama’s newsroom also includes a subscription application in which anyone can be updated by e-mail as soon as new information is posted. Obama’s site is completely reporter-friendlyas well which can only work to his advantage being the object of so much public attention.
Lauren Drablier posted a blog post which applauded Obama’s efforts in using this new social media to win the election and win over the people.
CarMax Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 24, 2009
CarMax Inc. is the nation’s top specialty retailer for cars. They were having trouble keeping the corporation in the public often because, though they wanted to move past the traditional paper form of press release, they had no way of putting it on the web without involving the IT team. The It team sometimes took weeks to get the releases out, and by that time they were no longer valid.
CarMax invested in a software, called iPressroom, that provided a template for an easy-to-use online media center. Their goal was to ultimately increase the transparency of the company by having the constituents seeking constant information about the company be able to access it right from the company website.
CarMax’s online media center caters directly to journalists and analysts, and has greatly increased coverage of the leading car company. Included in Carmax’s online media center are:
- current company background information
- press releases
- news clippings
- high resolution photos
- opt-in registration (available to anyone)
- RSS newsfeed
Lisa VanRiper, Vice President of Communications at CarMax, details much of the benefits of implementing the online media room in the detailed case study provided here. Among the benefits she mentions are: the company is more searchable by journalists, prepared for wider coverage and saves a tremendous amount of time on putting together media content.
Also in the case study link above, it can be seen that many journalists who weighed in on corporate online newsrooms still did not have a good impression of the company if the transparency of the newsroom was not clearly evident. CarMax made this a goal in implementing their software so that the people behind the messages could be seen and contacted.
In Richard Oliver’s book titled “What is Transparency?”, he includes CarMax as an excellent example of using this type of new social media to increase the transparency, and ultimately the success, of their company. The pages he references can be viewed below
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The American Red Cross
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 20, 2009
The American Red Cross is another big organization that has recently embraced the use of online newsrooms, as well as other new social media sources to expand their disaster relief efforts.
The Red Cross put out one of their first online newsrooms in the summer of 2008 when the midwest was having the worst flooding in over a century. The Red Cross’s online news room was the best source for up-to-date information on relief efforts, shelter locations, feeding programs etc. All of the information could be found in one centralized location so it was an excellent way to cut down on phone calls from reporters and keep everyone on the same page. A more detailed article about their efforts in embracing this new media can be accessed here: Red Cross Article
The Red Cross has implemented a system of starting online newsrooms in times of disaster or crisis,such as the flooding in the midwest, and keeps each specific newsroom up and running until it feels that the crisis is over and news no longer is needed constantly. It then shuts down the online newsroom for that particular event. However, the Red Cross keeps one online newsroom running year-round. This is a general Red Cross newsroom that provides press releases, videos, links to corporate information, pictures and breaking news so that reporters and all other constituents are able to obtain information when it is relevant and ready.
The Red Cross has also done a great job of using other new social media ideas within their online newsroom efforts. They regularly post videos on Youtube and photos on Flickr as they are needed during crisis situations.
Below is a video that the Red Cross posted during the flooding and linked to their online newsroom so that the affected families knew what to expect upon arrival at a Red Cross shelter.
Detroit Lions Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 17, 2009
The Detroit Lions, a professional football team located in Detroit, Michigan was spending upwards of $32,000 a year generating and distributing press kit materials to get the team news in the media. Each media kit costs about $20.00 and the Lions had a database of over 80 journalists that covered the teams NFL season. With 20 games in each season, this became a huge financial obligation for the media managers of the team that had a vision of expanding public coverage of the Detroit Lions football program.
TEK Group International (online public relations firm that also helped with Volkswagen’s PR approach in the previous case study) provided a TEKmedia online sports newsroom software that could be easily implemented by the Lions. This software was easy to use and kept track of all journalist contacts, and the PR department could easily create, distribute and track press materials through the software without the need of an IT department to keep it functioning.
The “Sports Distribution Center” caters to both journalists and fans and can be easily accessed after registering for a free online account with the Detroit Lions pressroom. The communications staff now manages all content that goes through the media center including graphics, news releases and e-mail alerts (an RSS feed is also available for subsription). All news clips, schedules, events etc. are also available for online accessibility. The Center consists of two separate websites: a general consumer site and a news-oriented site. TEKmedia can be used by communcators to edit both sites simultaneously.
Deciding to implement the TEK Group software virtually saved the Detroit Lions $32,000 in press kit creation and postage. With more money saved the team was able to expand their reach to over 600 journalists that access the media site on a regular basis, and are signed up for e-mail alerts when news-worthy releases are posted. In the end, a tremendous amount of money was saved and the goal of increasing coverage was met by adopting an easy system that streamlines workflow and manages press materials on its own.
