How Americans Read and Share Media

In public relations, one of the most important tasks is to get desired company news to the media and/or general public. With this being said, it is important to understand the way in which Americans view and share news in this day and age. As I read up on an infographic from Global Market Insite (GMI), and Inkhouse, I obtained a lot of valuable information. Through GMI’s survey, 1,000 people in the US, ages 18+, between Jan 10 and 14, 2014, were surveyed to see how Americans view and share news. Most of the information listed seemed most valuable to public relations professionals here in the U.S.

In the survey, the most trusted source of company generated news, are press releases at 33%, followed by articles authored by the CEO, coming in at 16%. The last two forms of company generated news were blog posts by the CEO (4%) and advertisements (3%). This is great for public relations professionals. The press release is a tried and true element in public relations work and when it comes to publishing credible, trusted, company generated information, press releases are the way to go.

The top three reasons Americans share news is to:

–          54% Inform

–          24% Entertain

–          13% Rally support for issues

As I said earlier, in public relations our number one duty is to inform the public so it is a plus for us that Americans share and receive information best when its purpose is to inform the public.

The top four types of news we share are:

–          41% Breaking News

–          14% Humorous Events

–          13% Informational pieces (how-tos)

–          12% Thoughtful articles with tips from experts

Whenever we send something out to the public, it usually falls into the category of breaking news. Whether it is a press release for a conference or event, a news story about the success of a client, or any information concerning the client, it is generally information that is breaking news to the public or media related to our clients.

Last but not least, the top two ways Americans share news coincides with the way public relations professionals share information with their desired audiences. 34% of Americans surveyed rely on email and so do we. Most of our conversations, pitches, and public relations effort reports are received and read via email. The second way we share news is by social media of course, where is falls at 29% percent in this survey. Social media is one of the best ways to promote a clients product/service, reach out to the general public and receive valuable feedback from the general public as well.

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