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Thursday, December 17, 2015

Just like Santa and snowmen, procrastination is one of the biggest constants of the holiday season. In some way and at some time, we’ve all found ourselves down to the wire during the holidays.

The good news is there’s still time … Still time for decorating, still time for shopping, and still time for pitching the media on your brand’s last-minute holiday story.

Reporters, editors, and producers welcome good story ideas, a fact that is particularly true as hard news often slows to a trickle amidst the hustle and bustle of the season.

“So many people are off [work] around the holidays,” says Katie Kramer (@KatieKrames), web/mobile producer and social media specialist for Syracuse Media Group.

She recommends PR professionals target broadcast outlets during the holidays because “television may need to fill time.”

You can use this to your advantage by feeding the media’s appetite and giving them something to sink their teeth into (like the cookies left out for Santa). While your cohorts roast chestnuts on an open fire, you might secure some earned media placements.

Earlier this season we published full lists of product pitching tips and content marketing ideas for the holidays; however, here are three quick reminders for a successful last-minute holiday strategy that won’t get “lost in the shuffle.”

1. Work the Holiday Angle.

Every story needs an angle, and a holiday connection provides an obvious, timely hook. Of course, one could argue that holiday-themed pitches are a dime a dozen this time of year, but being topical is a good start.

Help your story stand out by following our rules for high-quality content. Be useful, newsworthy, and relevant, and tell a story that elicits emotion and inspires engagement.

2. ‘Tis the Season for Year-End Round Ups.

It’s no secret — lists make it very easy for your audience to digest information, and television news producers love Top 5 and Top 10 countdowns.

Although you’re welcome to offer a Top 25 list, stations will likely pair it down, mentioning only highlights relevant to their viewing area during the broadcast.

3. Package Your Content with a (Multimedia) Bow.

The most important thing to do is to make the journalist’s job easy. If you have pre-produced video, offer a link to b-roll that complements your story. Put your best footage up front (in the first 20-seconds of your package).

Remember, though, that this video is not a commercial.

Ditch the exterior building (unless that’s the story) and logo shots along with the soundbites. Nobody wants to look at wallpaper footage, and the last person anyone wants to hear from is a paid spokesperson who was obviously fed lines. The broadcast media is too skeptical to run it.

Do a little digging, instead. Find a story for your video that can be easily repurposed in editorial content, and make sure you have well-spoken, knowledgeable and personable subject matter experts – both internal and third-party – who are available for in-studio and taped interview segments.

Earned media can prove elusive even for the most seasoned communications professional. However, stand-out content coupled with a strong distribution plan will go far. Get more tips that will help you land editorial coverage by downloading our white paper Best Practices for Creating Media-Friendly Content.

Wes Benter (@WBenter) is a senior online community services specialist at ProfNet, a service that connects journalists with expert sources. He previously worked as a creative producer for PR Newswire's MultiVu and reported news and forecasted weather at network affiliates in the Midwest. Submit an expert query 24/7 to connect with sources for your next blog post or article.

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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

[New Post] The Best Visual Storytelling Tips of 2015

The Best Visual Storytelling Tips of 2015

Amanda Hicken

The countdown continues! As the year comes to a close, we’re compiling the best practices you need to know for 2016. Get more tips in our Best of 2015 series.

Visuals are no longer a nice-to-have in your content marketing; 2015 was the year that solidified them as must-haves. Including graphics, photos, video and other multimedia in your content helps amplify the overall impact of your message – increasing attention, exposure, and conversations, and providing authority to your written words.

Keep reading for some of our top blog posts, white papers, and other content about visual storytelling from the past year.

How to Map Out a Visual Storytelling Strategy Worth Savoring

“Pretty” visuals will only get your marketing so far. Although it’s important to create graphics and videos that will catch and hold onto your audience’s attention, there must be a strategy at the heart of it all. This blog post deconstructs OpenTable’s fantastic #SavorTheRoad campaign and shares takeaways to use in your own visual storytelling strategy.

Setting the Record Straight: Press Releases that Stand Out in the Digital Age

Incorporating even simple multimedia components into your press releases can make a dramatic difference in terms of their effectiveness. The key is knowing which ones to include to reach your particular audience. Download this white paper for multimedia, formatting and distribution tips you can use to boost your press release’s impact.

DIY Design: 7 Effective Graphics Any Marketer Can Create

Despite multimedia’s many benefits, some brands are still hesitant to tackle a visual storytelling strategy, citing lack of resources and time. The reality, though, is that effective graphics aren't that difficult to produce. Here are 7 graphic styles that are easy to create — even if you aren't a designer. The next time you need a visual on the fly, try one of them out.

14 Tools for Creating Visuals

If cost is the hurdle holding your visual strategy back, we have you covered as well. This list of great — and free — design tools will help you find, create, edit and optimize visuals for your online content.

Incorporating Doodles in Your Content Marketing Strategy

Because it’s now so easy and inexpensive to create visuals (see the two articles listed above!), brands need to start exploring how unusual visual formats can augment their strategy. Learn why doodles – in all their unsophisticated glory – can provide a very effective contrast to polished imagery.

Why Animation Will Make Your Next Video Awesome

Everyone wants a video that will leave their audience’s jaws hanging — something beautiful that impresses and inspires. Check out this blog post to discover how animation can help your brand visually demonstrate anything that's too difficult or down-right impossible to achieve in reality.

Content We Love: IBM Promotes Millennial Research with Memes

Earlier this year, IBM released a study about the real story behind millennials in the workplace. There are a lot of reasons this multimedia news release ranks as one of our favorite ‘Content We Love’ examples; however, the announcement’s most stand-out element is the use of memes throughout the text to illustrate IBM’s key research findings. Knowing how to effectively engage millennials is a key differentiator for companies hoping to attract the best upcoming talent, and memes are a great way to do so.

Improve Your Visual Storytelling, One Step at a Time

Even if your brand is already using infographics, photos, and video in your content marketing, there’s always room to grow. The following graphic shows the different stages of the visual storytelling spectrum, and its companion blog post offers a step-by-step process to take your strategy to the next level. Check it out, then come back next week for part four in our ‘Best of 2015’ series.

Amanda Hicken is PR Newswire's senior manager of strategic content and managing editor of Beyond PR. Follow her on Twitter @ADHicken for tweets about the media, marketing, Cleveland, and comic books.