81 percent of journalists use corporate websites, survey finds

Too busy on Twitter or Facebook to update your corporate website?

Bad move, according to a survey by Arketi Group that found 81 percent of business journalists turn to corporate websites and webinars when looking for story ideas, breaking news, or seeking a corporate spokesperson.

"Despite the growth of social media, the survey shows that journalists still frequently turn to corporate websites for information," said Mike Neumeier, APR, principal of Arketi Group. "Companies should continue to devote resources to their websites, along with other online communication channels."

What are reporters looking for, exactly?

• Contact information (98 percent)
• Search capabilities (94 percent)
• Text documents (87 percent)
• PDFs (84 percent)
• Publication-quality graphics or photos (79 percent)

Journalists also cite company-sponsored webinars as a source of helpful information, especially those focused on industry trends, original research and case studies.

Business journalists attend webinars to understand issues they did not know much about (82 percent), learn more information about industry trends (84 percent), and find more information about a specific product or service (51 percent).

What do you think? Is your website reporter-friendly?