Did They Pay For That Article?

Oftentimes I find myself in new business meetings with executives who will take a magazine, open it up, and point to a feature story on their chief competitor and say, “We want this.”  Usually this is followed by the aforementioned executive giving an elaborate explanation of how they are doing the same thing but better, or a list of all the things they are doing that this competitor is not doing yet.

These articles, as you would imagine, can do wonders for a professional’s reputation since potential customers and industry colleagues are the ones who read them. But as an insider I will let you in on a great little secret.   Most of these articles are the handiwork of highly skilled PR people across America doing incredible work in their industry.  These professionals are providing solid, newsworthy information on their clients to news writers hungry for relevant stories to feed their readers.  However, where some confusion lies is when that same executive sitting across the conference table from me asks the question: “Did they pay for this article?” In the case of most reputable, relevant publications these days, the answer is no.  But in some cases, and many people don’t know this, the answer is yes.

So how do you know the difference?

Have you ever picked up a magazine and noticed that each article you read about a company that is shining or doing something really innovative is followed by a large ad for the same company?  Paid for.  Or have you noticed those publications that only seem to cover the companies that advertise within their golden pages?  Paid for. How about you read a cover story that features XYZ company, then a week later when you are at a conference sponsored by the media company that owns that publication and the entire auditorium is splattered with XYZ company sponsorship logos? Paid for.

“Pay for play” is commonplace among all media formats these days, and can indeed be beneficial if you are seeking a “fluff” article or story in just one outlet.  However, the true value of a solid Public Relations campaign is that the newsworthy information you are sending to the media is sent to multiple outlets in a way that blankets your audience with news from viable, credible sources.

So how can you work with your PR person to secure an honest-to-goodness article, written by an unbiased reporter who actually thinks you are doing something worth talking about?  DO SOMETHING WORTH TALKING ABOUT.  Or at least make sure the release makes it sound like you are doing something worth talking about.

True, legitimate news can be hard to come by in an age where anyone thinks they can write an announcement and send it to the media.  Releases are an art form, using words that don’t sell, writing facts that contain all necessary details, and thinking one step ahead to help the media write their story by adding information to the questions they will follow up to ask you.

Simple for a PR pro? Yes.  Stumped? That’s why you are here on our website.  Take the plunge and discover the art of PR and how it can help your company grow.  You never know when you will actually be surprised at the outcome.

JustRED it here.

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” – Leo Burnett



One Response to “Did They Pay For That Article?”

1. Tori says:

   January 21, 2011 at 9:53 am

   Great Insight and Advise! Now you have me questioning the credibility of articles I read. I’ll probably be able to pick out the fluff vs. noteworthy news in a split second Thanks!