Create an online newsroom that reporters will love

A marketing expert outlines 10 things to attract and enlighten journalists

We’ve heard (and written) about how print newsrooms are dying.

But companies’ online newsrooms endure.   

A section of your Web site dedicated to the media lets communicators tell their company’s story, says Pete Codella, CEO of Codella Marketing.

“If a communicator doesn’t tell their own story, someone else will,” he says. “You have to use the Internet to be your own publisher. This gives companies a chance to represent themselves in their own space.”

If done well, these sites will be a tremendous resource—and destination—for journalists.

The last thing an overworked, deadline-plagued reporter wants is to waste time hunting for a media site that has no contact information nor easy-to-find press releases.

“If an online newsroom is done right, it will help a reporter get all their facts and information straight,” Codella says. “This is a convenience for journalists who can use the site anytime, day or night, to check out what the company is saying.”

An online newsroom isn’t just for journalists, of course; it can promote your company. Frequently updated newsrooms, using keywords, can increase your Google rank.

“Google Search is where people go first,” Codella says. “You’ve got to do whatever you can do to get up there. People rarely go to the third or fourth page.”

A 10-item checklist

Whether or not you opt to hire a company or create your own newsroom, there are 10 elements every site should have, Codella says.

1. List contact information

This is the most important thing to list in the newsroom. Don’t limit it to a phone number. Include fax number, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn identifiers. “List any way that you can be available,” Codella says.

2. Make it easy to find

Journalists don’t have time to scour your company Web site for the newsroom. Put it on the homepage and at the top of the navigation bar.

3. Keep the URL short and simple

Follow the format ‘news.companyname.com,’ Codella suggests. “The shorter it is, the easier it is for a journalist to remember and easier for them to pull it up.”

4. Make press releases searchable

Journalists will thank you if your press releases are organized with a search engine. “If your newsroom has press releases with no search, it’s like the lights are off,” he says.

5. Talk about your competitors

Create an “In the News” tab that has information about your company and others. “Share information about your competitors,” Codella says. “That way, you become the preferred provider of news in that specific industry. Being a good PR person means providing a journalist with contacts, even if it doesn’t benefit your client.”

6. Include a subscribe button

Make sure journalists can subscribe to the newsroom. Codella says they should be able to subscribe by e-mail, text, or RSS feed. “You want to make information portable and accessible,” he says. “Any way you can communicate, you want to make it readily available.”

7. Eliminate passwords

Don’t require passwords to access information in the newsroom. “The more barriers you have, the less your information will be shared,” Codella says. “This is social media philosophy: Be open and provide as much information as you can.”

8. Include copyright information

Protect your information by simply asking for attribution. “If there’s a photo that you’re putting up and a journalist wants to reuse it, make sure you have the proper attribution listed for the photographer.”

9. Provide multimedia content

Include photos, graphics, videos, podcasts, and press kits. “We live in a video world,” Codella says. “People want the whole experience. Text only is going by the wayside.”

10. List bios of key executives

Include biographical information for top executives, their experience, and responsibilities. “This helps media and investor relations, if you’re a publicly traded company,” Codella says.

Measuring success

Once your newsroom is up and running, monitor traffic to determine success.

For instance, six months from now, after one is set up—see how many people are subscribing to your RSS feed or viewing the page.

“This is a measurable way to see how effective it is,” he says. “You can also look and see how many stories have resulted from your online newsroom.”

You can also measure the number and tone of the stories being published, Codella says.

“Are journalists including key messages? Did they contact you because they saw it on the newsroom?”

It’s also important to set up analytic tools to figure out how many people are visiting your site and where they are coming from.

“Are they coming from your Twitter account? People who subscribe to the newsroom? Are they people who’ve sign up through e-mails or RSS feeds?” says Codella, who recommends the free service Google Analytics.

Remember, don’t worry about the bells and whistles. A basic site with contact information and basic information is better than none at all.

“Without an online newsroom, you’re missing the opportunity to get exposure,” Codella says. “You have to represent your brand online. If not, you’re just going to get left behind.”