Your business website news section could be an asset in generating engagement and interest in your company – that is the message from a new podcast featuring Osborn Communications and award-winning partners VOiD Applications.
In a recent episode of the Into the VOiD podcast, our director Chris Leggett joined VOiD’s Chris Carter and Neil Cooper to reveal how a news section can be used strategically to drive long-term success for businesses of any size.
In the first guest appearance in the Into the VOiD series, Chris spoke to Chris and Neil about the engagement and impact which businesses can generate by sharing their news updates on a regular basis.
Award-winning Osborn, which Chris founded in 2020, has produced successful digital, PR and marketing work for a range of organisations, including market-leading industrial clients, retail and logistics companies, business lenders and training firms.
VOiD Applications works with a diverse client base of businesses to transform their online presence, increase leads and boost sales through services including web design and development, application design and development, SEO and marketing services as well as branding and design.
As well as being on YouTube, you can listen via Apple Podcasts.
Here is an edited transcript of the ideas which Chris shared in the recording:
I often come across companies who don’t think they’ve got a story – but they do. Whenever I speak to someone about their business, I’ll ask them what’s been going on, and within three minutes we’ve found four or five ideas for news stories.
It could be a promotion in the team, someone new joining, a big business anniversary, a project that’s gone well, an award nomination, a charity partnership or fundraising initiative – even just the fact that you’ve moved office or taken on your first international client.
It doesn’t need to be headline news in the national press. It just needs to say something positive and informative about who you are and what you do.
These are the types of stories that should be regularly added to your website’s news section and social media platforms.
Don’t wait for something big
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to wait until something huge happens before you can talk about it. But actually, if you wait for big milestones, you might miss the opportunity to build that story over time.
If someone’s promoted internally, that shows investment in your people. If you’ve raised money, tell us what it’s going towards. If you’ve supported a charity, say why that cause matters to you.
I often ask clients: ‘What would you tell your friends or colleagues at a networking event or down the pub?’ That’s usually a good place to start. If you’d mention it in conversation, it’s probably worth capturing in your website’s news section.
Spotting opportunities everywhere
Sometimes people are too close to their own business to see what’s interesting. They need someone to step back and say, ‘That’s a story.’ And once they realise that, it changes everything. They start spotting opportunities in everyday things.
If you keep a list – even just in a notebook or a shared document – of what’s happened that month, it builds up fast.
You start with nothing and six months later, you’ve got a bank of good news you can share with your website audience, with potential clients, with investors and even with journalists.
It’s about creating a drumbeat of stories that show your business is alive, active and growing – and you don’t need to invent anything.
You just need to recognise what’s already there.
If you’d like support with identifying newsworthy stories or developing your website news section, we can help. Drop us a line to book a chat.