Insights for Media Professionals

Written by: Andy Muthoni, Capitol Pathways – Tunheim

In an era defined by the relentless evolution of media landscapes and the ever-expanding realm of communication strategies, the intersection of journalism and strategic communications has emerged as a focal point of inquiry during my Capitol Pathways internship.

Following insightful discussions with a local print reporter and local TV investigative reporter, I am drawn to unraveling the intricate relationship between journalism and its alignment with the principles of public relations (PR) and strategic communications.

As the boundaries between these domains blur and synergies abound, I am compelled to delve deeper into how the ethos of journalism intertwines with the strategic imperatives of PR, shaping narratives, fostering engagement, and navigating the complex terrain of modern communication.

The Changing Journalism Landscape

The journalism landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by technological advancements, changing consumer habits, and the rise of digital media. According to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford, a significant 75% of the global population now turns to social media platforms such as X (Twitter), YouTube, and Meta (which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) for accessing news and information. This statistic underscores the profound shift in media consumption habits, highlighting the increasing reliance on social media as a primary source of news dissemination.

Further research shows that in today’s multimedia landscape, versatility is key. Journalists must be adept at leveraging various media, including writing, video, audio, and social media, to effectively communicate their stories.

According to World Economic Forum, understanding digital publishing has become an essential skill for journalists, as the phone serves as their newsroom and social media platforms act as the primary distribution channels for news.

The ability to seamlessly transition between different formats allows journalists to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the industry and remain competitive in a crowded media landscape.

Politics on Social Media

In light of concerns over the spread of misinformation and political polarization, Facebook opted to de-prioritize politics-related articles in its algorithm in March 2021, prompting discontent among journalists who rely on the platform for audience engagement. This decision has led to a notable decline in Facebook referrals to news links, posing challenges for media outlets seeking to reach their audiences effectively.

Data from Chartbeat and Similarweb reveals a significant decline in Facebook referral traffic for global publishers, dropping from 27 percent to 11 percent of page views between January 2018 and April 2023.

Small publishers experienced a drastic decrease, with Facebook referral traffic plummeting to just two percent of its initial volume, while larger publishers saw declines of 24 percent and 46 percent for the largest and medium-sized outlets, respectively.

Dynamic Digital Media Platforms

In response, Facebook has introduced Threads, a new feature reminiscent of Twitter, which has become the focal point for political discussions on the platform. These developments, as Tunheim’s Director of Integrated Digital & Social Media David Erickson shared, underscore the dynamic nature of digital media platforms and the need for journalists and PR professionals to adapt their strategies accordingly, to navigate this evolving landscape.

Data analytics has created opportunities and challenges for journalists and the organizations that employ them. Analytics are a powerful tool for journalists, allowing them to gain insights into audience behavior and preferences. By analyzing metrics such as page views, engagement rates, and demographic data, journalists can better understand their audience and tailor content to meet their needs.

Storytelling Captures Audiences

Much like journalists, PR practitioners must unearth stories that transcend the mundane and evoke profound emotions. In the intricate tapestry of PR, identifying narratives that captivate and resonate with the audience is paramount.

By delving deep into societal issues or aligning narratives with organizational objectives, PR professionals can forge connections that transcend the superficial and foster lasting engagement.

Integrity and Credibility are Critical

Navigating the delicate terrain of sensitive information demands finesse and integrity. Just as journalists safeguard their sources and uphold confidentiality, PR professionals must exercise utmost discretion when handling proprietary data, crisis management strategies, or sensitive organizational information. By establishing and adhering to rigorous protocols and ethical standards, PR practitioners can preserve trust and credibility in an era fraught with misinformation and mistrust.

Credibility forms the bedrock of effective communication in both journalism and PR. Through meticulous research, rigorous fact-checking, and unwavering adherence to ethical principles, investigative journalists and PR professionals alike cultivate a reputation for accuracy and reliability.

By upholding transparency, presenting information truthfully, and maintaining consistency in messaging, PR practitioners cement their credibility and earn the trust of stakeholders—a currency invaluable in today’s information-saturated landscape.

In the tumultuous terrain of public scrutiny, both journalists and PR professionals must weather storms of criticism and backlash. Whether confronting pushback from subjects of investigations or managing reputational crises, resilience and agility are indispensable virtues.

By proactively addressing concerns, maintaining transparency, and orchestrating strategic responses, PR practitioners can navigate turbulent waters with grace, emerging stronger and more resilient in the face of adversity.

The current media landscape has all but done away with traditional media pitching in which you throw out your press release to as many journalists as possible and hope it sticks. Today, journalists want to be pitched things that they are interested in, and they want something that pops.

That thing might just be data.

To someone with a communications degree, data is their worst nightmare. Yes, sometimes numbers are scary, but data must become your best friend as a PR professional.

Don’t worry, we’re not here to scare you. We want you to know why it is necessary to pitch data-driven content and how you can best use it to your advantage.

Why Data-Driven PR?

Data-driven PR is not just a fancy term for using and gathering data as a basis for PR and marketing strategies, it has become the content that journalists desire.

Cision’s 2023 State of the Media report found 68% of journalists want to see original research and trend data in pitches. See what we did there? Now you’re paying attention.

“Journalists are far more likely to pick up your company’s story if it includes data that fits with the overall story you wish to tell,” Bess Ellenson, Tunheim’s Director of PR and Media, said. “It gives your story more interest and authority, and creates less work for the journalist.”

Your original research also allows journalists to use your company as a source, which can be a great way to receive earned media.

There are other benefits to data-driven content, such as that it makes complex stories less complex, and provides deeper insights about the topic at hand. Including infographics and other visual elements can also help increase understanding.

Psychology can even back up why data is important. A study by Conductor found that people are 36% more likely to click on stories that have numbers in the headline. This is because numbers tell us what to expect from the rest of the story. Leading with a strong data point could help you earn great success.

How to Collect Data

The fun part is collecting data to see what you can learn about your business, customers or industry, and there are several ways to go about it.

One strategy is to look at your existing databases such as your website, which can be full of data on website traffic, clicks, time on page and more.

You can look within your own business for people that may have more insights into a certain topic, such as a wildlife refuge seeing a decrease in butterfly populations.

“Market research is another great way to search for trends happening within your industry and learn about consumer needs and preferences,” Ellenson said. “Or you can conduct consumer surveys to uncover their intent and behaviors.”

Just take a look at clever stories like one put out by Jawbone, a sleep and movement tracker which found the cities around the world with the most and least sleep.

OkCupid has an entire data center in which they share loads of dating trends. In 2022, they released a report that found daters on their platform think midterm voters are more attractive. Not only does that tell us a lot about the dating scene, but it has also much broader implications about the role of politics in our society and could launch an entirely different story on its own.

Most businesses have data, they just need to find it and know what to do with it. We have a few tips to enhance your approach.

3 Ways to Use Data-Driven Content to Your Advantage

It’s one thing if your company has original research, but it’s another thing to know how to pitch it. Before diving in, there are a few more things to consider. Here are three ways you can turn research data into a real story:

1. Center the Pitch Around Your Research ─ According to an expert panel of PR pros, original research is a welcomed addition to any pitch, but it should be the focus of your pitch rather than throwing in a few supplemental stats. Also, be sure your pitch has the intended goal to inform or entertain the reader first.
2. Include Visuals ─ Don’t forget, you’re trying to tell a compelling story. Visuals can help, so include things like infographics or videos that can enhance your story and easily convey the data you are sharing.
3. Use Artificial Intelligence ─ You probably don’t want AI writing your pitches for you, but it can certainly help collect and analyze your data. Tools like TELUS International can help you with data collection, while tools like Tableau can help you make sense of the information before you by discovering trends you may have missed.

Hopefully now data-driven PR isn’t as scary as it sounds. If you have data that you want share, or want to know more about where to start, contact us and we’ll help turn it into a story with staying power.

Tunheim’s Director of PR and Media, Bess Ellenson addresses the changing landscape of newsrooms in recent years.

The COVID Catalyst

Undoubtedly, a significant catalyst for the changing landscape in newsrooms has been the global COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic necessitating remote work arrangements, newsrooms had to swiftly adapt. The traditional newsroom buzz, with reporters bustling about the office, was replaced. This shift has required journalists to navigate a whole new set of challenges.

