Whether it’s breaking news, a new product launch or a competitor’s public relations crisis, having an efficient way to monitor online mentions of your brand is essential. One of the most popular and effective tools for doing so is a news alert. A news alert, or Google Alerts, is a free service that scans your selected keywords to notify you whenever they appear online. You can set up alerts for your clients’ names, the subject matter of a press release or any other words and phrases that are relevant to your business.
Breaking news alerts are immediate notifications sent by media organizations to inform their audiences about significant and urgent events as they unfold. They include essential information like the who, what, where, when and why of an event to capture attention and enable audiences to understand its implications. These alerts are typically disseminated via TV, radio and websites to reach a wide audience. They also help to build trust with audiences by providing real-time updates, which are important for maintaining credibility in a fast-paced digital landscape.
When you want to attract media attention for your historic preservation group’s activities, you should send a media alert rather than a press release. While both are designed to get reporters’ attention, a media alert is more specific in its approach. For instance, it should clearly state the date and time of an event, and it should explain why it’s important for journalists to attend. It should also include contact information for a go-to person at your chapter (either an officer or chapter chair) to follow-up with questions.