What Makes Something Newsworthy?
By Chelsea Horn
Published August 17, 2023
A question my team and I get nearly every day from clients is “Should we draft a press release about this?”
Marketing teams at technology companies maintain the voice of the organization and have to sift through a slew of potential announcements. People from across the organization ask if they can publish a release about a product update, a new EMEA-based partner coming on board, signing a retail customer, speaking at an event, and more.
Next, the marketing and PR teams have to work together to determine what is newsworthy vs. what is not.
We often recommend against drafting a press release “just because,” and we almost always recommend against spending a few thousand dollars to put it on PRNewswire. Time spent drafting releases is time not spent pitching a reporter or executing the next big idea.
But how do we, as PR professionals, steer clients in the right direction, and how can clients communicate that internally?
A few months ago, one of our clients challenged us with creating a newsworthiness checklist to simply gauge what makes something newsworthy – or whether or not a project warrants drafting a press release. This project got our wheels spinning and led to the creation of Carve’s official “Measuring Newsworthiness Checklist.”
We broke our thoughts out by type of announcement.
What Makes Something Newsworthy?
#1. Product-focused: Do you have data, success stories, case studies, etc. to point to as proof points?
If you’re considering announcing a new product or feature, take a step back and see what you have to support the claims. For example, do you have statistics around the product saving users’ time, is it more cost-effective than the competition, or is there a customer we can create a case study around?
If the answer is no, the Carve PR team will recommend you find answers to those questions before putting them out for the world to see and journalists to ponder.
Pro tip: Interview the experts/creators behind the initiative. We've found that there's usually more meat to the bone if you ask the right person the right questions. A good PR team can help with this.
#2. CSR/DEI-focused: Is there a clear “why” throughout that captures the impact we expect or accomplished?
Customers, investors, and the general public are putting pressure on brands to better their communities and create inclusive, healthy working environments via Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
While we applaud these efforts, not every initiative deserves drafting a press release.
Here’s how we think through the newsworthiness of a CSR/DEI initiative:
The “why”: Why are we doing what we're setting out to do? How does it fit with the company values or help close a significant gap? (Or how did it close the gap if the release is a post-initiative release.)
Scope: How big is the initiative and how many people would it/is it impacting?
“Uniqueness": Does it sound like something a lot of others are doing? If so, what is our spin?
Timeliness: Why would we do or announce this now?
Community-first initiatives are only as impactful as the brand and voice sharing it, so be bold and honest in your communications. And make sure you have a solid narrative based on the questions above.
#3. Awards/Events-focused: Can you tell a story about how this win or event participation benefits target audiences?
Industry awards and events can help get a company on the map and create business opportunities like attracting customers, recruiting talent, and increasing share of voice (SOV). However, they tend to be more self-promotional vs. beneficial to customers, clients, consumers, etc. That being said, what is a newsworthy event or award?
If you’re deciding whether or not to write a release tied to an industry event, ask yourself the following questions to determine what makes something newsworthy:
Are we making significant announcements at the event (I.e., a new product launch, bringing a notable customer to speak on stage, releasing research, etc.)?
Are we speaking or presenting onsite?
Will anyone outside of my organization care? If so, what about your participation in the event would make them care? (Leading with value for others is a good rule of thumb here.)
Events are an important part of every sales team's strategy, but overall, not very important to the media unless you answered yes to the questions above.
Pro tip: Even if you decide against drafting a press release, don't forget to ask for the list of media attending the event. You can pitch media and offer them introductions to your brand and spokespeople on the show floor and work to create a relationship.
Likewise, award wins benefit the business, but won’t garner earned media coverage. You should, however, shout award wins from the rooftops on your corporate website and promote them across all owned channels.
Overall, this checklist is an essential tool that can be newsworthy stories across product launches, fundraising, new partners/customers, awards and events, and more. Keep these considerations in mind and strategize with your PR team about what must be met to warrant a press release.