Audrey Chang

Worth reading from NiemanLab: Readers prefer to click on a clear, simple headline — like this one By David Markowitz, Hillary Shulman and Todd Rogers In an era when people trust news less than ever, how can journalists break through and attract the attention of average people to provide information about their communities, the nation and the world? By not complicating things. Our research, published in Science Advances, shows that simple headlines significantly increase article engagement and clicks compared with headlines that use complex language. In our research, typical news readers preferred simple headlines over complex ones. But importantly, we found that those who actually write headlines — journalists themselves — did not. We first used data from The Washington Post and Upworthy to see how language features, such as word length and how common a word is, changed how many people clicked on an article’s headline. These datasets included over 31,000 randomized experiments — also known as A/B tests — that compared two or more headline versions of the same underlying article to determine which one generated the most clicks. Headlines with more common words — simple words like “job” instead of “occupation” — shorter headlines, and those communicated in a narrative style, with more pronouns compared with prepositions, received more clicks. For example, The Washington Post headline, “Meghan and Harry are talking to Oprah. Here’s why they shouldn’t say too much” outperformed the alternative headline, “Are Meghan and Harry spilling royal tea to Oprah? Don’t bet on it.” This example illustrates how sometimes a more straightforward headline can generate more interest. In follow-up laboratory experiments, we found that typical news readers focused more on simple rather than complex headlines because the writing was easier to understand. When journalists participated in the same experiments, they didn’t show any preference for simple headlines over complex ones. Put differently: Those who write the news appear to be less responsive to simple writing than regular audiences. Generations of communication consultants have advised that communicators follow the rather crass acronym KISS: Keep it Simple, Stupid. We suggest a modified version applied for journalists. Since KISJ isn’t all that simple, we propose: Keep It Simple, Staffers. Simplicity increases the number of people who click on a news story headline and improves reader recall of the material in the article. Most importantly, simplicity boosts reader engagement, such as how much attention they pay to the information.

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"But NPR’s troubles extend far beyond concerns about its journalism. Internal documents reviewed by The Times and interviews with more than two dozen current and former public radio executives show how profoundly the nonprofit is struggling to succeed in the fast-changing media industry. It is grappling with a declining audience and falling revenue — and internal conflict about how to fix it." This article sheds good light on the disruption facing the media industry. #Media #Communications #PR

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The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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Asia Pacific is often seen as a single entity, yet it’s incredibly diverse—especially in terms of communication measurement maturity. While Indonesia and Australia may have different levels of adoption in measuring communication outcome and impact, we face common challenges in scaling up and advancing our measurement to the next level, both internally within organizations and externally with our stakeholders. I am delighted to share our experiences and insights from Maverick Indonesia on building best practices over the years with the Medianet team in Sydney last week. AMEC Measurement and Evaluation #measurementbestpractice #communicationimpact #PRmeasurement #communicationmeasurement #knowledgeshare

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📣 Navigating Public Statements with Diverse Member Opinions 📣 In this week's Association Insights, I tackle a complex challenge: making public statements when not all members agree. Here’s how to approach this delicate task effectively: 👉 Establish a Clear Decision-Making Framework: Set transparent rules about the levels of consensus needed for different types of public statements. 👉 Align with Predominant Member Interests: Understand and represent the majority while maintaining open dialogue to manage expectations and relationships. 👉 Find Common Ground: Emphasize shared values and goals to craft a balanced statement that respects diverse viewpoints but upholds industry priorities. 👉 Communicate Transparently: Always explain the decision-making process and reasoning behind public statements to all members to foster trust and understanding. Handling disagreement requires a strategic and inclusive approach to effectively represent your association's interests and maintain unity. 💬 How do you manage differing opinions in your organization? Share your strategies below! #PublicRelations #AssociationManagement #Leadership #CommunicationStrategy #AssociationInsights #OnWrdUpWrd

