Media Relations Today

Traditional media is still vital in public relations but the field of media relations is constantly changing to keep up with today’s society. Although, media relations are always changing, chapter 15 of “Share This” says while using Twitter, media relations specialists should always stay relevant, use authority, engage with their audience and build relationships with various outlets. As public relations professionals, we need to do more than just listen and engage in conversation. Public relations professionals need to advise, guide and train different parts of organizations in order to communicate effectively in the digital world.

In order to create relationships with the media, identifying key influencers is important. Author, Adam Parker, advises you to get involved, look up current contacts, search and create curated lists to identify key influencers. By being active on social media and becoming part of the conversation, you will find relevant journalists, bloggers and editors who are similar to you and your organization. By looking up current contacts, you are able to research individuals more specifically to see what social media channels they are using. Searching for individuals on Twitter who are similar to you is another way to stay relevant in the media relations field. Creating curated lists will also help you identify sources who will help reach your goal in media relations.

Another component of media relations is being able to listen to what others are saying about you or your organization online. There is a multitude of online monitoring systems like TweetDeck and Hootsuite to utilize in the digital world. By using these tools, you can also listen to what people are saying about your key influencers to ensure they are relevant. Parker points out as a public relations professional, it is important to stay aware of the social scene outside of any organization by dealing with issues internally and externally.

Before you engage with key influencers on social media, make sure to research! Remember, contact outside of social media is still likely to be the primary way to pitch to the media. Invest time in getting to know the people who are important to you. By building relationships with media outlets, journalists, bloggers and editors, you become more credible and a reliable source of information.  Take every chance you can to engage with your key influencers when it is appropriate. Remember to be careful. You don’t want to annoy or irritate them before you build and maintain a relationship.

As a public relations professional, it is important to utilize both traditional and new forms of media to build mutually beneficial relationships. By identifying, listening and engaging in social media, public relations professionals will be able to continue using social media as an invaluable tool in today’s world.