In today’s dynamic media environment, public relations (PR) professionals need to adapt quickly to effectively engage with journalists and secure media coverage. Cision, a leading earned media platform, recently unveiled its 2024 State of the Media Report, providing updated insights into journalists’ needs and preferences. The report underscores strategies to build stronger media relationships and succeed in an increasingly competitive environment. Here are my top takeaways.

The rise of AI and automation

Unsurprisingly, AI and Automation were top of mind for many journalists, and many indicated that they use AI and automation to streamline their workflows. What does this mean for PR pros? At a minimum, you should at least be aware of how AI-driven content sorting and analysis may affect your pitches. 

For example, do you understand what keywords and formats these systems prefer? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Keyword optimization. Be aware of the relevant keywords AI systems are likely to pick up on and work on incorporating them naturally into your pitches.

• Concise and clear pitches: Remember K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid)? Well, it applies here as well. ​​Automation tools typically favor well-structured and easily digestible content, so keeping your pitches clear, concise, and to the point will help ensure they are effectively processed by AI systems. (But let’s be honest, you should be doing this anyway).

• Stay informed. Like it or not, these tools aren’t going anywhere. Staying on top of the latest AI tools and trends can help you stay ahead of the curve and ensure your pitches are compatible with evolving technological preferences.

Building trust and credibility

One of the natural outgrowths of the automation and AI trend is that establishing trust and credibility with journalists is more important than ever. Transparency and authenticity have always been key factors in building relationships with the press, but it’s even more important now. 

Here’s how to foster trust:

• Be transparent. Always provide accurate information and be honest about what you can and can’t offer. And always avoid making exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims.

• Follow through on promises. Did you offer an interview with the CEO, promise to provide additional information, or follow up with images after a briefing? Make sure to follow through promptly. Put yourself in the journalist’s shoes and imagine being on deadline waiting on a PR rep only to find out they can’t deliver. You wouldn’t be okay with that, so do expect them to be.

• Build long-term relationships. As a former producer, trust me when I say that few things are more transparent or annoying than getting a pitch from someone who is clearly unfamiliar with your coverage area or audience. Focus on building genuine, long-term relationships with journalists rather than seeking immediate coverage. This involves regular communication, offering assistance beyond pitching stories and understanding their professional needs and challenges. Does this take time? Yes. Is it worth it? Also, yes.

Relevance is key

Journalists consistently highlighted the importance of receiving content that is not just timely but pertinent to their audience. Journalists overwhelmingly reported relevance as the most important factor when asked to describe the perfect PR pitch. Although not a new concept by any stretch, this underscores the need for PR pros to have a deep understanding of the target audience of the journalists they are pitching to. 

Here are a few tips to consider:

• Research the journalist’s previous work. This doesn't mean scanning their last 3-5 articles and casually referencing them in your pitch. You should take time to truly understand the types of stories they cover and what resonates with their readers. Think of it this way: if the reporter asked you, “Who is my audience and what do they like to read about,” would you be able to answer them?

• Personalise pitches. Again, there is nothing groundbreaking here, but avoid generic pitches and tailor the content to fit the journalist’s (and, more importantly, their audience’s) specific interests and beat.

• Provide value. Ensure that the pitch offers something of value to the journalist’s audience, whether it’s new data, a unique perspective, or an exclusive story–and make it clear and obvious what you’re offering

By prioritising relevance, you can increase the likelihood of your pitch or story idea being considered and published.

Data-driven storytelling

In today's information-saturated environment, one of the greatest challenges is distinguishing valuable data from the vast amount of less reliable information. Data has always been a powerful tool for journalists, but has increasingly become one of the most crucial elements in shaping their editorial strategies and measuring success. According to the report, two in five journalists say data will play an even larger role in their work this year. This means pitches backed by solid data are more likely to catch a journalist’s attention. 

Here are a few ways you can leverage data more effectively:

• Incorporate relevant statistics. Use data to support the key points of your pitch and provide evidence for your claims. Bonus points if you can find a third-party source or a competitor whose data supports your claims.

• Offer exclusive insights. Present unique data or research findings that have not been widely covered, making your pitch more appealing. For example, telling a journalist your CEO thinks that AI is going to have a big impact on the future of retail probably won’t spark a lot of interest, but if you have real data that shows 90% of online consumers relied heavily on an AI-enabled virtual assistant to guide their shopping decisions (I made that up), you may be onto something.

• Visualise data. Remember infographics? They were all the rage several years ago but seem to have lost some of their appeal. But don’t let that discourage you from creating an awesome representation of your data. People (especially readers) love to see data represented visually in ways that make it easier to understand. This could be a chart, slideshare, GIF, or infographic to make the information more accessible and engaging.

Adding relevant and real data into pitches will help enhance your credibility with journalists, especially if you can provide the material they need to create compelling stories.

Multimedia importance

This ties in with the  above, but the importance of multimedia cannot be overstated. The report reveals that journalists highly value multimedia elements, such as images, videos, and data visualizations. In fact, multimedia can be a deciding factor in whether a journalist will pursue a story. For reference, one of our clients saw their press release views more than double just by adding relevant, high-quality images to their releases. Those releases also saw more pick-ups, as journalists were able to take the photos and add them to their stories. 

To make the most of multimedia in PR pitches:

• Include high-quality visuals. Photos, short videos and compelling charts and infographics that are relevant to the story and can be easily shared.

• Use multimedia to enhance storytelling. Make sure the multimedia elements complement and enhance the narrative of your pitch. Which is to say, if you don’t have something visually compelling to share don’t force it. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

• Provide easy access to assets. Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of including multimedia —if a journalist or publication can’t easily access or use the assets provided, you may have just lost a bunch of time (and budget). Consider using secure storage links for multimedia files instead of attachments to prevent inbox overload and make it easy for journalists to access and use the content.

The 2024 State of the Media Report offers valuable insights into the evolving needs and preferences of journalists. For PR pros, focusing on relevance, leveraging data, and incorporating multimedia might just be the thing you need to build stronger media relationships and secure coverage.