What Are The 4 PR Techniques To Be Published In Magazines?

Although the circulation and sales of magazines are declining, the number of readers are expanding due to the online and digitization of magazines. Magazines that mainly publish feature articles are suitable for deep understanding of information, and readers tend to save them because they are highly readable and easy to view.

This time, in order to realize magazine publication as an effective PR method, it will introduce information and techniques that PR staff should know.

Types Of Magazines You Should Know Before Conducting PR Activities

There are multiple types of magazines. I will introduce mainly those related to PR personnel. Let's understand each difference and proceed with media research.

By Issue Frequency

It summarized how often magazines are published and how they are published. In addition to monthly/bimonthly and weekly/biweekly magazines, which will be introduced below, there are also quarterly/annual magazines that are published seasonally or once a year.

1. Monthly/Bimonthly Magazine

There is a monthly magazine that is published once a month and a bimonthly magazine that is published once every two months. In many cases, the interview content is decided about 1 to 2 months before the release, and the manuscript is closed and bound 1 to 2 weeks before. The interview period is relatively long, and articles are created based on the plans of editors and external writers.

2. Weekly/Bi-weekly Magazine

Weekly magazine like "Weekly Diamond" is published once a week as the name suggests. A biweekly magazine is a magazine that is published once every two weeks. It depends on the publisher, but usually two to three weeks before the release, a planning meeting is held, the theme is decided, and the reporters start interviewing.

By Genre

The types of magazines can be broadly classified into three categories.

1. General Magazine

General magazine that refers to general magazines in general. The publication frequency varies depending on the publisher, from weekly to quarterly (seasonally), but monthly magazines are common. Fashion magazines, business magazines and entertainment magazines are also divided into general magazines. Business magazines are basically covered and edited by employee reporters, and editors put together manuscripts.

The content of the weekly magazine is decided after a planning meeting.

2. Specialized Magazine

Specialized magazines feature articles focused on specific genres, such as cameras, food and drink, and surfing. Compared to general magazines, the readership is more detailed, and because one category is specialized, you can deepen your knowledge.


3. Group Magazines, Association Magazines, Company Magazines

It is an information magazine for people belonging to an organization, not for the purpose of publication, such as internal newsletters and technical reports. It is used to promote understanding and information sharing within the organization, and is useful for improving the sense of belonging of the organization and forming a community.

Three Main Methods Of Information Gathering By Editors Of Magazine Publishers

We will understand how editors of magazine publishers collect information in order to convey corporate information.

1. SNS

Editors of magazine publishers who anticipate trends in the world are sensitive to trends. We actively check shared content and trending words on SNS. Many editors plan and select interviewees from SNS, and it can be said that they are keeping an eye on changes hidden in everyday life and hot spots.

2. Via word of mouth

The editor collects information from interviewees, public relations staff, daily conversations, etc. Editors who make plans to define and verbalize changes hidden in everyday life and insights (e.g., "beautiful witch", "one person", etc.) value information and small changes that can be obtained directly from people.

3. Press release

Many editors gather information from press releases. From topical information such as product announcements, to trend information such as survey reports that can be backed up by numbers, we use hints for planning.

Main Public Relations Approach Methods And Timing For Magazine Publishers

Understand the contact methods that magazine publishers and editors are happy with, and then approach them according to the situation.

1. Email

With the increase in remote work, the number of media personnel who wish to be contacted by e-mail is increasing. You can contact us by e-mail from the inquiry form published by magazine editors and publishers. It is also very effective to pick up the address of an editor/reporter by phone from the byline article.

There are basically no restrictions on the time or timing of sending, but if it is a monthly magazine, we will send information two months in advance so that we can provide information at the timing of planning.

2. SNS

If you search for names on SNS based on bylined articles and program credits, you will find that there are a surprising number of reporters who accept direct messages. In the case of magazines, there are many cases where external reporters provide articles to the media, so you can also approach reporters who write articles that are highly compatible with your company's services.

