Creating your own newsroom

I’ve been keeping an eye on what comes out of the Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit and all the new marketing tactics people are using and their predictions for what’s next in marketing.

One thing that really caught my eye is the rise of the internal organizational newsroom.

This isn’t exactly a new phenomenon, far from it, just about any business owner has been advised to start a blog and keep an open line to consumers and the media. But recently, businesses are diverting more resources to their branded content. Blogging and content creation aren’t just an ancillary role for an employee with a knack for writing; it’s becoming a full-fledged department.

Why is this happening? Well, look around at the local newspapers — you probably see a few less each year. And those that are still in business have slashed their staff to a skeleton crew. There are simply fewer reporters out there digging up stories.

So, to get the press they want, companies aren’t calling up the local paper to tell them about this weekend’s boat show or firing off a quick press release. They’re writing the news themselves. And overworked media folks are picking it up because it means a lot less work.

As a writer and journalist, this is all a bit concerning. But as a marketing enthusiast, this is an intriguing sea change that puts unprecedented power into a brand’s hands.

For companies, the most beneficial aspect of this new trend is that the content creators have a lot more control of the tone and the angle of the coverage. Sure, some editors will edit that content — that’s what we do — but more often than not, the focus of those company-created stories doesn’t change much.

Certainly, not every business has the resources to devote to their own newsroom right now, but as marketing tactics continue to adapt to consumer desires, it’s definitely worth exploring.

Companies looking to bulk up their content creation should take a look at how Texas Marine focuses on their content. With a single part-time writer, they’ve created a great, news-focused blog and by offering something of value, they’ve gained a lot of social media traction as well as SEO benefits of having fresh content.

Think about it, maybe one of your former local reporters will be your next best hire.