PR or social media? How to tell if your story is newsworthy
You’ve got something to share. A new contract, a volunteer milestone, a fundraising total you’re proud of. Do you write a press release, or post it on LinkedIn and move on?
Small businesses and charities ask me this all the time. Getting it wrong costs you either way. Pitch a weak story and journalists start to skim your emails. Keep a strong one on your own feed and you miss the chance to reach people who’ve never heard of you.
The short answer
A story is PR worthy when it matters to people with no connection to your organisation. If it mainly matters to people who already know you, it belongs on your own channels: your website, newsletter and social media. The rest of this post is about applying that test well.
What makes a story newsworthy?
Journalists want stories their readers, listeners or viewers will care about. Your update has a better chance if it ticks at least one of these:
It’s a genuine first, launch, milestone or change
It affects people beyond your customers, members or supporters
There’s a real person at the heart of it with something to say
It links to a wider issue people are already talking about
It’s timely, or tied to a date, anniversary or awareness day
There’s a strong photo or video opportunity
Here’s how that plays out. A local café celebrating five years with cake for regulars is a lovely social post. The same café running a pay-it-forward scheme that has provided 2,000 free meals during the cost-of-living crisis is a story for the local paper and radio.
Or take a charity thanking a volunteer on their tenth anniversary. Perfect for Facebook. But if that volunteer is 84, has driven patients to hospital every week for a decade and has just been shortlisted for a county award, you have a human-interest story a journalist can run with.
Same organisation, same person. What changes is how far the story travels.
Engagement or exposure?
It helps to be clear about what you want the news to do.
Social media is where you build relationships with people who already follow you. Behind-the-scenes moments, team news, small wins and thank you's keep your community warm. They show the people behind the logo.
PR is about exposure. It puts you in front of new audiences and borrows the credibility of an outlet they already trust. A feature in a newspaper or trade title carries a weight your own posts can’t match.
Most organisations need both. The skill is matching each piece of news to the job.
Pick the right media for the story
“The press” doesn’t have to mean national news. For most small businesses and charities, the best fit is closer to home:
Local newspapers, news sites and BBC local radio for community stories
Trade and sector titles for B2B news, appointments and contract wins
Specialist podcasts and newsletters with a loyal niche audience
A contract win rarely interests the local paper. A trade title covering your sector might welcome it. Matching the story to the outlet matters as much as the story itself.
How PR and social media work together
The two feed each other in ways that are easy to overlook.
Social can be a testing ground. If a post gets far more comments, shares or messages than usual, the story may have wider appeal. That’s your cue to think about a pitch.
Journalists also look at your social channels before they cover you. An active feed with good photos makes their job easier.
You can tag relevant journalists or outlets in posts with real story potential. Do it sparingly. Tagging a reporter in every update puts them off.
Make the coverage work after it lands
Coverage lasts much longer if you put it to use:
Share the article, interview or clip across your own channels
Tag the outlet and journalist and say thank you
Add it to the news or press page on your website
Include it in your next email newsletter
Use it in funding bids, tenders and sales conversations
That last one often gets missed. A local news piece or trade feature is useful proof when you’re asking a funder, trustee board or prospective client to trust you.
And a short, genuine thank you to the journalist makes them more likely to open your next email and anyway, it's just polite!
Quick questions to ask yourself before you start!
How do I know if my news is worth a press release?
Ask whether people outside your organisation would care. Launches, milestones, strong human stories and links to wider issues are the most likely to interest journalists, or more commonly called .....
The “would a stranger care?” test
When you’re unsure, picture someone with no link to your organisation. Would they stop scrolling, read the piece or mention it to a friend? If so, and the story has impact, relevance or emotion, PR is worth a go. If not, share it on your own channels where your followers will enjoy it.
Can a social media post lead to press coverage?
Yes. Strong engagement can show a story has wider appeal, and journalists do find stories on social media. A post that’s taking off may be worth pitching properly.
Should small charities bother with PR?
Often, yes. Local and specialist media are usually open to charity stories with a clear human angle, and coverage builds credibility with supporters and funders.
If you’ve got a story and aren’t sure where it belongs - PR or social media, I’m happy to talk it through. Book a free 30-minute chat at bluelizardmarketing.com, no obligation.
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