Beyond its educational offering, producing research is up there as a business school’s key function. And many institutions define themselves by the quality of the research-related content they produce. It can and does, after all, serve as a significant draw for top talent outside of your organisation – especially faculty.
But, while the production of high-quality research is an important factor for prospective faculty when deciding whether or not to join your institution, knowing that their work will be promoted and, in turn, will feature in mainstream media (in addition to academic publications) is also key.
Researchers want to know that their content will have impact. And, often, a marker of impact is press exposure. So, it’s up to communications teams to secure that media attention for faculty.
Here are essential tips for getting research into the news:
Some working in the research communications space will tell you that, oftentimes, the research you’re looking to promote will have that ‘it factor’ – an innate quality that’ll get it picked up by a variety of major news outlets and influential sector publications. And other times, according to these same professionals, the studies you come across just really don’t have what it takes to garner much media traction.
Now, I’m not disputing that some studies – whether by virtue of their focus or timeliness – are inherently more conducive for mass consumption than others. But, those that seek to simply categorise research papers as ‘media worthy’ or otherwise don’t place enough weight on the value of your dissemination strategy.
Identifying the best way to promote a specific study is crucial to getting it picked up by targeted media titles.
Not all research papers should be immediately turned into a press release. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not right for mainstream media. It just means that the manner in which you engage with press targets needs to be considered and adapted accordingly.
Have you thought about crafting a tailored pitch to a journalist, with the goal of securing something other than a feature for the study? Perhaps a broader interview or even an op-ed might be an ideal fit for your study.
Whatever form the final bit of coverage takes, be agile and adaptable in the initial outreach.
But, if you do opt to take the press release route, the strength of your headline is key. As we all already know, journalists are inundated with messages each day, so your release needs to stand out. More specifically, your headline needs to be arresting.
It needs to capture the essence of the study, highlighting the key takeaway from the research in a clear, digestible manner. That’s about more than just simple language. Journalists need to be able to grasp the significance of the finding (they need to be convinced of why the study matters at all). They, just like the eventual consumer, need something tangible.
So, where possible, leverage the quantifiable. For instance, if the study you’re promoting found that the overwhelming majority of English football fans believed that in the 2026 FIFA World Cup it was in fact ‘coming home’ (= England winning the tournament), identify the specific stat and use it.
Journalists are hard-pressed for time and short on attention, so you need to grab their interest while you can and offer them something clear and tangible to work with.
Those that can capture the key finding of a study they’re promoting in a digestible and compelling manner will see that work garner media traction.
Now this isn’t specific to research-related activity, but: if you can, you should be trying to frame your story within the context of the current news cycle.
As established, journalists are busy. They’re often overworked and outnumbered. They’re also often working on stories or themes that have be pre-agreed upon with colleagues. So, in other words, the remit of their interest – at least for that day/week – has possibly been established already.
Offering something that deviates from that scope could prove fruitful… but it might get pushed aside for something that aligns with their pre-set brief. If you want to grab journalists’ attention, try to work to their agenda. That often means tying your study to the broader news cycle.
If you’re able to align your work with the news cycle, that study will appear inherently timely and relevant (and so newsworthy). Quite simply, in a world where journalists have never been busier, you need to make it easy for them to take an interest in your story. Aligning your release with the news agenda does that.
There is no obvious formula to garnering media attention for research. The media is too complex for it to be that straightforward. But there are a number of things you can consider to give yourself the best chance of success. Above were just three examples.
For more support in garnering media attention for your faculty’s content, contact BlueSky Education today.
Jonny delivers impactful PR results using an evolving network of essential media contacts, from national newspapers like Forbes, The Guardian, the Financial Times and The Telegraph, to specific trade editors such as PIE News, QS Top Universities, We Are The City and University World News. He is committed to helping more ambitious institutions reach international media goals.