Paywalls to Hamper NZ Public Relations Agencies Effectiveness: Auckland PR Consultant

In this blog entitled, Paywalls to Hamper NZ Public Relations Agencies Effectiveness – Auckland PR Consultant, one PR firm shares the potential impact of paywalls on local agencies.

what will the introduction of paywalls around news sites mean for those in NZ public relations agencies? Media reports indicate that some of the New Zealand’s largest media networks are exploring the introduction of paywalls, leading Auckland PR consultants such as ourselves may well start to ask how they might access news stories on behalf of their clients in a timely manner.

A typical media strategy for our PR agency involves highly targeted placement of stories in a particular order. In order to maximise media coverage for our clients we as a PR firm, need to know immediately when a story has been published online.

With dozens of news sites throughout New Zealand, it becomes cost prohibitive and logistically difficult for public relations agencies to purchase monthly subscriptions of $15 or more to all the news media titles they may potentially secure coverage in. Those PR firms which need to monitor their news coverage in real time may find themselves struggling with the inherent time lag of media clipping services.

Paywalls operate by blocking Google’s access to their content – restricting it to paid subscribers. So even though search engine technology has evolved to the point that updates can be found within seconds of being posted, the introduction of paywalls will be a real issue for incumbents in the NZ Public Relations agencies – as well as, I suspect, those PR consultants operating throughout the world.

I believe that as the paywall trend begins to take hold across New Zealand’s largest news media sites, savvy media clipping services will begin to adapt their product offering using real time news updates to New Zealand public relations companies so that we may continue to offer a strategically beneficial service to our clients.

Mark Devlin

Mark Devlin

Director at Impact PR
Mark Devlin is a dynamic Auckland entrepreneur who provides PR counsel for some of the world’s most recognisable brands. With more than 20 years in public relations and marketing, Mark has an impressive portfolio of clients who trust him with their brands.
Tags: