How to harness artificial intelligence for improved efficiency and better storytelling

Historically, building a press list was a labor-intensive process. PR professionals would scour newspapers, magazines, and broadcast schedules, manually noting down names of journalists and their contact details. This was often done with the aid of voluminous media directories, which were the go-to resources before the digital age. These directories, while comprehensive, were not always up-to-date, leading to wasted efforts in reaching out to journalists who had moved on or changed beats. I want AI automation in press relations software which is not an easy order especially when much of this software has been around for twenty years or more. The challenge didn’t end with the creation of the list. The media industry, known for its dynamic nature, sees frequent shifts in personnel. Journalists change beats, move to different publications, or leave the profession altogether. Keeping a press list updated in such a fluid environment was, and still is, a Herculean task. A stale press list could mean missed opportunities, wasted resources, and potential damage to a company’s reputation. Moreover, not every media outlet or journalist is a good fit for every piece of news. Companies have always grappled with the challenge of finding outlets that align with their industry, values, and target audience. In the past, this meant building relationships, understanding the nuances of each publication, and sometimes, learning through trial and error. As a former journalist I still get pitches for a beat I covered almost twenty years ago. In today’s digital age, while technology has simplified some aspects of press list creation, the essence of the challenge remains. The media landscape is broader, more diverse, and faster-paced than ever. Keeping up with changes in media personnel and ensuring that your news reaches the right ears is as demanding as it was in the past, if not more so. Subscribe to our email newsletter,  The Artificially Intelligent Enterprise, to get a comprehensive overview on how to integrate AI into your marketing, and get a free download of Marketing Machines:  How to harness artificial intelligence for improved efficiency and better storytelling.

Press Relations Databases

Public Relations (PR) databases are platforms that help PR professionals manage and connect with journalists, influencers, and other media contacts. These databases often provide detailed contact information, media preferences, and other insights that can help PR professionals tailor their pitches and outreach efforts. Press relations software is a crowded space and the breadth of features is very wide. Modern PR tools are no longer limited to traditional press releases and media lists; they now leverage the power of the internet to offer real-time media monitoring, sentiment analysis, and influencer outreach. Web-based platforms provide PR professionals with instant access to global news, allowing them to track brand mentions, respond to crises promptly, and gauge public sentiment. Additionally, these tools offer insights into trending topics, ensuring PR campaigns remain relevant and timely. The integration of AI and machine learning further enhances these platforms, offering predictive analytics and personalized media recommendations. As the lines between PR, digital marketing, and social media continue to blur, web-browsing-centric PR tools are becoming indispensable for professionals aiming to maintain a proactive and informed approach in their communication strategies.

Here are some of the leading PR databases:

• • Cision – One of the most popular PR software solutions, Cision offers a comprehensive media database, press release distribution, media monitoring, and analytics.

• • Meltwater – Meltwater provides media monitoring, social listening, and a media contact database. It also offers tools for PR analytics and reporting.

• • Prowly – Prowly offers a media database, press release distribution, and a PR CRM to manage relationships with media contacts.

The problem is that most of these solutions are expensive, out-dated, and either to broad or too narrow. Most don’t have any real AI automation for press research. However, having a tool that is easy to use and does exactly what you need to do is really the goal. That’s why I like TechNews, a media monitoring and research tool that’s very effective at getting to the root of the press landscape that you need to access.

TechNews, AI-Powered Press and Analyst Research

Navigating the tech world can be overwhelming with its constant updates. Designed for those in the tech sector, this research tool offers a curated experience to manage the information deluge. Harnessing the power of advanced AI, TechNews provides a vast dataset enriched with natural language processing and a meticulous classification system. Whether you’re tracking the latest trends in the tech universe or focusing on specific discussions, our real-time insights have you covered. Personalize your experience by selecting topics, companies, products, and authors that align with your interests. With TechNews, dive deep into the tech industry with clarity, purpose, and efficiency. What you can do with TechNews:

• • What’s Trending Across The Tech Industry – Upon logging in, users can see the movement of author interest across different time intervals. Users can explore pre-defined categories like topics, companies, products, venture capital, and people to see what’s trending. Clicking on a topic provides information about what’s being written and related topics and companies.

• • What’s trending within a specific topic or company – Searching for a topic in TechNews provides a wealth of data, showing correlations of co-occurring topics and insights into emerging topics and their sub-topics.

• • Save all these topics in a single view – TechNews allows users to star authors, outlets, and topics, creating a personalized feed. Users can also add new topics and create their own categories.

• • Dig deeper into correlations with Charts – The Charts section offers data visualizations to understand trends across tech industry coverage.

• • Take a Closer Look at a Publication You Care About – Users can filter content by specific outlets or authors, providing a tailored view of the tech industry.

For anyone in the tech industry looking to understand complex subjects, see trending topics, and explore written content, TechNews serves as a powerful intelligence engine. TechNews has introduced a new functionality that allows users to observe what’s trending across the entire tech industry or within specific conversations. Founded in 2007, TechNews initially aimed to create a tech industry-specific search engine superior to Google News. The platform has evolved over the years, addressing challenges and integrating new features to provide a comprehensive view of the tech industry. With its latest update, TechNews offers a unique intelligence layer that goes beyond merely understanding who writes content. Instead, it focuses on understanding the content itself, its context, and its relevance in the broader tech landscape.

New TechNews Features

In TechNews recent release they brought their already powerful tool into the artificial intelligence era with numerous new features including natural language processing.

• Natural Language Processing: With the advancement of natural language APIs, TechNews leveraged its vast corpus of curated tech industry news and metadata to train models. This led to the creation of a taxonomy that identifies companies, products, topics, and individuals in tech news.
• Trending Algorithms: TechNews developed algorithms to showcase trending topics across the tech industry, providing insights into what’s gaining traction.
• Search Functionality: The platform ensures that searches yield relevant results, filtering out unrelated content and highlighting genuinely related topics.
• Integrated Interface: TechNews combines metadata on active authors and outlets with trending data, offering insights into who writes content and the topics they cover.
• Enhanced User Experience: Users can follow authors, outlets, or topics and curate a personalized news feed based on their interests.
• Impact on Tech Industry Research: The platform’s multifaceted search functionality aggregates related topics, providing a comprehensive understanding of subject matter domains. This is especially beneficial for tech companies aiming to grasp their market context.

Building a Press List with TechNews’ AI Automation

I just started working with a new client in the tech industry and wanted to see what the media covered related to their products and services. I also wanted to identify the appropriate targets. In a little under five minutes I was able to search the topics I needed and create a press list that could be exported to a spreadsheet. Beyond that I could tag the authors that had covered my client in the past so I knew who had a history of taking their pitches.

AI-Powered Press and Analyst Relations

TechNews has redefined observability in the tech industry. It offers a holistic view, enabling users to understand not just who is writing but also the essence and context of what is being written. Whether for startups, content marketers, or any tech enthusiast, TechNews provides a unique perspective on the tech industry, making it an invaluable tool for those seeking to stay informed and ahead of the curve. If you want AI automation for press relations that get results I highly recommend TechNews.