What does running a press office entail?
It is widely known that a company’s image depends not only on the quality of its services but also on how it presents itself and communicates with the outside world. These important tasks are carried out by running a press office. But what does it involve? Let’s explain below!
What is a press office?
A press office is an organizational unit responsible for media relations and public relations activities.
Its goal is to build the company’s image through transparent communication of events and processes taking place within the organization. The main tasks of a press office include:
- publishing news, reports, and statements;
- preparing materials for the media;
- maintaining contact with journalists;
- organizing press conferences;
- media monitoring and crisis management.
Depending on its competencies, the press office may engage in additional PR activities, such as image management (strategic consulting) or maintaining investor relations.
What does it look like to run a press office?
There is no universal model for running a press office. Its activities depend on the company’s size, industry, and structure. The key tasks that can be generalized include:
Developing a communication strategy
The first step is to establish the foundations on which the company is built, which helps define its unique communication style. Questions to consider:
- What are the company’s mission and values?
- What character does the company project based on its culture and branding?
- Who is the target audience?
- Which communication channels will be used?
- What budget can the company allocate to PR activities?
Increasingly, companies choose to outsource their press office functions, allowing an external agency to handle the entire scope of PR activities, including conducting the above audit. This choice is driven not only by cost savings but also by access to the contacts, tools, and expertise of specialized agencies.
Creating content and press materials
Contrary to popular belief, a press office does not only organize large conferences or announce world-domination plans. Public relations often relies on daily, consistent work that cumulatively brings significant image benefits.
The core tasks of a press office include:
- preparing reports, statements, and presentations;
- distributing content through selected media channels;
- researching and analyzing public opinion, with feedback provided to the company.
In today’s world of ubiquitous communication, the classic image of a press spokesperson sitting behind a desk in a suit, announcing updates at a conference table (perhaps while discussing quarterly results), is becoming less common.
Modern PR emphasizes a closer company-client relationship, which in practice means regular activity in the media and online. Contemporary press offices continuously share the company’s values, plans, progress, and achievements. Thus, transparency, simplicity, and frequency of communication are now essential elements of building authenticity and brand image.
Building media relations
If creating information is the foundation, then its distribution is… everything else.
The press office not only publishes content but also ensures that it reaches the wider public. To achieve this, it leverages media contacts but not necessarily in the traditional way, like a phone call to a journalist.
Today, press offices and PR agencies rely on diverse, modern outreach channels. Reports show that:
- 84% of press offices use social media as one of their communication channels;
- 78% use emails and newsletters to distribute press releases;
- 70% use dedicated platforms to distribute media communications;
- 66% utilize company websites and blogs;
- 45% organize press conferences and other events.
It’s worth noting how small the share of press conferences is, which are often associated with a press office’s main activity. As recently as 2018-2019, around 60-65% of offices organized physical events and meetings. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing digitalization, newer forms of communication have gained prominence. Therefore, press office operations are undergoing a dynamic transformation.
The future of press offices
Public relations is part of the information creation and processing sector, one of the fastest-changing fields due to the rapid development of technology.
Considering current trends, we can expect a declining role for traditional conferences and physical meetings in the press office’s toolbox. In contrast, corporate blogs and social media channels will play an increasingly significant role.
Promising tools include distribution platforms that allow a company to publish its message on multiple independent online portals. Additionally, media monitoring tools, which enable automatic analysis of public opinion, hold great potential. Although only 48% of press offices currently use them, the trend toward utilizing big data indicates a clear shift toward the adoption of such solutions.
Summary
- Running a press office involves managing the company’s image through a variety of external communication activities.
- The specific model of a press office depends on the nature of the company. Core activities include developing a communication strategy, creating media content, and disseminating information through selected distribution channels.
- The nature of press office and PR agency operations is constantly evolving with technological advancements, which provide new opportunities for outreach and data utilization.
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