The media landscape for a public relations professional is more crowded than ever before. As we enter another year of the pandemic, cutting through the noise and utilizing technology to stay connected is crucial, as much of the world continues to operate remotely.
Choosing the right PR tech stack helps an agency to maintain its relevancy when it seems like limitless options are available. In simple terms, a tech stack is a group of technology tools and solutions used to automate tasks. At Trevelino/Keller, we are committed to embracing a changing technological landscape to make what we do better, faster and more collaborative. Below, we’ve outlined a few of our favorite solutions that we believe every agency should have in its PR tech stack.
Muck Rack
Muck Rack is a must-have tool and arguably a standard in public relations software. It is a centralized Public Relations Management (PRM) platform containing a massive online database to discover, track and pitch journalists. You can search for reporters by name, location or topic, find relevant articles for your clients or industry and see what journalists are sharing across social media. The platform can also monitor company, competitor and industry news, provide alerts and compile coverage or trend reports.
Before beginning any PR outreach, it’s imperative to have a pulse on what’s relevant to the current media landscape and what reporters/topics are dominating the conversation. Monitoring social media trending topics sets Muck Rack apart from other databases, while the ability to create customized media lists and track team activity makes it a powerful tool for collaboration.
Owler
Owler is an online competitive intelligence database. The platform allows users to track competitors to gain more intelligent news and industry insights. Owler populates daily newsletters, including news alerts, company profiles and polls. It also allows members to follow, track and research companies in real-time.
For PR professionals, Owler provides information on recent media pieces and press releases about a target company. Additionally, the platform shares company leadership history, merger and acquisition news. Owler is a great resource for quick research and gaining a 360-degree understanding of a new client or competitor.
Qwoted
Newer to the scene than Owler or Muck Rack, Qwoted is a global directory that matches reporters seeking sources with industry experts. The platform allows PR professionals to create profiles for their clients specific to their relevant industry or area of interest. Members of the media can reach out to sources directly or pose general source inquiries to Qwoted’s homepage. Source inquiries are delivered in real-time and outline the synopsis of a reporter’s story, the deadline and additional needed information. Email alerts can be set up and tailored to your client roster, sending you notifications surrounding potential media opportunities as they happen.
Qwoted provides direct access to reporters at top national publications through the site’s messaging feature. Forget about fighting to stand out in a journalist’s inbox or enduring yet another lengthy email chain. Industry experts can form direct connections with the media and begin building relationships beyond a single source request.
There are, of course, plenty of additional tools that you can integrate into your PR tech stack, but these are a few must-haves.