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The press release is not dead, it's just evolved. When I first started in #communications, nobody ever questioned the purpose of the press release. It was just assumed that every big announcement would lead with an informative press release designed to start a dialogue with journalists and control the narrative. As the world increasingly moved online over the last decade or two, folks have debated the relevance and usefulness of this steady companion. After all, it's much quicker and easier to both distribute and find information on the interwebs. As such, many #PR folks declared the press release passé. But there's so much more to the press release than simply making an announcement, and if you neglect it, you're missing out on heaps of opportunities. Like the opportunity to support your SEO efforts, generate backlinks, and drive referral traffic. Or to use it as a jumping-off point for a comprehensive content campaign that spans blogs, newsletters, social media, contributed content, email marketing, ads, events, and customer stories. Or to support your friends in sales to help them engage customers and leads. Or to drive awareness, build credibility, and support conversations with current and prospective partners and investors. Or even to support HR with their employee recruitment and retention strategy. Don't neglect the trusty press release. When designed and leveraged well, it truly is a jill of all trades.

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As evidenced by the dynamics of the presidential election, women continue to be held to a different, much stricter standard than men. In my book "WOKE: A Cultural Competence Guide for Communicators, I delve into why and how women continue to struggle for equality and representation. "Women’s quest for equality is the longest-running struggle in the history of the world. Men have ruled over humanity for millennia, and nowhere has their dominance been more pronounced than over the lives and bodies of women. Although women have made great strides toward equality in the last few decades, they continue to be held to a different standard than men, and society holds many unconscious and deeply rooted biases against them. Nevertheless, women continue challenging traditional gender norms, advocating for equal rights, and reshaping female empowerment narratives." https://lnkd.in/gsTAMAbc

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💡 From the fediverse to the Kamala Harris election campaign, SEO, and more: Insights in FIR 425. In this episode of our For Immediate Release podcast, Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I explore six key topics that are shaping the future of business, communication, and technology: 🔹 Fediverse and Digital Sovereignty: We discuss the growing disillusionment with platforms like X and the potential for governments to establish their own instances on the fediverse to maintain digital sovereignty and control over public discourse. 🔹 The Decline of Individuality: A recent study shows a significant decline in people’s desire to stand out over the past 20 years, which has implications for society and how businesses engage with their audiences. 🔹 Corporate DEI Backlash: With growing political and social backlash against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, some companies are scaling back their efforts. But are they abandoning these goals or just changing how they communicate them? 🔹 Impact of Disabling Social Media Comments: Research reveals that disabling comments on social media can harm the perception of influencers and public figures, making them appear less sincere and likeable. 🔹 Kamala Harris’s Gen Z Campaign Strategy: We delve into how Kamala Harris’s campaign successfully engages Gen Z voters by mastering platforms like TikTok and leveraging influencers to drive massive engagement. 🔹 AI and the Future of SEO: The rise of generative AI and concepts like 'zero-click search' are changing the SEO landscape, with new strategies needed to maintain visibility in an increasingly AI-driven search environment. 🔊 For a deeper dive, listen to episode 425 of the podcast - check out the full blog post with audio player here: ⬇️ #Podcast #BusinessTrends #AI #DEI #DigitalMarketing #SEO https://lnkd.in/eCM9mj9d

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PRWeek's great 2024 Business Report highlights the key challenge facing our industry. Communications is more important than ever. Comms and policy leaders are being asked to play far larger roles as business partners supporting ever more stakeholders. So why did the industry suffer so much in 2023 after many years of growth? As an sector, we are not adapting fast enough to the needs. Organizations are desperate for help but also under tremendous financial strain. They now need both senior level counsel and advisory support as well as deep domain expertise to actually produce. By and large, our industry is still split by this chasm - between strategic and tactical. Clients cannot afford to separate these, either in time or money. At Bully Pulpit International our goal is to bridge this divide, building a team that can both 'think and do' at the highest levels. It's not always easy. Last year was a challenge. But if you share this vision for the future, please check out some of our open roles: https://lnkd.in/dGQwJUSG

