A while back I was discussing how the ability of driving traffic to stories is nothing new for PR professionals. Actually, I strongly believe being able to generate buzz and traffic around a story published in the media about a client is something journalists should consider when covering a topic. In the current background, it seems that this ability of PRs will prove to be worth quite a bit in the business world.

We all know that blogs and online news outlets usually give bonuses to their writers based on traffic, engagement or shares that help spread the word. It’s not unusual for a writer to make more just because his or her story gets tons of retweets or Facebook shares or because it brings in thousands of visits.

What’s even more interesting is that this trend will soon move to media outlets that made a name in print and have online editions. Rumor has it USA Today is considering giving traffic bonuses to writers. As public relations professionals pitch stories to the very same journalists who will earn more based on traffic, how good the PR expert is at helping out on this matter will count.

And it should count! All news outlets are businesses. The numbers matter to them as the matter to other types of websites. I don’t see this as a new trick to pull to get some coverage. The way I see PR and journalism is as a collaboration, mutual help. The journalist gets a good topic to cover and information helping him get a broad picture, plus the traffic required by their supervisors, the PR pro gets coverage for a client, which translated into traffic and hopefully sales for them and an ongoing contract for the PR consultant.

The million dollar question for PRs right now is can you drive traffic to stories? If not, are you planning on learning how to soon? Now it’s the time to do it!

The journalists vs. PR professionals war has been going on for decades. It is fueled by frustration, impatience, beginners in both fields, moral high grounds being taken over every day and powers beyond your imagination, such as trends, traffic and boredom.

The two opposing armies

Journalists – mostly overworked, tired, frustrated, bored of seeing the same announcement and questions and mistakes over and over again. In control of powerful mass destruction weapons (revealing dozens of spammers in their magazines) or targeted, refined technology (taking it out on a certain individual).

PR professionals - a joint force of company employees and agency staffers; mostly overworked, tired, frustrated, bored of seeing their story dropped for hard to grasp reasons. Wielding powerful weapons such as exclusives, hot stories, tips and inside information

The facts: there are no perfect journalists and there are no perfect PRs. Everyone has made mistakes, several and sometimes repeatedly and that’s how we learn. What both sides lack is more consideration, more patience and a genuine desire to understand the other side.

The big losers of the war

Clients of both sides – advertisers, readers, companies, professionals with a story to tell.

That is the reality people, these are the big losers. The readers that come for great stories to a certain outlet and instead get a more-than-500 words story about how X PR rep has annoyed the journalist to death and it was so much after so long that he just had to tell the world how bad that PR rep was. Oh, and that the company should hire some one else because of a momentary lapse of judgement.

Also, the companies that want their stories told. Some of these stories are great. Some of them are worthy of the outlet’s readers. Yet they never get told either because a PR rep did not do his or her job right or because a journalist is to bitter, bored or tired to dig deep into the list of emails to find the great stories.

The companies and readers pay the price for this long lasting war that I don’t get. And you know why I don’t get it? Because I made so many mistakes over the years as a PR rep and because I saw so many journalists making silly mistakes at the same time. I am sorry to break it to you, but we’re all human and quite imperfect.

How this war should end

Simple! Before pointing the finger to the other side, we should consider our own mistakes. They usually are many. And after analyzing them and seeing the human being inside of us and not the god-like persona we would like to be, maybe we will be able to see the human side of the person we’re so harshly judging in that moment.

Clients are those who matters. Not just those of the PR rep, but also the clients of any publication. They should come first. And because we chose our line of work, we should learn to put them first more often and make sure we work together to have a smooth communication which will benefit them in the end. And it will also benefit us, as we will be less angry, frustrated and ready to take in out on the next person who looks funny to us.

So, dear fellow PRs, take the extra ten minutes to see what a journalist actually writes about and at least customize your email’s first paragraph. Reply on time and try to help out as much as you can. Dear journalists, try to make it clear what you cover or are willing to cover. Dear editors and chiefs and star-journalists, please be more patient with those who fail you. Because sometimes, just sometimes, it’s unclear to tell who covers what or your beat list is severely outdated and a PR professional might rely on you to direct them to the right person.

Just so you know, I have been blogging for years, I have a journalism background and I am a PR professional. I have been on a company’s side and I now run my own agency. I have learned from my mistakes and from those of others and I am still learning everyday. I try to understand both sides and see how it can all be made just a little better.

