Last time, we talked about creating an Internet site as an element of your marketing mix. Hand in hand with your Internet site is an On-line Media Room, one of the fastest growing segments of marketing. If you want to see how other companies are already taking advantage of the On-line Media Room, input “Press Room” or “Media Room” into a search engine.

When website usability guru Jakob Nielsen tested how well major corporate sites met the needs of reporters, he gave them a “D” grade. Journalists who tested sites for him located basic information such as the companies’ financials, management team, commitment to social responsibility and a phone number for a PR contact only 60 percent of the time.

How do the media use web sites?

Keep in mind that on the web, media from all over the world and from outside of your industry can access your press room, so avoid acronyms and insert the kinds of background explanations that would be found in a quality news story.  Dates are especially important to present unambiguously.

Very often, when the media visit a website, they are overwhelmed by the amount of information they find. An link on the home page for the Media Room, directs them to a specific place on your site designed for their needs. A well-designed and carefully edited media room eliminates paper clutter and enables the media to select the information they need. Also, they offer security from viruses in attachments (many media outlets have a policy not to open attachments due to viruses).

The more lively the style in which all of the above comes across, the more likely you are to get journalists passing through to stay awhile and start thinking about how they can use what you’ve provided. Corporate-speak may please internal bosses, but it gets in the way here and may even provide fodder for the many sites that make fun of pretentious marketing blather.

Why do the media visit a Media Room?

There are a number of reasons:

• They are looking for ideas for stories or segments
• They have heard about your company or organization and want to obtain more information
• They are planning to contact you and want to verify information
• They need a quote and are looking for a credible resource in your industry

An excellent way to meet reporters’, editors’ and producers’ needs is online press room, collecting what they need to know about your organization in one place. Some sites offer this as a sub choice under “About Us,” while others have a major link called “Press Room,” “For the Press” or “For the Media.” By providing press-friendly materials on demand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, you increase the odds of someone writing about you, using photos you’ve supplied and doing so with accuracy.

Your online press room might contain:

• An organizational profile
• Names and bios of principals and executives of your organization
• A PR contact with name, email address and telephone number
• Press releases, presented with the most recent first
• Online versions of recent annual reports or white papers
• Downloadable photos of products or key personnel
• Statements about relevant controversial issues currently in the news
• Suggested angles for feature stories including your organization
• Sample questions for talk show hosts
• Links to pertinent studies, statistics and news stories
• Links to previous coverage you’ve enjoyed
• Prewritten use-as-is stories or tips
• Audio or video clips, especially for musicians or performers
• Feature articles and speeches
• Backgrounders on key staff or events
• Testimonials (and “real people” for media to interview)
• Photo Library in High Res and Low Res, including head shots of key staff
• Sound or video clips
• Company or organization history
• Backgrounders on key staff or events
• Testimonials (and “real people” for media to interview)
• Facts-at-a-Glance, including number of employees, annual sales, etc.
• Company position papers and statements on issues
• Upcoming events and shows
• Profiles on key executives and staff
• Demographics of customers
• Glossary of terms (for technical information)
• Key messages of the company or organization
• Industry studies
• Archived webcasts from live events, speeches, and conferences
• Company’s community involvement: foundations, sponsorships, special events, etc.
• Annual reports (from current to past 2-3 years)
• Worldwide operations with companies and affiliates
• Future projects
• Search of Media Room by date, topic, keyword, type of file, current, or archive
• Names, telephone numbers, fax, and e-mail addresses of media contacts – including worldwide PR staff – with 24 hour contact information
• A complete Media Kit (including Letter to the Media), easy to download
• Media releases, current and archived from latest to earlier ones
• Story ideas and angles
• Backgrounders on key staff or events
• Past media coverage of the company or organization (including negative articles)
• Sample interview questions - 10 to 20 (for talk shows and articles)
• Information on new products, including specs
• E-mail alert services for new media releases and information
• Links for further research, including related articles
• A “Request for Information” Form for media seeking specific information

On-line media kits eliminate paper clutter, provide up-to-date information on breaking news stories, and offer security (many editors will not open unsolicited mailed media kits). Companies of all sizes and focuses now appreciate the benefits of offering an On-line Media Room to their key media contacts.

The main advantage of building an Internet Media Room is that journalists and producers can access the site anytime, day or night, to do research and to get ideas for stories and segments. The media often visit a Media Room to get background information and confirm the credibility of a company they have heard about.

Your Internet Media Room is also an excellent tool to provide complete information on your company or organization to anyone who is doing a story or segment on your industry, to profile key people within your organization, and to dispel myths and misinformation.

Yet a recent study of 1,000 newspaper, magazine, and Internet journalists showed that only 33% of corporate web sites provide adequate information for journalists who visit a corporate web site.

Remember:

• Your On-line Media Room must be easy for media to access and use.
• Be sure to include the specific names and contact numbers of PR staff to give the media quick access to the company or organization. Many companies and organizations allow public access to the Media Room but password protect the names and numbers of their PR staff.
• Make sure your Media Room is accessible from the main site.
• Use phone calls, faxes, and e-mail to drive traffic to your Media Room and to keep media posted about information and crisis updates.
• Keep your information updated at all times.
• Provide solid information (not advertising copy) to help the media to write their stories.
• Give media the chance to offer feedback, get more information, etc.
• Download easily in PDF format.
• Use a hit counter or statistical log analysis  to measure effectiveness of your Media Room
• Find examples of On-line media rooms, look up “Press Room” or “Media Room” on the Internet