By Amber Godbehere, senior account manager at Evolve PR and Marketing –
The main role of a public relations professional is to share their company or client’s brand with the media and the public. The key ways that information is shared is through bylined articles, pitches, press releases and media alerts. Every public relations expert in Arizona must understand the distinction of each and when these should be used to effectively to communicate a brand or announcement.
Bylined Article
Bylined articles are a great way for your client or organizational leadership “experts” to prove that they are thought leaders in their fields. After a bylined article has been pitched and accepted by a media publication, the public relations professional and the client then work to craft an article providing expert insight into a timely, relevant and newsworthy topic. Clients from every industry are eligible to share their expertise in a byline article.
For example, a healthcare professional may be featured in a bylined article that discusses the best ways to build your immune system during flu season or how to treat seasonal allergies. A financial expert can provide expert insight into financial learning for beginners or key things to keep in mind when investing in stocks. Bylines are different from opinion pieces because they are factually based using the author’s expertise.
Pitch
A pitch is the most frequent form of communication a public relations professional may use when communicating information about a client to the media. Information that is truly newsworthy, timely and poignant beyond one’s own organization should be communicated in the form of a pitch. An effective pitch must concise, hold value or have the potential to impact the journalist’s audience.
As a result of a pitch, a media opportunity is secured such as a TV segment or radio interview, included in a magazine article or feature on a news website. Specific examples include – a nonprofit expert may be interviewed to discuss how the community can give back during the holiday season or a restaurant can share chef tips for cooking a vegan or gluten-free dish.
Press Release
A press release is a long-form announcement with at least a page-worth of content including the message, deep details about the news, quotes, and general information. It is up to the public relations expert to determine if a press release is worthy of being written based on what their client shares or is doing within their company. A client may specifically ask for a press release or the PR professional will find out information that would be relevant to produce a press release.
The first thing to ask, is “is it an announcement?” If that is the case, one must determine whether a press release is appropriate or would a pitch or media alert be more relevant to the circumstance. For both press releases and media alerts, asking the five W’s (who, what, when, where, and why), is the next critical step. A press release can then be written if the information shared is enough to fill a full release.
Media Alert
If the information shared is not enough to fill a press release, a media alert may be in the best interest of the media and client. A media alert is short-form and is generally used for events. It just includes the announcement information and a short, bullet breakdown of the five W’s. Media alerts also can function as invites to members of media to cover an event or significant occasion, quickly listing the details that a reporter needs to know in order to attend.
Bringing people together through our relationships to promote and enhance their message to the world. Evolve PR and Marketing is a results-driven, full-service public relations firm that has been proudly ranked the number one public relations agency by Arizona Business Magazine for two years running. Located in the greater Phoenix area of Arizona, and expanding across the country, we’re here to elevate your brand, enhance your visibility, and create meaningful connections that make an impact.
