S1 E17 Leveraging Traditional and Non-Traditional Media to Forward Your Message

School Leader Soundbites

Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're talking about Leveraging Traditional and Non-Traditional Media to Forward Your Message.
▪️What is going on with traditional journalistic way of doing things when school districts are engaging with reporters?
-Traditional media does not work the way it used to
-You used to know what to expect- not so much anymore
-Reporters come out, put their phones on tripods and record you
-Think about how you can support media
▪️Be mindful where people are consuming their media & cater to those needs.
-This will build rapport with that media outlet
-Build trust with your community
-Invite them in to talk about legal things happening
▪️Traditional vs Non-Traditional Media
-Non-Traditional Media- bloggers, influencers, people running for-profit digital platforms, sharing things that are not neutral
-They are not held to the traditional media standards
-You have to engage with them because they are feeding the information vacuum that your community often has.
-Develop a communication strategy for both traditional and non-traditional media.
-Note: when they reach out and request to talk with you, you don't have to do it. However, in certain circumstances it can benefit you to talk to them.
▪️Know what your community values and wants you to talk about
-One of the best ways to do this is with surveys
-Once you get that data and know what they are wanting to know about, you can go to both types of media and share some of the insights of what you are using in your district to address those situations.
Traditional media is earned media, something you strive to get as often as you can. As you enter into the emerging space of Non-traditional media, I encourage you to invite them in as well. They can create value and help share things happening in your district as well. If you need any help with this, please contact me or drop questions in the comments. Be sure to share this episode with your colleagues! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.
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