These days it’s not enough to be in the news, you need to create, produce and share it. And in order to do that you need to think like a newsroom and amplify stories via social and digital channels.
We live in a world with an overabundance. So how can you break through? That was the subject of my workshop at SXSWV2V.
Here are 10 tips to get started:
1. Change your mindset – Yes, we should go mobile first; that is, create big ideas for the small screen. But just because you’re thinking mobile – doesn’t mean you should neglect your web experience. Each screen should have its own strategy.
2. Find and refine your stories – It’s easy to say create remarkable stories, but not so easy to do. That’s where creativity comes in. Move from being a talker to a maker by embracing the rules of improv. These are:
- Default to yes and open the door to fresh thinking.
- Don’t be a but (or butt), one of those people who constantly utters those two idea-killing words, ‘Yes but…’ Instead say and mean, ‘Yes and…’ Add, rather than subtract.
- Make statements and say them with conviction. And don’t apologize for your ideas. They’re the springboard, not the final result.
- Go with the flow. Don’t let fear or ego stop you.
3. Build your hub – You don’t have to code a whole new site – there are great platforms, like WordPress, made to be adapted into newsrooms with RSS, tags, categories and a calendar all built in. These tools work. Make them your own.
4. Pick your channels – Where are your customers? Go there and add value. And choose a couple of platforms where you’re going to be amazing, rather than being half-baked on a bunch. But claim your name on various channels and redirect people, because you never know.
5. Get organized – Everyone in the organization has stories and can create content. Break down silos and pick the best team. It doesn’t have to be big, but no one person can know and do everything.
6. Be brutally honest about what’s news…and what’s not – Put things in context. Your story may not be as large as your ego. Perspective is key. Don’t forget that.
7. Lights, camera, action – Not every CEO wants to write, has time to write or is a good writer. Plus we live in a visual culture. So incorporate videos, but don’t forget audio, infographics, photos, GIFs. Sharable social objects. A doctor friend of mine who produced a viral video said: ‘Videos don’t only need to be viral. They can be bacterial, too.’ By that me means they can hit a smaller, targeted audience and be really relevant.
8. Syndicate – Find a partner, who’s targeting a similar audience and then figure out a way to share content. Offer to write a guest post on a media or high traffic industry site. Or corral a group of guest bloggers. And curate and share relevant links and explain why. Your customers will love you for breaking through the clutter.
9. Ditch the press release – OK, before I get a barrage of comments, I’m talking about the cover, not the book. There are other things to consider when sharing news – like a customer-focused story, quotes and multimedia, for instance. The Mayo Clinic includes a short video of their spokesperson, speaking the quotes and adding context and those get picked up by many sites.
10. Build relationships from the ground up – Reciprocity is common across all cultures. If you give someone something, they will almost always reciprocate. But start small by researching and getting to know influencers. Introduce yourself before you ask for something. And do what you say, always. That can become the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
A life of its own
There’s an old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
Practice.
The same applies here. Social media may be fast, but relationships still take time. And we sometimes forget that. Try these tips and keep at it and they can help your content take on a life of its own.
What do you think? Any other ideas to add about how businesses can become newsrooms and producers? I’m here to say yes, and…
And here are the slides from my talk.
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