Looking Through the Media Lens: Landscape and Trends in 2009

From H1N1 to Healthcare Reform, PR experts from other niche categories found it challenging to land placements. With digital news becoming more valuable, those in the industry needed to redefine and redesign campaigns to reach digital influencers. Understanding this landscape, here are a few trends PR professionals should be aware of, and a brief explanation of how they can be part of these trends in 2010.

THINGS I NOTICED

Trend Stories
We are seeing more requests for pitches that show how our one news item resonates and fits into the larger story.  To maximize success of your campaign in 2010, broaden your story to be part of a growing trend. Your spokesperson should be able to discuss your campaign messages/disease state as one in a class or as part of a larger trend, which allows the story to  resonate more with reporters because it allows for even broader reach and receptivity among their audience.  

H1N1
January has already seen over 45,000 stories on H1N1, and with the flu peaking again in March, we can assume that this story is not going away any time soon.  If your story has a true tie-in to H1N1 and flu, offer reporters your spokesdoctor to comment on H1N1 – from actionable tips to preventing the flu this late in the game to treatments that help once you get the flu or important things to do post-flu in order to land placements in H1N1 coverage or to be part of the conversation. 

Healthcare Reform
In some cases, the healthcare reform stories have turned into a discussion of who is leading in the polls/whose politics will win, etc. However, if your campaign has a natural tie-in to healthcare reform and your spokesperson is a high-level executive comfortable with giving his/her thoughts to Obama’s HC reform plan or presenting a position/solution to the debate, your campaign might be considered above others.  

Redefine a Win – Online Placements
Two-thirds of consumer health inquiries start at a general search engine, which means that securing placements with online influencers who perform well in organic search is invaluable to your client. Ensure your campaign has an online component and that you are building relationships with the top influencers within your niche category.  

News You Can Use
Many media outlets are looking for actionable news – from women’s books to morning shows to even top US dailies.  Even Tara Parker-Pope remarked at the 2009 Media Summit that she needs actionable news for her readers – how to cope with loss, 5 ways to safeguard your heart, etc. We have had success incorporating tips and/or actionable steps into our pitches that our spokespeople offered to increase our chances of pick-up, and those pieces were well-received.