How Observations and Opinions Become Newsworthy
Some insights, observations, or opinions are newsworthy. In this blog, you’ll read how to make the news with them.
Soft News
Sometimes a certain viewpoint is so groundbreaking or inspiring that it becomes newsworthy. Note: it must not be too commercial. If you produce tires and claim that tires should be replaced more often, that’s not credible (because: your interest is obvious). Soft news is only credible if you do not profit from it yourself.
Below you’ll find several examples of opinion pieces and observations that are newsworthy. Even a call to the government can create newsworthiness. Hopefully, these examples inspire you to also speak out in a discussion – or to spark a new discussion.
Choose an Original Angle
Judith Eyck, founder of Vakanties.nl, notices there is a lot of buzz about the number of female entrepreneurs in the tech scene. Eyck points out that there isn’t just a glass ceiling – which limits women in raising funds and growing a business – but also a sticky floor. "The Dutch woman is the world champion of part-time work, even before children are in the equation. Let's also point to the sticky floor: women who decide not to pursue their ambitions," she tells Quote.
Learning: by highlighting an existing theme (diversity) from another viewpoint (female responsibility), original and newsworthy content is created. Note: Quote editor-in-chief Schimmelpenninck is known for criticizing the part-time work of women.
Choose an Original Theme
Pieter Riedstra, director at recruitment agency Whyz, is concerned that pension fund boards are not getting any younger. Due to aging, there would be fewer suitable candidates for the funds in ten years. "Especially in recent times, it has become clear how important it is to have good trustees at pension funds," says Riedstra against Finance Innovation.
There is much written about pensions – the different systems, freelancers without a pension, and of course pension cuts. But there’s little attention for the composition of boards and their rejuvenation. By claiming such a specific theme, you become a ‘big fish in a small pond’: an expert in your respective niche. That makes a brand more recognizable than a brand that knows ‘something’ about everything.
Combine an Observation with Concrete Advice
If you manage to find a combination of a trend and a solution for a problem, you have a very complete message. See the message below in Metro, where the trend (strange job titles) is linked to advice (make your company attractive to young people).
Another example. Shypple, Sprout's Startup of the Year, observes that more and more companies are realizing the benefits of digitizing the logistic chain. This ‘Booking.com of sea freight’ states that digitization and collaboration in the logistics chain can provide an answer to the challenges of the impending Brexit. By combining a problematic current event (Brexit) with a solution (digitization), urgency and thus newsworthiness arise.
Call on the Government
Startup Barqo is concerned - not because there are too few boats to rent through their platform. No, attracting staff from abroad is too challenging. The ‘Airbnb for boats’ calls on the cabinet to review immigration legislation. The founder of Barqo tells more about it in an interview on BNR. Barqo has a clear profile as a startup, allowing it to speak out on themes relevant to the sector of fast-growing tech companies. By participating at BNR, the brand is guaranteed attention.
Equinix, a data center company, made another call. Around Prinsjesdag (2016) the American data center company managed to reach many Dutch tech media by calling on the government to invest in digital infrastructure. While Germany is focusing on green energy and England on fintech, the Netherlands would do well to invest in digital infrastructure. In this way, the company positions itself as an expert in this field.
In Conclusion
I hope the above tips give you tools to seek out the media with opinions, observations, and insights. By regularly seeking out the media with such content, companies distinguish themselves as thought leaders.
