The Public Relations Blog

Prospective clients often ask us about news wire distribution services as part of their public relations campaigns. We find that many companies are using these services incorrectly. If you aren’t using a distribution service the right way, you aren’t receiving the full value of the news release and that could be hurting your brand.

To that end, we created a list of how, why and when your company should use a news release distribution service.

3 tips to help you prepare

News headlines are regularly peppered with fear-instilling stories of data breaches and cybersecurity threats that riddle us to the core as we consider how our personal and private information is vulnerable to hackers.

These same issues should concern companies even more. Large corporations like Uber and Equifax have already fallen prey to cyberattacks, and health care is the most hacked industry to date. Cybersecurity is no longer an issue exclusively for individuals who fear identity theft. It’s a rampant concern for companies as well. In addition to customer data, company trade secrets, patents and proprietary algorithms are vulnerable.

Axia Public Relations encourages its clients to regularly review and update their crisis communications plans. As more headlines spotlight cybersecurity concerns, adding steps and protocols for a cyberattack is prudent. For those that don’t have a cybersecurity plan in place, here are three steps to consider as you prepare:

Many companies want to see their news releases published on a newswire or a press release syndication site.

Axia Public Relations recommends clients only publish news releases on a newswire when they have a big announcement – or if they have a comprehensive budget to support the cost of a distribution service.

Your money is often better spent on direct, one-on-one pitching and building relationships with reporters. If you’re still interested in using press release syndication, check out these pros and cons.

4 items to consider when budgeting for social media

In the early years of social media, part of its allure from a marketing perspective was that it was cost-efficient – and for many, free. Today, as social media infiltrates more of our daily communications and social ad platforms become more sophisticated and drive better results, it's necessary to put some money into your social media strategy. How much your company spends depends on many factors.

To help figure out how much to invest, here are some considerations.

Shared coverage doesn’t have to be bad

So, the journalist you’ve been pitching finally decides to write a piece on your company. Thrilled, you update your team, alert your spokesperson and send the reporter all the necessary photos and information.

Then, at some point during the process, or maybe even once the story runs, you find out that your competitors appear in the piece too – perhaps with more prominence than your company. When this happens, PR pros will certainly be bummed, even bitter, upon learning they’ll share the spotlight with those they compete so hard against.

Don’t see shared coverage as a loss. As long as the coverage for your company is positive, it’s still a win. Here are some tips to consider when you learn your media coverage includes your competitors.

How to get quality internal news for external PR

As a public relations professional working for a large corporation, staying in the know of important happenings within your company can sometimes be a challenge, especially if there is a large remote workforce or highly siloed structure. Other factors that limit the flow of newsworthy developments reaching your desk include lack of quality sources, the C-suite being unaware of what makes a good topic for a news release and an internal misunderstanding of the function of the PR department.

Take these steps to increase your feed of high quality PR content.

Unlike consumer-facing companies, like Dunkin’ Donuts and Nike, the technology B2B space is often niche or super-techy, making public relations efforts a bit more challenging. Tech B2B companies don’t require recognition from the average Joe or Jane. Instead, they look to other companies that benefit from their product offerings, which typically exist within the enterprise, cloud or back end. Even so, audiences for news from B2B companies consist of potential customers, media and, of course, analysts. Therefore, to gain greater profile in the minds of potential customers and other key demographics, B2B companies desiring a more aggressive PR push should consider the following tips to get the ball rolling.

Communication tips for what to do when your brand unexpectedly ‘catches fire’ and you need to calm consumers

This week, NBC’s “This Is Us” gave viewers an emotionally gripping episode that seriously tugged their heartstrings. It also sent many to their cupboards to dispose of a kitchen appliance that was the terrifying catalyst for one of the show’s biggest tragedies. The villainous appliance? A Crock-Pot.

3 tips for using an unexpected event to earn positive media coverage

Football fans across the nation found themselves riveted last week by a digit. It was a strange deflection from the anticipated rivalry set to play out this past weekend as the New England Patriots took on the cinderella Jacksonville Jaguars.

A thumb stole center stage.

What does a thumb have to do with public relations you may ask?

Tom Brady, widely recognized as a superior athlete, Gisele’s husband and first string quarterback for the New England Patriots, injured his thumb during a practice prior to the scheduled playoff game. The injury itself isn’t really the news. How the injury became news is.

Learn the best methods of establishing relationships with media representatives

Email is a terrific way to pitch to journalists. Most people use this tool to communicate – it saves time and it’s efficient. So how can you ensure that media representatives open your email pitch instead of instantly deleting it? While there’s no definitive answer, you can increase your chances of connecting with journalists if you follow these do’s and don’ts in your emails: