Covering COVID-19: Amid the pandemic, brand journalists step up their storytelling
As this strain of coronavirus disrupts business and everyday living, organizations’ newsrooms are providing vital information to their targeted audiences. Here’s what you need to know.
A key tenet of crisis communications: Get ahead of the story.
Move, as quickly as you can, from reacting to the news—and to those controlling the narrative—to telling your own story. Not spin, but facts. Not just following the news, but leading the conversation.
That’s what brand journalists do. They cover their organizations and their industries with news, analysis and a point of view. They’re informing employees, customers, their industries and the broader communities they serve. And yes, brand journalism is filling the gaps for overextended news outlets.
[Hear more from Ylisela in RCG’s webinar, “Managing through the coronavirus.”]
It’s easy to tell stories when times are good. It’s crucial to do so in a crisis.
There’s certainly enough to cover. The current coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, has led to travel restrictions, business disruption and employee nervousness, among other issues.
It’s a lot for communicators to handle, and it seems to all be happening at once.
Many of our brand journalism clients are doing really impressive work covering this story. I’ve had the privilege of seeing much of this work up close, and in real time. Take a look:
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