While this well-known quote from Field of Dreams might work for baseball, anyone who has ever tried to get PR coverage knows that it doesn't exactly ring true when it comes to securing editorial media placements.
Having spent 15+ years on the PR agency side, I know this first-hand. Because the reality is that even if you orchestrate the most fabulous event or develop a well-thought-out pitch, if it's not crafted in a way that fits the editor or reporter's needs, you're probably not going to get a story.
Same Rules Apply for Syndicated Content
You've got to understand the publication and their needs and objectives. Ultimately, if syndicated content providers don't create content that publications want, the publications are not going to use it. It's pretty simple.
That's why Family Features set out to learn, from journalists themselves, how we could better serve their content needs and ultimately deliver content that helps them do their jobs.
To do this, we surveyed more than 500 food and lifestyle newspaper editors to get their thoughts, opinions and insights on syndicated content, such as mat releases, and find out how we can make their lives easier. The overall findings were pretty encouraging:
- More than 325 editors that we surveyed value syndicated content and use it to help fill their food and lifestyle sections.
- Fifty percent (250) said that syndicated content is important to helping them meet their publication's goals and deadlines.
That's all good...but we wanted to dig a little deeper and find out what really makes syndicated content appealing for editors and publishers.
With today's 24/7 news cycle and declining newsroom staff, we had a pretty good feeling that time and resources would likely factor into editors' usage of syndicated content. And, our gut was right as the editor group noted "saving time" as the top reason for using syndicated content.
But, what the study also revealed is that quality still counts. Nearly all editors that we surveyed – a whopping 94 percent – ranked quality as the most important criteria that they consider when choosing syndicated content.
So, What is Quality Content for Editors?
Here are the top 3 comments that we hear time and time again from editors in our network:
- Relevant Topics – High-interest, on-trend themes make for good content, particularly when it's not overly promotional. Think subtle branding.
- Articles with Substance – Fluff pieces that lack substance don't cut it. When it comes to quality, editors are looking for stories that their readers will find informative and provide unique, "a-ha!" tips and tricks.
- Solid Copywriting – Content must be well-written and reader-friendly, using subheads and bulleted tips. Also, be sure to follow AP style guidelines.
Want more details? Download our study summary.