Business sectors have jargon. Public relations practitioners use words and phrases that set us apart. Here’s a list with definitions to help guide your next conversation with your PR team.
Advertorial: It is a paid ad that looks like a news article.
Analytics: The data generated via your public relations tools. Google analytics should be programmed into websites to show visitor traffic, page hits and more, for example.
Angle: Reporters want to know the hook behind a story idea. That’s the angle. What makes your story interesting?
Audience: Who do you need to talk to? Our clients often have multiple audiences and need tailored messages for each of them: employees, vendors, clients, prospects, for example.
Boilerplate: This is the last paragraph of a news release. It explains what the business publishing the news release is and does.
Corporate ID: Every organization should have a corporate ID. This is a document outlining the colors of your logo, how a logo can/cannot be used. It also should include the organization’s message.
Dashboard: Monthly dashboards show our clients key analytics including social media, email open rates, news articles published and more.
Editorial Calendar: While daily newspapers and television stations do not have editorial calendars, business journals and trade publications often post their editorial calendars online or in their media kit. It outlines what topics will be addressed and when providing an opportunity to pitch a story.
Exclusive: Sometimes a public relations professional will offer just one reporter your story. The strategy is used to get maximum visibility so other media will follow.
Lead time: The amount of time required to pitch a story, execute a project, create a strategy and more. Public relations professionals like a large amount of lead time.
Link structure: When a company is creating a website, a public relations professional will create a wire frame (think blueprint) with a link structure for your important information.
Media Directory: Public relations firms subscribe to media directory services to research reporters. Most online media directory tools allow public relations teams to issue news releases too.
Media pitch: Public relations teams are not literally pitching something at a reporter. We’re offering (or pitching) ideas based on editorial calendars and reporter beats.
Message: This is also called the company story. Is everyone on your team talking about your business the same way? This is your company message.
PRSA: Public Relations Society of America is the trade association for public relations professionals.
Social media channels: These aren’t actually channels, such as a TV. The channels are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on.
Style Guide: Whether it’s Associated Press or Chicago Style (or a company variation), public relations professionals working on a team write using the same system. Business leaders should know what style their team uses to write to ensure how titles are capitalized, how company products are written and more.