Corporate Journalism

Is that phrase an oxymoron? Maybe the two words should be mutually exclusive?

How about the terms “business journalism” or “editorial business”? Perhaps “editorial marketing” might be more accurate?

This post is about how businesses can benefit from having editorial content and even outright journalism on their web sites. This is not to be confused with public relations or marketing. The benefits of quality and timely editorial content can equal and even surpass that of a company’s public relations or marketing efforts.

On a small, local scale:

Most car dealers sponsor at least one little league team. Why doesn’t that car dealer publish news about the team on its web site? News from the latest game, league standings, fun profiles of the players and yes, lots of photos.

Who would read this? Every parent of every of child playing in that league. A few grandparents. Maybe a few aunts and uncles, too. Also the coaches, other league officials and maybe even some other team sponsors. What do all these parents, grandparents and other folks buy? Cars.

After reading one or two news reports of a little league game, will anyone rush to the car dealer and buy a new vehicle? Of course not. But that’s not the point. The point is to build and maintain brand recognition.

It takes at least a half dozen interactions before a customer will even recall your business. It takes many more contacts before they might form an opinion of your brand. Who goes to a car dealer web site more than once or twice? There’s no reason whatsoever to visit the site more often than this.

Unless.

Unless the car dealer gives them a reason to come back over and over again. This is where the value of editorial content comes in. Not only does it keep the parents and others informed and entertained about their kids’ sport, but it also increases the number of contacts with the dealer. The car dealer shows that it values the kids and the community. Guess which dealer will come to mind next time someone is car-shopping?

Oh, but editorial content and good photography costs money.

Yes it does and it’s worth much more than it costs. But an easy way might be to partner with the local weekly paper. The paper supplies the news coverage for the dealer’s site in exchange for the dealer’s ongoing ad buys. Of course, the car dealer could hire a photographer but the trick is to hire a photographer who can produce better pictures than the parents themselves. And that’s a photographer with journalism experience.

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On a medium scale:

Some law firms donate a ton of cash to programs that try to address social issues such as housing, clean water, adult education and poverty. That’s great, but there’s no way that any law firm can solve any problem on its own.

Here’s the important phrase: Journalism is not just for newspapers anymore.

Awareness and education is always the first step. On its web site, the law firm could publish documentaries or even just a series of photo/text articles about the issue at hand. Get the public and, hopefully, even various levels of government involved. Get the local newspapers and TV to pay attention to the law firm’s site. More attention to the cause might garner more help.

The side benefit to this is that the law firm will earn a higher profile, a stronger reputation and an improved brand.

They say actions speak louder than words. How many ads for lawyers use words like “compassion”, “care” or “we put your interests first”. All of these words are meaningless on their own. But what if a law firm actually showed the public what they value and what they stand behind?

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On a large scale:

Most large, (inter)national corporations sponsor various charities and major social programs. All brag that they are a “giving” and “caring” company. They like to use the word “community” a lot.  But so far, no Canadian corporations even bother to promote any of their charities or programs on their web site.  At best, these corporations just list the charities on a small web page often titled “Community Giving”. So what?

The important phrase again: Journalism is not just for newspapers anymore.

The bottom-line: This will cost money and it will create far more attention, value and reward than any other marketing effort a company might do.

Let’s say a corporation’s preferred charity is the national cancer foundation. Why not publish essays, documentaries and even multimedium projects related to cancer on its site? Profile patients, doctors and researchers. Real people and real stories always, always, attract interest.

Keep the public informed about what’s happening in the cancer-related fields. Newspapers do not and cannot do this because their interests are scattered over a hundred different stories each day. Plus, sadly, there’s no motive or reason for a newspaper to do this on an ongoing basis.

But, a single-minded corporation has the resources to succeed.

Journalism is not just for newspapers anymore (and here).

Give the public a reason to return to the company’s web site over and over again. Think of the media attention it will create. Think of the benefit to the charity involved. Think of the social value.

Of course, this editorial content must be free of self-serving ads. But that’s the beauty of this. The fewer the ads, the higher the credibility. The boost to the company’s brand would be huge.

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The best public relations and marketing success comes not from tooting your own horn but rather from shining the spotlight on others. A bright light will illuminate all around.

Journalism is not just for newspapers anymore.