The property media landscape is changing. Gone are the days when your brand, or project, will dominate an article.
Today, when it comes to media coverage, you need to find those “storytelling moments”—and you must have a strong story to tell.
“In the last five years, digital and social media has fundamentally changed the way PR works,” said Trish Nicol, director of TNA, a public relations and marketing communications company specialising in the property sector.
“Once, media outlets had the power to decide which ideas, products and services the public wanted to hear about,” Nicol said.
“Now, audiences hold the power. With search and social at their fingertips, consumers know what they’re looking for and have the tools to find it.”
In the past, publications would run small news pieces as favours or simply out of enthusiasm, but today’s smaller journalist teams and easily measurable results make it much harder to justify these sorts of articles.
“Resources are now focused on stories that will travel and attract clicks when most readers skim your story for just fifteen seconds or less,” Nicol said.
“PR’s new challenges revolve around how consultants can capture the attention of time-poor, info-swamped readers and shrinking, time-pressured journalist teams—and that means media relations can be a game of luck.”
The new face of public relations means complex stories that require time to explain are often overlooked, and household names that are big advertisers can trump businesses with a great story to tell.
And increasingly, trade and niche publications require ad spend before they run a story.
But Nicol doesn’t believe it’s all bad news.
“Digital and social media have also opened up a whole new way of working with media,” Nicol said.
“Brands with a strong story to tell are thriving. They push stories, not products, and put the reader’s interests first.
“When digital influencers offer a whole new set of ‘media’ to target, powerful visuals become the new media release.
“Social media gives brands a way to target customers directly and immersive, experiential events can bring brands and products to life, encouraging sharing and increased engagement.”
“To achieve PR success, it’s vital to understand how to harness and leverage these changes.
A new penthouse or light and dark colour scheme isn’t news—readers no longer care.
“The property industry (and many others), shifts to ‘tell mode’ too often, pushing a product instead of a story their audience wants to read,” Nicol said.
“But, in the age of measurable clicks, media can see what stories resonate with readers in real-time.
“To capture interest, it’s important to not only tell the audience about your company or product, but also show your expertise by turning your best features into useful tips or advice.”
And gone are the days when your brand will dominate an entire article.
“PR isn’t advertising. With trend articles, it’s now reasonable to expect a journalist may source other examples to support the story and will mention other brands in the article,” Nicol said.
“Simply pushing your own product isn’t enough—to get cut through, you need to tell a story that the reader finds useful.”
A quick look at any online media portal will confirm story topics now primarily feature market insights, industry trends and expert advice, not strong sales pushes.
“Storytelling is the key to PR and media success. If you need to push your product, the best place to do it is through your own social media platforms, EDMs, brochures, blogs, and sponsored content,” Nicol said.
“But, even on these platforms, you’ll generate more engagement from purchasers and potential targets by adding value and making sure your story is strong enough to grab attention.”
Trish Varker Miles is the director of TNA, a public relations, social media and marketing communications company specialising in property, luxury, retail and design with more than 20 years’ industry experience.
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