In a news environment where breaking events often occur as they’re happening, a strong news alert strategy can be critical to keeping your audience up-to-date and engaged. Generally delivered as mobile push notifications, they’re an effective way to get your message in front of the right people at the right time and can be set up for any keywords or topics you choose to monitor.
A media alert, also known as a press release, is an announcement of a specific event that aims to catch the attention of reporters and media professionals. It can be as simple as a one-page announcement for local reporters or a press release distributed via wire services. Regardless of its size, the best media alerts are short and concise, highlighting the “who, what, when, where and why” of your event. The aim is to pique interest and encourage reporters to attend and cover the story.
A well-crafted media alert should also provide a clear point of contact for further information or interview requests. This ensures that reporters have a single person to go to and can easily follow up on the story as it develops. It is also important that a media alert not lean too heavily towards any particular side of an issue. Doing so can lead to your organization being perceived as biased and untrustworthy by audiences. In this polarized political environment, it is more important than ever to master the art of media alerts.