What I think you shouldn’t have missed last week…

It’s been a rich week in the online world in what usefull business, PR and Marketing tips are involved. Here are a few must reads for you to kick start the week with:

Lip-sticking blog’s guest writer Chloe Spencer explains Why Teens Are Addicted to Facebook.

A scandal raising once again well known issues – is the media biased? how far should you go when a journalist has published something partially true about yourself? are journalists in the business of half-truths? Oracle CEO to Fortune Reporter: ‘Hey Jerk…your job is telling half-truths’ via PR Newswire.

Thinking of turning your blog into a book? Then you should read about Barbara Swafford’s experience on Blogging without a Blog.

5 Not-So-Easy Steps to Manage Your Brand Online, an insightful post from Brian Solis on listening, engaging social media users and managing online brands.

Fair warning from Ben Yoskovitz (Instigator Blog): Scratching Your Own Itch May be Detrimental to Your Startup’s Health!

A great question coming from Amber Naslund – Are You Sure You Want That Social Media Job?

Shouldn’t social media be about the people boosting its power? Yet most social media platforms are in the bad habit of hunting down power users (who act as evangelits, driving hordes of traffic and attentions). Alex Cristache debates it in Social Media’s new creed: Power from the people.

Weekly Roundup on Travel Tweeks

Ed Stafford, First Man to Hike the Full Length of the Amazon River
This is a story about dedication, endurance and love for hiking and the wild outdoors. It took Ed Stafford a little over two years to complete the 4,000 mile hike along the Amazon River, from its source to its mouth,making him the first man in the entire world to succeed in such a challenging travel plan. He started his hike in Peru, back in April 2008 and finished it yesterday at Maruda Beach, Brazil.
More

Roatan Island, Honduras: Scuba Diving Paradise
Welcome to the astonishing Roatan Island, Honduras, the largest of all Bay Islands and dream destination for scuba divers across the world.
More

My articles on Everything PR

Absolutely Public Relations’ big fail in the challenging world of social media

Mia Farrow States Naomi Campbell’s Uncut Diamond Story Is Inaccurate

Carole White Agrees with Mia Farrow: Naomi Campbell lied

Apple Exec Mark Papermaster Leaves because of iPhone Antennagate

Tropical Storms Mess up BP Oil Well Sealing Plans yet again

New Jackie Evancho YouTube Viral Boosts America’s Got Talent Popularity [video]

comScore Twitter Worldwide Report: Indonesia, Brazil and Venezuela Score Top Growth

US PR Spending Rebounds, Set to hit USD 4.4 billion by 2014

Small Business Owners Continue Education to Expand Skill Set

2010 PRWeek Awards, Recognizing Excellence in Public Relations

Oprah Winfrey Hires Rosy O’Donnell on Her Soon to Come Cable TV Channel

Obama’s New PR Strategy: Send More Illegal Immigrants Home

Levi Johnston, from Dating Sarah Palin’s Daugther to Getting TV Reality Show

Scott Pilgrim vs The World Under-performs this Weekend, Proving Reviewers Wrong

Have an awesome week and see you all next Monday!

A couple of weeks ago, I went to an interview with one of my clients. We were meeting an IT journalist who was working for a local business magazine. We met, the interview went great, the story was supposed to be included in a future edition of the magazine.

We even sent some photos after the interview, as there was no photographer available for that interview. And then we waited. It was a 2-week wait. But after just one week, we heard that he magazine had been shut down. Most employees had been fired, a few of them had been transferred to a different business magazine of the same group.

This is the third magazine that’s closed down since last autumn. Will more follow? Should we get used to not have our clients’ stories published not because they’re not good enough, but because there’s no newspaper/magazine to publish it in?

This is the kind of news that makes all those predicting the end of print media go “Aha!”. Starting February 2009, we’ll have to say goodbye to the print version of PC Magazine. It will be changed into a digital format, with similar subscription options. I’m looking forward to see how advertising options will change, but even more curious to see how many of they readers switch from paper to downloadable format.

How did they announce it? Well, it’s all posted on their site, the CEO emailed their contacts and, just in case that email was lost among others, account managers also contacted their clients. From what my contact shared with me, before this move, a large part from the magazine’s income was generated by their digital branch. This leads me to believe the complete switch was a pretty smart move.

What do you think? Any predictions you’d like to share? Will other magazines follow the same pattern? Is this easier for a tech magazine? I’d love to read your thoughts.