AI is revolutionising the way in which PR professionals work. We’re constantly seeking out ways to further enhance our media relations strategies and build stronger connections with key journalists. Fortunately, AI offers exciting possibilities for us to strengthen our strategies but it’s crucial to strike the right balance between these new innovations and the ‘human touch’ aspect, PRs are known for.
AI For Smarter Outreach
- Identifying relevant journalists: It’s fair to say that one of the most time-consuming aspects of media relations is finding the right journalists to pitch to. AI powered tools can analyse large amounts of data, including but not limited to, past articles and social media activity, to identify journalists who are most likely to be interested in your story. Not only will this save time, but also increase the likelihood of pitches and stories landing in the right inbox.
- Personalising pitches: AI tools can also be used to tailor pitches to key journalists by suggesting personalised hooks and angles that resonate with their work. By analysing a journalist’s writing style, preferred topics and most recent articles, these tools gain an understanding of the journalist’s interests, making personalised pitching on a large scale, achievable.
- Frequency optimisation: As we know, timing is everything in media relations and thanks to AI algorithms analysing historical data, we can determine the best times to send pitches to specific journalists or outlets. Moreover, AI can help manage follow-ups by suggesting optimal intervals and preventing over-pitching, which can damage relationships.
The Human Touch: Why it’s Still Irreplaceable
While AI offers a ton of benefits, it’s essential to remember that media relations is fundamentally about human connections.
- Emotional Intelligence: AI can’t replicate the understanding of human emotions and social dynamics that experienced PR professionals bring to the table.
- Creativity and Storytelling: While AI can assist in crafting pitches, the most compelling stories often come from human creativity and the ability to connect dots in unexpected ways.
- Relationship Building: Trust and rapport are built through genuine human interactions. AI can facilitate these connections, but it can’t replace the authenticity of person-to-person communication.
- Crisis Management: In sensitive situations, human judgement and empathy are irreplaceable. AI can provide data and insights, but navigating complex PR challenges requires human expertise.
Striking the Right Balance
We are currently in an era where a lot of our work relies on new technology. However, we believe the key to success in modern media relations lies within viewing tools, such as AI, as a powerful tool that enhances our capabilities, rather than replaces them.
- Use AI for Data-Driven Insights: Let AI handle data analysis, trend spotting, and initial journalist matching, freeing up human professionals to focus on strategy and relationship building.
- AI-Assisted, Human-Approved: Use AI to generate initial pitch ideas or personalisation suggestions, but always have a human review and refine the final product.
- Continuous Learning: Both AI systems and human professionals should be in a state of continuous learning. Use AI insights to inform your strategies and provide human feedback to improve AI performance.
- Maintain Personal Connections: Use the time saved by AI to invest in personal interactions with key media contacts. A phone call or coffee meeting can still be the most effective way to build lasting relationships.
AI is transforming media relations as we know it, offering unprecedented opportunities for efficiency and mass personalisation. By striking the balance between leveraging AI as a powerful assistant whilst maintaining the human touch, that is essential for strong journalist relationships, we can create more meaningful connections and achieve better results for our clients.
At Prohibition, we work with various brands across all sectors, B2B and B2C, to create innovative PR and social media campaigns that deliver real ROI and help meet business goals. We also offer AI training for PR teams. Get in touch with us today to find out how we could support you with your Public Relations. Drop us an email: hello@prohibitionpr.co.uk or give us a bell on 0113 430 4160.
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