Communication on SNS is basically done during the lunch break or from the evening to the night when work is not busy, but since it depends on the person, the convenient time is the time to confirm and not burden you with repeated exchanges.

3. Introduction

If you can't reach a specific reporter, or if you don't get a reply to an email contact from the publisher's inquiry form, ask them to introduce you through acquaintances such as public relations networks. Many people in charge share information and help each other with public relations colleagues.

At this time, ask them to tell you the time that is convenient for them and the time that you should avoid contacting them because they are busy.

4. Study group

We hold study sessions and hands-on sessions for media personnel to deepen industry trends and knowledge. Magazine editors often have long interview periods, so they are looking for opportunities to collect information by directly listening to users' voices and directly touching services.

We will contact you as soon as possible so that we can provide the information that the editor is looking for during the information gathering stage. You can select a special issue from the advertising plan described later and contact it in advance, or it is effective to approach it by listening to the month to be featured while building a relationship.

4 Points Of Story That Magazine Publishers Are Easy To Pick Up

Understand the interests of magazine publishers to get them interested in your information. Since it varies depending on the magazine and editorial policy, check the availability of relevant information while researching the medium.

1. Trend

Editors interested in what's happening in the world are sensitive to trend information. Communicate the changes that are happening in the world and the current situation. What matters is the information and rationale behind the trend. In the case of behavioral changes in your own service, it is a good idea to summarize user voices and make them available for interviews.

2. Human Resources

In magazines, there are corners that pick up people with unusual backgrounds and managers. Especially in business magazines, there are many interview articles. Visualize information on personnel with unusual backgrounds, representatives, and executives.

3. Organization/Know-How

Success stories from profitable organizations and companies with high employee retention rates are useful. Organizations with organizational structures and unique personnel systems should be able to communicate solutions and know-how to organizational issues to editors.

4. Technology

If you have the latest or most popular technology, you are more likely to be featured. Communicate innovation and future potential in easy-to-understand language, even if you are not an industry insider. Prepare materials with corroboration that is reliable information.

4 Public Relations Techniques To Approach Magazine Publishers

Here are some techniques you can use when approaching magazine publishers.

1. Specify Corner

When approaching editors, it's important to point to the corner of the magazine. Rather than telling you to put it in this magazine, tell them that your company's information will be useful in this section. There are a wide variety of corners, such as a corner that introduces the president's favorite items and a corner that focuses on his career, so I choose a corner where I can actually pick up the magazine and make a proposal with the intention of looking at least one year's back issues.

2. Confirmation of Advertising Plan

In most cases, magazines make their profit from sales and advertising space. At magazine publishers, the sales department that solicits advertisements may present feature articles and schedules in advance. It's a trick, but understanding featured articles and making suggestions may help editors provide the information they want at the right time. You can check the corner where advertising-related information is posted on the homepage.

3. Bring a proposal

As an advanced technique, we introduce, create and propose a plan for a magazine. We devise from the keywords that came out at the time of the interview, and put together the special theme as a proposal. At that time, if you prepare materials that summarize numbers, data, and user voices, it will be easier to be adopted as a project. What should be kept in mind is whether or not the content is content that can gain the trust of society, not for the convenience of the company.

4. Pre-coverage

Magazine editors may not be able to plan immediately even if they get information. Therefore, many people feel sorry for the interviewees. There are many cases where you can get time just by telling them, ``It doesn't have to be a project, so I'll provide information on trends as a pre-coverage.'' Build relationships so that you can remember them when the time comes.

Conclusion

Magazines describe the background of the information in detail and promote understanding of things. It can be said that magazine feature articles tend to be kept in the hands of readers for a long time because they have high penetration, dissemination, and expansion power, and information is aggregated. In order to organize the information you want to publish and select the media that the users you want to deliver will read, research the magazine corners and deliver the information in a way that will please the editor. When providing information, it is more effective to consider trends, objectivity, and accuracy, which are common to media relations in any medium, and to understand the corners unique to magazines when planning projects.