A database is only as good as the search parameters that you put into it. Over the past week I have spent a lot of time cleaning up the Vocus database. I merged a lot of older User Records with their System Record counterparts. By doing this I was able find a few common pitfalls that our members have fallen into over the years.
I know how frustrating it is to run a search and find no results. However, often times your search just needs a little bit of tweaking. And I have three excellent examples for you:
1. National Public Radio (NPR) – Most users search for “NPR” and they do not get any responses. I assume this is because when speaking about National Public Radio they say “NPR” and not “National Public Radio”. I have received several questions about the lack of media contacts at NPR in Vocus. They are there; you just have to know where to look. Next time you run a search try the acronym as well as the spelled out outlet name, because the British Broadcasting Corporation is found by searching for BBC.
2. Reuters- When you search Reuters you will not find any domestic media outlets or media contacts that are System Records. I thought it was strange that this very popular and wildly known media outlet did not have any domestic outlets in Vocus. After doing some online research I discovered that Reuters is also called Thomson Reuters. If you search for media outlets or media contacts at Thomson Reuters your results will produce domestic outlets in cities across the United States.
3. Bureaus- If you are searching for a media contact at a specific media outlet, you can select all of the media outlets and bureaus. Sometimes people created duplicate media contacts because they think the person works at a bureau and they are listed at the main outlet or vice-verse.
I hope these three tips will help you with your upcoming searches. If you have questions about these tips or need help finding a specific media contact or outlet please contact GMT and we can give you other searching tips.
If you have stumbled across any other great searching tips that you would like to share with other GMT members please leave a comment!
1 Comment
These are great tips,
These are great tips, Michelle. As much as we want a robust system like Vocus to be a sort of "plug and play" tool, there is still effort and strategy that needs to be put into building targeted media lists. Knowing some fo the ins and outs like you've provided here can help folks tackle the search parameters and spend more time finding reporters who will cover their news.