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“Which reporters do you know in our business?” If you are a communicator, you are often posed this question by executives, colleagues or clients. Many think a communicator’s most important asset is the journalists they know. The truth is that knowing a contact might get your email read. But it is never a guaranteed and published story. What is more important than knowing someone? It’s about creating a relevant and enticing story that matches the editorial focus of an outlet and reporter. Communicators know how to craft a good story for the right audience. Success always hinges on how well they connect the story to the outlet’s audience. It’s always about the story. Connect with me to learn more about connecting your corporate story to your target audience. #Communications #MediaRelations #Storytelling #PR #Journalism

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Authenticity is key for senior executives to be influential on LinkedIn, but not every leader finds it easy to engage genuinely. 🔸In episode 342 of our For Immediate Release podcast, Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I explore how communicators can help executives craft authentic online personas and build influence and trust, focused on LinkedIn, with practical examples. I also dive into this topic in a new blog post published today, arguing that authenticity opens the door to success. Communicators must guide leaders who struggle with authenticity, identifying formats or mediums that play to their strengths. Take a read and listen to our discussion ⬇️ #Authenticity #Communication #LinkedIn #FIRPodcast https://lnkd.in/eMu9D48j

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Language in the Press Forward "Closing Local Coverage Gaps" program FAQ warms my heart: Using LION: Local Independent Online News Publishers' definition of sustainability as a framework, we will prioritize outlets that are intentional about their editorial impact, operational resilience, and/or financial health. We will support organizations that have a clear plan for how they will use this investment as a foundational step toward developing and maintaining a long-term business model. https://lnkd.in/eGKFYhGz #impact #localnews #sustainability

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The Wall Street Journal editor Paul Beckett’s account in the Columbia Journalism Review of how the Journal mobilized to free Evan Gershkovich after 16th months as a prisoner in Russia is a tour de force and “a free press triumph” and well worth the read. Some excerpts: A phone call to a senior government official who knows this terrain provided the answer: “There are times to be quiet and there are times to be loud—and this is a time to be loud.” “Yet on days like August 1 (when he was freed), the values that underpin democracy and are the foundation of a free press triumph.” “Few countries that are not democracies could point to such care for their ordinary citizens abroad, let alone noncitizens imprisoned for their political beliefs.” “news organizations must continue to assess and calibrate the risks their reporters face when operating in dangerous terrain. Perhaps they need to make more hard-nosed choices on whether it is necessary to deploy in person to countries that target journalists or whether that terrain can effectively be covered from outside, given advances in technology and communications.” “And they could ensure that press freedom around the world—an issue so fundamental to their existence that it is often taken for granted—is a subject they cover as if their livelihoods and their liberty depended on it.” https://lnkd.in/etZTVCeB

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Why do we do PR? Well, I would answer it's because trust and confidence among all audiences is at historic lows—an avg of 28%. With low/no trust, there is no commerce, there are no deals and business GRINDS to a halt. So, THAT is why we do PR. https://lnkd.in/g9M-_JQ4 #publicrelations, #pr, #trust, #credibility

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Want to get reporters' attention at the next health tech conference? Check out the results of Innsena's survey of healthcare reporters, which digs into our journalist friends' preferences on which conferences they attend, how they spend their time on site, and how to get their attention during these notoriously chaotic shows. Bottom line: Be helpful, not self-promotional View the news release here: https://lnkd.in/dwywMp5p Check out our sweet infographic, with some more context stats: https://lnkd.in/dh-_TYDv

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For crisis communications and media professionals: How do you navigate advising clients or upper management when they opt for crisis spin messaging over addressing the actual root cause of the crisis? 🤔 We've witnessed various scenarios where organizations either successfully managed this approach or faced challenges. From President Biden's health concerns to NYC Mayor Adam's scandals, and companies like Boeing, Meta, Nike, Tesla, Samsung, and the Secret Service-the importance of handling crises transparently cannot be overstated, especially if you want to maintain your credibility, brand, customers, clients and stakeholders.📰💼 #CrisisCommunications #MediaPros #PublicRelations #Transparency #CrisisManagement

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Communications best practices apply to IR, just as they do for all strategic communications. Learn more about IR website essentials in the in-depth guide from PR Newswire ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e9wW2QaH #IR #InvestorRelations #Comms

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