The Public Relations Blog

Visuals grab attention, tell a story, and expand coverage.

Companies might focus entirely on crafting the perfect headline and copy to earn media coverage from a news release. However, the power of compelling images, videos, infographics, and other visual assets is just as important for catching a journalist's attention and getting your story covered.

There are three key reasons why multimedia is essential in your news releases.

Avoid forgettable and vague headlines with these quick tips to make for a better news release.

News releases enable organizations to inform the media and public about key developments within the company. But with limitless information competing for attention, writing effective headlines is critical to stand out and earn consumer clicks. 

The rebranding of HARO by Cision may be a game-changer for PR professionals.

In the fast-changing landscape of public relations, we continuously seek tools to streamline processes and maximize value for clients. The recent rebranding of HARO (Help a Reporter Out), an online platform that connects journalists with expert sources for their news stories and reporting, to Connectively represents an exciting shift in PR outreach capabilities.

Both agencies distribute information to media outlets and the public, but they serve different purposes.

News wire services and press release distribution wires are both valuable tools for communicating with the media, but they serve distinct purposes.

Understanding common media terms in these four categories will help communications professionals demystify any newsroom or office.

Corporate communications professionals need familiarity with media terminology to perform their duties effectively on a daily basis. A glossary of common media terms, for example,  provides public relations practitioners with an invaluable reference to navigate the communications industry. 

Keep your news contacts updated so your company can quickly earn media coverage.

A media list is a resource your company and PR team utilizes throughout a PR campaign to build relationships with contacts at specific outlets. A strategic media list will help the PR pro know who to share your company’s newsworthy information, such as the opening of a new location, new products, new hires, donations to nonprofits, and more. 

In this solocast, Jason Mudd joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss editorial calendars and how you can use them to pitch for earned media coverage.

Tune in to learn more!

Effective newsjacking injects your ideas into a breaking news story to get media attention, but it requires careful execution.

Newsjacking is a technique media relations professionals and agencies use to hijack trending news stories, inserting their brand into the conversation. PR practitioners must stay current on trending news topics to quickly identify newsjacking opportunities. By injecting their brand’s unique, provocative, or contrarian views into breaking stories, they can earn media coverage and bring attention to their organization or clients. 

In this episode, Tina McCorkindale joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how PR can help journalism survive as well as more information and research from the Institute for Public Relations.

Tune in to learn more!

News releases focusing strictly on news value are more effective than press releases in today's media landscape.

In the world of public relations, there are two main types of releases organizations use to garner media attention: the press release and the news release. Though they may seem similar, news releases are more valued in today’s media landscape due to their higher news value and more journalistic style.

So what’s the difference?