Volkswagen’s Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 6, 2009
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Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest manufacturer of passenger cars, was in need of a way to extend their public relations efforts in Europe and internationally. The goal was to incorporate an online media center that would be directed mainly towards journalists. The main elements that they wanted journalists to have access to from the press room were the following
- press releases
- executive biographies
- company events
- product information
- photos (high resolution)
- videos
- global current news
Volkswagen hired a public relations software company (much like Vocus media that I mentioned in both previous posts). TEK Group International was the company selected for the task at hand. The main effort was to create a newsroom with all the aforementioned criteria updated constantly, but easily maintained by the corporate communicators at Volkswagen.
Volkswagen has an enormous public relations contact database of over 60,000 outlets and is continuing to expand. Volkswagen needed the online newsroom to help them keep up with all of their outlets to pitch potential stories, and ultimately keep them in the news. It took a few weeks to get the online news room up and running, but it was soon launched with 24-hour access to the public and news media professionals. The corporate communicators at Volkswagen maintain the site through an administration tool. Through this tool, they are able to create, manage, distribute and track all press releases that go out to their clients.
Before the implementation of the newsroom, Volkswagen was spending more money on distribution of paper press releases and was not getting the exposure that they wanted. Since the adoption of the newsroom, Volkswagen has increased their press releases by half and has seen a great increase in public exposure. They also use a contact function that allows their media contacts to have a login and password to the site in order to obtain information that specifically pertains to their audience.
Because Volkswagen placed such an emphasis on making their newsroom reporter-friendly, I thought it might be interesting to include an article written by Charles Pizzo on how to do just that. “How to Make your Website Reporter-Friendly”, Pizzo discusses the many aspects of having an online newsroom that journalists can easily access and be sure to return to.
Next week we will look at a case study from another one of TEK Group’s clients
Zing’s Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: March 3, 2009
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Zing is an up-and-coming public relations firm located in the Silicon Valley of California. Zing is dedicated to managing the media and public relations for both large and small companies located through out the United States which means that they have to keep up with thousands of different target audiences, industries and publications across many different fields in order to keep all customers happy and current in the media. They encountered a problem when trying to manage all of this information without using a centralized system database. Many pitches were not getting to the reporters on time, were hard to match with previous outreach activities and the net results of the whole strategy were failing. Zing needed to implement a software that could manage the database efficiently without the busywork of employees having to keep up on their own.
Zing, like Southwest Airlines, decided to implement the Vocus software onto their computers in order to create a more centralized compilation of all clients and client lists. In this way, Zing is able to manage all press releases and outreach activities of any one company at any time they would like. Also, each company has unique lists of their target audiences, publications and constituents so that they are connected to that company on the database and may be accessed individually without confusion.
Zing realizes that the best thing about implementing the online newsroom is that they have to devote less time to researching information and media, and use that time to keep each client in the most current media news.
So far, it may seem as if this blog is an advertisement for implementing online public relations software (such as Vocus in particular). However, all case studies are simply an in-depth view of how companies have adapted to the changing times of PR and decided to adopt the concept of an online newsroom to make their business more readily available to reporters and journalist that will keep them in the public eye.
Science Direct press journal published a study in 2006 examining the emerging trend of using online newsrooms in the nation’s top Fortune 500 companies. The results show that 92% these companies are beginning to see the necessity in an online press kit and have completed or are in the process of completing an online newsroom.
Southwest Airline’s Online Newsroom
Posted by: Chelsea Nuzum on: February 28, 2009
Southwest airlines created it’s online newsroom in an effort to build relationships with media in the 59 cities it currently operates. At the time, they were using a c.d. and online directory to accomplish this. However, executives and PR specialists felt that too much time was being wasted on media research so that a target audience could be reached. There was also a great amount of time spent on list building, news management and reporting (100 hours annually to be exact). The solution to Southwest’s problem simply lye in finding a good software for managing an online newsroom for public relations.
Southwest chose a software called Vocus so that they could better manage their release of news about the company, which they call “passion points”, to media nationwide. With the implementation of the software, the PR team can easily build lists that target certain media both demographically and geographically. The lists are continuously updated and go out under one of the following categories:
- news releases
- media relations
- investor relations
- programs and services
- supplier information
Southwest also uses an interactive e-mail that media personnel can subscribe to so that they receive specific e-mail updates whenever the company has news that particularly pertain to a certain outlet.
Analytics are also used on the online newsroom to provide media relations with data for reports. Southwest uses this in all campaigning efforts so that PR analysts can look at the numbers and shift the focus of the campaign if need be.
In the end, Southwest ended up saving thousands of dollars annually by implementing an online newsroom through the Vocus software rather than going through a wire service. This is important, especially because Southwest wants to remain the ‘low fare’ airline. Access a more complete depiction of the Southwest Case Study here.
Video: Angela Vargo, a Southwest Airlines Measurement Specialists, talks about the ways in which the adoption of the software helps the company to better succeed in media relations.
