Public Relations

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Visualizing Your Press Materials

By: Stephanie Ceccarelli, VP Public Relations

In a digital world that demands content – lots of content – instantaneously, it has become more important than ever for brands to tell their stories quickly and in ways that allow them to stand out from the competition. The traditional press release has long been a reliable PR tool for companies and organizations to deliver targeted messages about their products and services. Since the advent of social media, 15-second videos and a dwindling attention span, however, the press release and all press materials alike have undergone their own evolution. As the volume of PR pitches in journalists’ inboxes and the insatiable need for quick and elevated content is at an all-time high, many PR pros have moved away from straight text to more multimedia friendly press materials. Here are five reasons why you should be visualizing your press materials with images, videos and/or infographics:

1. Images and Videos Help Bring Your Story to Life – We’ve all heard it before, a picture is worth a thousand words. The most eloquent and concise language can pale in comparison to a high-quality image or video that can immediately grab your attention and in some cases even evoke an emotional response that can result in a personal connection to your story. While a journalist on a deadline may not spend the time reading a long essay, they might stop to click on your video or image and ultimately give you a story.

2. Incorporating Assets Ensures That Media Use Only Approved Content – As journalists are often up against tight deadlines, they may pull the assets they need from the first source they are able to find. These assets may not be what you consider to be in the best interest of your brand or the story you’re trying to tell. Make it easy on both of you and provide them with approved content and assets upfront. Try creating a link to a shareable media kit folder via Google Drive or Dropbox with only approved assets that journalists can easily access and pull from.

3. Assets Help You Stand Out From the Competition – To avoid the abyss of unread PR pitches due to a lack of interesting information, incorporate images, videos and/or infographics into your press materials and amplify your message. Telling your brand’s story with the help of visual assets enables you to be competitive with the ton of data and content journalists receive on a daily basis. By providing journalists with a one-stop shop of content, from text to assets, you are also increasing the likelihood of generating earned media.

4. Assets are Shareable Content – Journalists today know that multimedia assets will likely increase engagement with their stories, which is why so much of the news today is clickable images and videos. By including assets in your press materials, you’re more likely to get a response from a journalist who is charged with delivering stories with high engagement.

5. An Infographic Can Visually Tell a Story Better Than Data – Infographics in press releases have been effective for years now, and that is in large part because they are a visual representation of what might be tedious information and data. If your message is unavoidably complex, an infographic can simplify it for journalists who typically don’t have the time to painstakingly review every PR pitch.

Multimedia press materials that are well-positioned and visually compelling result in overall greater engagement and increased coverage. Contact us today for more information!

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