Formulating a good news peg during the summer slowdown
As life tends to slow down during the summer, the good news is the news cycle keeps going! Even though producers and editors might also be on vacation, there are ways to make sure your topics and story ideas get the media’s attention. So how do you find news pegs during the summer? Focus on summer topics!
Summer trends
Every year summer brings a host of outdoor activities, new ideas, and things to do. This is especially true during our first post-pandemic summer!
Look for opportunities to cover new ideas and summertime trends that people might be interested in. Pay attention to your local community to see what everyone is up to and talk about popular activities that they might enjoy. Here are some ideas:
- Cover vacation travel and how to make it easier
- Tell your audience what there is to do around town
- Cover openings of seasonal shops
- Vacation and staycation ideas for your local community
- Identify ways to focus on the personal self rather than the professional self
When you are looking for news pegs about summer trends, emphasize what makes this trend big this year.
Family events
Summer is known for being packed full of family fun, and reporters often pick up stories on family activities. Check your local calendar for family-friendly activities and events.
Back to school is another big event that rolls around at the end of every summer. Help families get ready for back-to-school season by telling them about important dates, where they can go shop, and what the new school year brings. Keep an eye on the school calendar for information on things like:
- Prepping for student success
- Staying on schedule
- After school activities
- How to ease the transition back to school and work
Looking for news pegs related to family fun means keeping your calendar up to date and checking in with members of your local community who help schedule events. Make connections with your community centers, school representatives, and other organizations that help facilitate programs so that you know what is going on!
Keep an eye on hot topics
If a big topic is trending on national news, look for information that makes the story relevant to your audience. Find news pegs that connect your community to the story and make it impactful for them. If there is a big story that is close to home, find ways to make it new and unique or with a more interesting perspective.
Talk to your contacts
One significant benefit of making connections in the PR world is having some help finding information! Talk to reporters and other PR contacts that you have about what they have been covering over the summer months. What news pegs have they been using that got the attention of their audiences? If you are having trouble finding good news pegs during the slower summer months, do not be afraid to use the relationships you have built to get some help.
Summer news pegs take a bit of creativity and pivoting, but we are here to help!