Much like the tech industry itself, the tech media landscape is constantly evolving. Influenced by factors like the rise of digital platforms and shifting consumer preferences, media is experiencing a significant transformation in the digital era – and it’s essential for comms professionals to continue adapting their strategies alongside it.
Our team recently had the privilege of sitting down with diginomica’s Jon Reed for a deep dive into working with today’s tech media and learned several insights to help us stay in tune with what the media are looking for.
Here are three of the biggest takeaways:
Stop Overusing The Embargo
Press releases have been a core pillar of PR from the very beginning (or so it seems) but the idea of seeing news under embargo has lost its appeal over the years. Gone are the days of sharing any and every press release with media contacts and getting a full-page feature article the moment the embargo lifts. Media are bombarded with emails asking about their interest in an early look at company news that the offer has become too saturated.
Now this doesn’t mean the embargo is completely dead. There are still a ton of moments where it makes sense to offer media an announcement under embargo, but the key is to save this strategy for those occasions. The more you can leverage an embargo for worthy announcements, the better your chances of successfully enticing your media contacts with the offer.
Data Reports Have Lost Their Sparkle
Even just a few years ago, data reports were coveted by tech media. A company that could deliver an industry report filled with insightful data points was always rewarded with an influx of interest. But simply having data alone is no longer enough to guarantee media coveragebecause almost every companyveryone has such a wealth of it. That being said, just like embargos, there is definitely value in a data report – if it’s done the right way.
This means that there are not just a hodge podge of data points, but actual insights and new findings gleaned from the data. There’s also a word of caution to ensure that data reports do not come off as too self-serving. The media doesn’t care about data that highlights your value proposition or fits your narrative; they want an unfiltered look at what’s really going on in the industry, why it matters, and how it’s different from what’s already out there.
Earned Media Isn’t A Marketing Funnel
Over time, the lines between earned media and marketing have blurred. While companies are understandably laser-focused on lead generation and closing sales, there is still tremendous value in what earned media brings to the table – unbiased, third-party recognition and increased trust with your audiences. Leaning too hard in the direction of being overly promotional, particularly when it comes to PR and relationships with journalists, presents a considerable hurdle in the quest to generate earned media coverage.
Although there may not be a direct link to a company’s website in a news article, or the specific call to action about its products, consumers and business decision makers alike rely on the media to keep them abreast of the latest news, challenges and innovations within their industry. The media’s job first and foremost is to provide factual, credible value to their readers, not to tout how great your company is. With that said, being a true partner for tech media means acting as an industry expert and providing insight that will help their audiences get the information they need.
To summarize, it’s no secret to anyone working in PR that the media landscape is in a constant state of flux, and the tactics that worked two years ago won’t cut it today. To continue seeing success and providing value to both their clients and media contacts, modern PR professionals need to be as agile as the tech companies they work with.