Staff and Resource Cutbacks

Another seismic shift in newsrooms has been the substantial reduction in staff and resources. Gone are the days when there was a dedicated person for every role in the newsroom. Instead, journalists are now wearing multiple hats, often handling many different roles simultaneously. This change, while making newsrooms more streamlined, has also made it considerably more challenging for journalists to produce the same volume of content they once did.

If your business or organization is finding it challenging to navigate these changes in media relations, contact us. Our team of experts is here to help you navigate the evolving media landscape and establish meaningful connections with journalists.

PR and marketing aren’t all fun and games…until you read this.

We’ve all seen the displays in electronics sections of retail stores where you can play demos of the latest video games. But what if you could turn the customer experience into a game or competition of sorts?

A lot of brands are tapping into a trend called gamification; the application of game-design elements and game principles in non-game contexts. Gamification is very useful in its internal uses, but even greater in its marketing and PR capabilities.

We want to show you how necessary gamification is for your PR and marketing strategy based on the evidence and best execution.

Why Do We Keep Playing?

Gamification plays into the human psyche. It works by rewarding validation for completing a task, which triggers a dopamine response. Dopamine stimulates attitudes of motivation to complete the task, the willingness to repeat it again for more dopamine responses and the learning of new patterns to access rewards.

In other words, our brains love games, but even more than that, they love rewards and competition. A successful game has defined, achievable, assessable, desirable, short-term goals. Games with these types of goals will keep players coming back for more.

Game designers should also keep in mind the loss-aversion theory, which explains that individuals would rather avoid loss than acquire equivalent gains. Players don’t want to lose rewards and will therefore keep playing. At the same time though, it is important to keep risk low so that people do not avoid the game entirely.

Taking it to the Next Level

With our ever-shrinking attention spans and oversaturated digital spaces, marketers and PR professionals need to capture their audience quickly as well as keep them engaged. Gamification is a fantastic tool for driving user engagement.

Studies have shown gamification increases engagement by almost half and increases information retention by 40%. These stats come courtesy of a book by Gabe Zichermann called Gamification by Design, which discusses the benefits of gamification in the workplace. Imagine the engagement and retention in a marketing context.

Beyond that, gamification helps grow brand awareness and loyalty. If a game you create is engaging, then people will remember it and chances are they’ll share their experience and create more conversions. Plus, if your game offers real rewards like discounts or other perks and customers can keep earning them, they won’t have a reason to seek out other brands.

Digital games also produce a highly sought-after commodity: data. A game that is engaging and offers the right amount of competitiveness and rewards will increase the likelihood of customers’ willingness to share some data.

This isn’t just a trend or a bandwagon to hop onto. Consumers want games and prefer experiences over price. 10,000 global shoppers were surveyed and 70% said they want games incorporated into online shopping. It’s time to start giving the people what they want.

Gamification Winners

Though there are a lot of good examples out there, these companies clearly won the game of gamification. Here are our top three games for customers of various brands.

1. KFC — KFC launched a marketing campaign in Japan designed to drive awareness and generate sales of a new product called Ebi shrimp. They partnered with Gamify to create a game called Shrimp Attack. Players could earn vouchers for the new product by playing the game; which was played over 850,000 times. It was so successful that the campaign had to be halted midway through because KFC locations ran out of the product.
2. Fitbit — Other copycats exist out in the world, but Fitbit is one of the first to develop an affordable consumer product that actively tracks activity and bodily functions in the interest of improving health. Fitbit has game-influenced features that encourage users to meet daily goals of exercise and stay healthy. 127 million Fitbit electronic devices have been sold worldwide and with over 111 million registered users on their tracking app since 2021.
3. Duolingo — It would be wrong not to mention Duolingo. This is an example of a product that is, in itself, a game. Duolingo makes learning a new language engaging by turning the process itself into a game. It shows progression, rewards achievements to users and ways to publicly display levels of mastery. The app has over 500 million downloads and 58.6 million active users.

Gamification is no longer a trend or an added bonus, it’s a strategy. If you are looking for a way to boost engagement for your brand or sell a product, consider ways you could turn it into a game. Whether it’s a competition against others or a personal competition for oneself, games are a way to shake up the monotony of the current digital market and drive more people to your brand.

If you’re eager to delve into this powerful strategy and explore its potential for your business, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We’re here to discuss and guide you towards gamification success.