What's the deal with multimedia elements?

Media company Cision recently released their ‘state of the media’ report, and one of the insights in it was that pitches that include multimedia elements get up to six times more engagement than those with text alone. 

 

There were some other super helpful insights, which I'll break down more below:

 

 

What's particularly striking is the surge in interest for specific multimedia elements. The appetite for images has surged to an impressive 77%. This means that nearly 8 out of 10 journalists are not just open to, but actively seeking, pitches with visual content. This indicates a pivotal shift towards a more visually-driven form of communication.

 

 

Video elements have also seen a substantial spike in interest, climbing to 44%. This indicates a significant shift towards dynamic, engaging content that captures and sustains attention. 

 

 

Data visualisation and graphics have seen a rise in interest as well, reaching 43%. This suggests that journalists are increasingly valuing content that not only informs but does so in a visually digestible manner. It's a testament to the power of infographics and charts in simplifying complex information.

 

 

These statistics underline a fundamental shift in what journalists expect from a pitch. The kind of pitches that get the most attention provide a richer, more immersive experience. This is a reflection of a broader trend in media consumption, where audiences are increasingly drawn to visually stimulating content.

 

I know - this might feel like it's blown open a whole range of new questions, but don't worry, I've got you. Over the next few weeks, I'll be breaking down each of these in more detail so you can confidently start implementing this into your media strategy without spending hours and hours on it.