Part of being a PR professional is learning how to cultivate media awareness. But the media is far from just one thing, which raises a few distinct questions. What are the strategic differences between channels—say, a trade publication versus a social media page? What’s the best way to get journalists to read your pitches? And what ethical considerations are involved?

There’s a whole lot more to unpack than we have the space for here. But here are six important tips for building better media awareness as a PR professional.

1. Don’t underestimate the press release

Of course, the press release is a common PR tactic, but PR professionals can use it to their advantage in more scenarios than you might think. Don’t just reserve a press release for a major milestone. Use it for smaller wins, too—for instance, an increase in team size or a slight improvement on your client’s product or service. Over time, accumulated press releases will tell a larger story of brand growth. And if you can leverage the media in a way that conveys a success story about your client’s brand, you’ve done your job as a PR professional.  

2. Build relationships with trade publications

If your client is looking to partner with other businesses, trade publications are an important space in which to make their presence known. Buyers tend to scour these publications for updates on industry trends. A trade article speaks to these buyers on your client’s behalf, building credibility and a brand story along the way.

3. Customize your pitches

The vast majority of journalists can spot a copy-and-pasted pitch a mile away. So don’t bother trying to blast out one-size-fits-all pitches as a time-saving strategy. Do the legwork of discovering different writers’ needs, and tailor your pitches accordingly. That extra specificity will be well worth the effort. 

4. Use the power of narrative

No matter what sort of media outlet you’re looking to attract, a strong narrative is a major draw. People are hardwired to respond to stories, and articulating your pitch through the lens of the foundational elements in storytelling is a great way to pique journalists’ interest. In turn, pre-loading your pitch with a compelling narrative then makes it easier for a journalist to craft a story that will rack up the engagement.

5. Step up your social media game

It’s a wide world of social media out there, and it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In fact, it’s such a big domain that it’s common (and encouraged) for companies to have a dedicated social media manager. But for PR professionals, having a solid handle on the ins and outs of social media—copywriting, visual, strategic and otherwise—is a huge benefit. Social media is also a place where a lot of discussions happen. As such, it’s a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of your industry and/or relevant issues.

6. Always keep inclusivity in mind

It’s an unfortunate reality: In this day and age, media outlets often promote negative messages, whether subtly or explicitly, that go against the tenets of diversity, equity and inclusion that all PRs should follow. And with so many outlets to choose from, PRs should make every effort to ensure they’re not involved with publications that promote harmful ideas.
And even if content is not overtly harmful, it’s still far from easy to gauge its accuracy at a glance. Most recently, the rise of AI generative language models is making it easier than ever to spread misinformation on a massive scale. PRs should seek to stay up to date on this rapidly changing space, stay abreast of all the ethical considerations that come from it, and avoid spreading misinformation at all costs.