Company Newsroom Checklist

 

Company Newsroom Checklist PR

A question that we commonly hear is, “What do I put in our newsroom?” Historically, most companies assumed only journalists and members of the media visited newsrooms. In reality, everyone from potential new hires and investors to customers to partners – and, of course, media – will likely find their way to this part of the website seeking information about the brand. When branded and organized properly, it can make for an effective public relations tool.Here’s what should be included:Press releases
This is the easiest way to showcase new products, company milestones, new executives and more. Releases should be posted in reverse chronological order, with the most recent news listed first.  If your company distributes news regularly, consider archiving it by year or even categorizing it by topic.

Contact information for the designated public or media relations person
Put this somewhere easy to find so reporters know who to contact with questions or to schedule an interview.

Articles that the company is featured in
Be cognizant of the publication’s reprint rights policy. To be safe, avoid posting the full article on the website. Instead, write a brief summary of the article or paste the first two to three sentences, then insert a link directing visitors to the story on the publication’s website.

Social media links
Does the company have a Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or other social account? Embed the direct link to each individual social media site into the logo. Consider placing this toward the top of the page so it is easy for visitors to find. Additionally, think about integrating a sidebar on the site with the company’s Twitter feed. This is an easy way to encourage visitors to visit the company’s account – but make sure it’s actively used, or it could send the wrong signal.

Hi-resolution images (300 dpi or greater)
Instead of digging up images upon request, make them easily and readily available for download.

Upcoming conferences or speaking engagements
Are you headed to BAI Beacon this year? Were you selected as a presenter? Add a sidebar that alerts the media to this news – a reporter might be interested in attending the session or meeting for an interview on the topic.

Press kit
This should include the company overview, fact sheet, executive biographies and professional headshots for each featured spokesperson.

Search or filter function
Whether your newsroom is brand new or there are years’ worth of content, a search or filter function will help visitors easily navigate to the content they need.

What should NOT be in the newsroom:

Sales or marketing material
This is not the place to sell products or services. The newsroom is where reporters, job-seekers, potential customers, and other website visitors head to see what the company has been up to outside of selling. Keep the focus on highlighting corporate culture, corporate facts and thought leadership from the company’s executives, which is easily done with the above items.

“Curated” news that doesn’t feature your company
Sure, it might be an interesting article – but if it doesn’t feature a quote or statistic that your company provided, it would be best to avoid posting this in the newsroom. The focus should remain on your company, not leading the way to a different source. Keep these articles to the company’s social media accounts.

Company blog
If your company has a blog, give it its own landing page and place to shine. Consider placing a link to the blog at the top of the webpage to direct visitors there.

Non-media related items
Press releases, featured articles, social media links and the press kit all have something in common – they are media-related items specific to the organization. Only keep things that are newsworthy in the newsroom. If you are not sure if something is newsworthy or not, ask your public relations advisor.

For more information, download our white paper, “The Importance of a Balanced Media Relations Program.”

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