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One of the top uses people have for the Internet is information gathering, and this is no less true for members of the press. Journalists rely heavily on the Web to gather information pertinent to their stories, and if you’re fortunate enough for one to find your site, hopefully you’ve made it easy for him to find what he’s looking for. A smart & direct way of addressing journalists’ needs is by having an online press room.

Building an effective online press room starts by recognizing the most common reasons journalists have for visiting a web site:

• Finding a PR contact in the company (HINT: don’t make this hard for them to find!)
• Learning the latest news (typically in the form of press releases)
• Checking basic facts about the company
• Discovering the company’s own spin on events via mission statements or white papers
• Checking financial information (annual reports, stock quotes)

Downloading images or quotes from management for use in storiesYour online press room should help the journalist write the best story he can. The more information-rich the online press room is, the more you’re giving the journalist to work with to create a good story about your company. The fewer holes in information, the less the journalist has to seek elsewhere.

Some other items you can include in an online press room that journalists may not have necessarily come looking for but can certainly use are:

• Executive Bios
• Company Logos
• Clippings from recent ad campaigns
• Streaming Video or Audio Clips

Besides helping journalists write good stories about your company, your online press room can also serve well in a crunch. With the speed and flexibility the Web offers, in times of crises, there are few better ways to deliver necessary information than via your online press room.

Content & Usability

When designing an online press room keep in mind that the number one goal is to disseminate information - quickly. As such, content and usability are key. The press room should focus on:

• Up-to-date content - post press releases and other factual information in chronological order and be sure that contact information is current and readily accessible. If your content is out of date or the journalist cannot find a contact, he’s more likely to give up and get information from another company.
• Usability - a poorly designed press room can alienate journalists (not to mention potential or current investors and consumers). The more difficult it is to find your way to and around the press room, the more likely is someone to leave quickly. Be conscious of the fact that journalists are often writing under a deadline. Do you think they’re going to waste what precious little time they have on a site that makes it difficult to find the information they need?
• Tools & Files - If you’re lucky enough to attract a journalist to your site, providing him with tools & files to help maximize his time is extremely valuable. For example, having documents available in a variety of formats (Word, PDF) and offering graphics in a selection of resolutions. Another time-saving service would be an email alert that journalists could sign up for to notify them every time a significant piece of information is posted to the site. If your company is an industry leader, this is especially relevant, as your news can help shape markets.

Notifying Journalists of the Press Room’s Existence

After you launch your online press room, it’s certainly not a bad idea to let journalists know that it’s out there. You can notify your current list of press contacts via email or fax (whichever way you normally communicate with them) and invite them to review the section and give you their feedback. You might glean some good ideas and identify areas of weakness before it’s too late.

Lastly, remember that your online press room has multiple uses. Yes, it will be a great resource for interested journalists, but it also provides critical information to investors, clients, and prospective employees. If you’re proud of your work, don’t be afraid to show it off in your online press room!! (and on that note…

Related Links:

WebAdvantage.net’s Online Press Room

Other Good Examples of Online Press Rooms:

Bank of America

Verizon

ExxonMobil

WebAdvantage.net archived articles:

“How To Write A Better Press Release”

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