6 Factors That Massively Influence News

If you want to leverage the media to grow your business, it's important to understand how the media works and what they are looking for In this quick post I'm going to break down what drives news so you can fit into their needs.

Content relevant to the community / audience.

The news is looking for stories that their audience will like, and often that is what's trending at the moment. Find out what they are looking for, feel out what is relevant and then position yourself as a perfect option for a story around that topic.

Exclusive news.

Being first is hugely important to news stations and publications. They want exclusive news and they want to tell it before anyone else tells it, to show that they have their finger on the pulse. What do you have that's new? Exclusive? Groundbreaking? 

Controversial – bad news is good news.

Good or bad - the news tells stories with what's happening. Bad news is good news for the media and they want to know what's going on. Obviously you don't want to showcase yourself as a disaster - but it's important to know that they look for both good and bad stories.

Informative – offers an outcome.

The media wants stories that the audience can do something with. What can they learn? What can they be aware of? What outcome can be created as a result of this story? Make your story informative so it will tick the media's boxes.

Provide a competitive edge.

As you know there is a lot of news out there! The media is looking for stories that give them a competitive edge so they can stand out amongst the pack. In the same light as being exclusive, they are looking for content that makes them competitive.

If you leverage these 6 factors into your marketing and media plan, you will radically increase your chances of getting featured in the news. If you want more media training, I offer coaching to businesses and professionals - click here to learn more. Until next time!

BILL MCDONALD