You’ve spent months working on your new company website or refreshing your old one. You’ve defined your brand, identified your best prospects, got some kickin’ photos, maybe even a new logo and now you’re ready to launch. Or are you? If you haven’t included an on-line newsroom read on to find out why you should.
What is an on-line newsroom?
An on-line newsroom is a tab on your website that showcases your company news. Whether it’s in the form of a news release or links to media sites featuring stories about your company, the on-line newsroom is where visitors to your site can go for all the latest and greatest news about you. It also provides journalists and influencers an easily accessible spot for answers to frequently asked questions.
Why do you need one?
With 24-hour news cycles journalists have tighter deadlines that ever. If you can provide easy access to information, you’re more likely to have your company included in their stories. In a recent survey, 98% of journalists said they felt it was important for companies to have an on-line newsroom, and 92% said they used company websites for research and background information for their stories.
In addition to serving as a central location for information for journalists and influencers, an on-line newsroom helps you stay engaged with your prospective and current customers by providing up-to-date information about your company. Are you offering a new service? Did you add a new location? Any promotions or new hires? Add this information via a news release, media advisory or announcement in your on-line newsroom.
What should you include in your newsroom?
Think media or press kit. This is where all the essential information about your company is collected. Below is a list of all the basics, but feel free to include anything you think showcases your brand.
Backgrounder: This tells the story of your company. When were you founded? What’s your company mission/goal? What services or products do you offer? What makes you unique?
Fact Sheet or FAQ sheet: What should folks know about your company? What are some of the most frequent questions you hear from customers?
Bio/Profiles of Key Players: Include bios (not more than 3 paragraphs) of the top executives and management team along with downloadable hi-resolution photos.
Images: Include hi-resolution images such as your company logo, products, storefront or office building, and other images relevant to your company, in easily downloadable formats. You can also include video or audio about your company, products, or services.
Media clips: This is your time to shine. Post links to all the media coverage you’ve received. (By linking to the media outlet’s website directly, you also improve your SEO.)
News releases: Keep an archive of your company news release in order from most recent to oldest. Don’t worry if some are several years old. This can be a wealth of information about where you’ve been and where you’re going.
Contact: Post the name, phone numbers, and email address of your company media contact so journalist know who to reach for additional information or quotes.
What’s next?
Once you’ve created your on-line newsroom, its important to keep it up to date by adding news releases and media clips frequently. As with any digital marketing effort you want to keep your information current and fresh. Drive visitors to your newsroom by sharing new content across all your social media channels.
Make sure you include a direct link to your on-line newsroom on all your media pitches. This will help the media find all the pertinent information they need quickly which increases your chances to be included in the story.
Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay