8 news values to dramasticly increase your reach in the bubble
In the world of information, it is incredibly hard to have your content and ideas delivered to and read by your audience. With this method, I garantee you will instantly increase your reach.
There is a simple way to make the documents you or your organisation produce more impactful, and dramatically improve your reach in the policy field.
This method, called “the height news values“ is used by journalists, reporters, and successful writers to publish news that the audience will want to read. You too can incorporate these values into your work and ensure that your documentation (press releases, policy papers, opinion pieces, etc.) are shared and gets read by the people you try to reach.
Let’s get to it. But before, don’t forget to subscribe to The Beubble.
Impact
Impact relates to the relative importance of an event or piece of news.
Covid-related news was everywhere in 2020 because it responded to the moment where the pandemic had the most impact, in terms of infected, number of countries affected, and economic loss.
Try to tie your news to significant figures (10.000 people laid off, 10 million in loss for industry X, etc.) to draw readers to your content.
Timeliness
You better sent out press releases when the iron is still hot.
If your event is a week old, or if a law passed a month ago, or if a demonstration will be held in a month, you’re not on time. You could try to publish a piece about the European elections. But since they are not due before a year, you will not reach the audience you expect.
Tie your news to current events.
Prominence
Use big names.
And when I say big, I don’t mean your regular MEP, or your average Head of Unit. I’m talking about Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, or Joe Biden.
Of course, it all depends on the size of your news. If you try to reach voters in the region of Bavaria, local representatives could do, although, once again, the German Chancellor might be an even more interesting figure to mention.
Rule of thumb: the bigger the better.
Proximity
People are naturally interested in what happens close to them.
The major problem with European politics is that it feels remote. It is done in Brussels, for and by people of the bubble. If you give a local flavour to your news, it will have so much more impact.
It works for stakeholders too. Talk to MEPs about the consequence of this particular law on their constituents. Mention to a Commissioner how your proposal might create jobs in her home country.
Conflict
Dramatic events draw crowds.
Think of the war in Ukraine: the first conflict in Europe for more than two decades was bound to make the news. In a way, it still does.
The current strikes in France could be a starting point for a piece on workers’ rights, or the four-day week, as MEP Pierre Larrouturou does.
Don’t rely too much upon the misery of others, but if you can link your news to an important conflict (not necessarily a geopolitical one), then you can expect better coverage.
Unexpected
Curiosity is a great way to draw readers to your content.
The war, again, was an unexpected event, especially in Western Europe. That’s another reason that explains why it was such an important source of news.
But you can also use some humour and show the bizarre in a situation.
Trends
Not all timeliness stories are trends.
Sometimes the news is focused on an event that is shared by enough people so that it catches momentum.
While you can’t predict or create trends, you can surf on them: a major company is going bankrupt? Time to call for the tax break you have been advocating for months. Did the Brazilian elections turn into insurrections? Time to remind the world about the necessity to preserve the Amazon rainforest.
Human interest
Emotions are a powerful carrier of interest.
People want to hear about Karl, a young german worker who, thanks to EU funds, got special training in solar panel installation and is now running a profitable company. Or how the town of Lützerath was destroyed to extend a coal mine.
Try to incorporate these values in the content that you want your audience to read. And if you need further help, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Alexandre Météreau is the author of The Beubble, and a specialist in European policies and politics. Discover more about Alexandre at alexandre-metereau.eu.