Corporate sites are not media-friendly enough
Many companies make insufficient use of the opportunity for cost-effective public relations on the Web
Many companies make insufficient use of the opportunity for cost-effective public relations on the WebThe latest press release to download or the e-mail address of the press spokesperson? A matter of course for every corporate website, journalists think. But the reality is often different. The "Journalists 2000" study, conducted by Online Relations Consulting together with ProfNet Service&Dienstleistungen GmbH, Dortmund, shows that there is a wide gap between what journalists expect from corporate websites and what is actually on offer. The Internet presences of the largest German industrial companies, banks, insurance companies, cities, associations and political parties were taken into account for the study.
All journalists surveyed expect a corporate website to include a navigation button for the press, the name of a contact person and their e-mail address. But only 56 percent of the companies and institutions surveyed provide a contact person for media inquiries, 43 percent their e-mail address; 55 percent provide a link to a press page.
Images could be downloaded from only 26 of the sites studied, press releases from only 17 percent; only 12 percent of the sites offered a search function. These points also show that most corporate websites hardly meet journalists' expectations: More than three quarters of respondents wanted an index-oriented search function and download options for images and press releases.
The experience of many journalists shows that not only the dinosaurs have a hard time communicating via the Internet. Many dot.coms provide neither a telephone number nor an address on their website and cannot be found in the telephone directory either. Often there is only a
e-mail address available. And inquiries to them simply go unanswered. With such companies, one must probably assume that they want to avoid contact with the media at all costs. Clemens Hörler
All journalists surveyed expect a corporate website to include a navigation button for the press, the name of a contact person and their e-mail address. But only 56 percent of the companies and institutions surveyed provide a contact person for media inquiries, 43 percent their e-mail address; 55 percent provide a link to a press page.
Images could be downloaded from only 26 of the sites studied, press releases from only 17 percent; only 12 percent of the sites offered a search function. These points also show that most corporate websites hardly meet journalists' expectations: More than three quarters of respondents wanted an index-oriented search function and download options for images and press releases.
The experience of many journalists shows that not only the dinosaurs have a hard time communicating via the Internet. Many dot.coms provide neither a telephone number nor an address on their website and cannot be found in the telephone directory either. Often there is only a
e-mail address available. And inquiries to them simply go unanswered. With such companies, one must probably assume that they want to avoid contact with the media at all costs. Clemens Hörler
