One of the most common challenges businesses face when planning PR and content marketing is deciding what to talk about. This goes for email marketing, socials, blog posts, press releases and more.
It is easy to assume that you need a major announcement, a groundbreaking product or a dramatic success story to generate worthwhile content. In reality, most organisations already have plenty of interesting stories. They simply need to recognise and frame them in the right way.
The strongest business stories usually fit within one of six media-friendly angles:
Growth • Innovation • People • Impact • Expertise • Milestones
Almost every business update can be approached through one or more of these lenses. A new employee, for example, might be a straightforward people story, but it could also demonstrate growth, investment in skills or expansion into a new market.
The key is to look beyond the announcement itself and explain why it matters.
Growth stories demonstrate momentum and give customers, employees and the wider market confidence in the direction of the business.
Potential stories might include:
Rather than simply announcing a contract win, consider what the project represents. Is it your largest contract to date? Does it take the business into a new sector or region? Will it create jobs or require investment in equipment?
Those additional details turn a routine business update into a more meaningful story.
People stories often perform well because they give a human face to the organisation.
These could include:
A short announcement about a promotion can become a much stronger piece of content when it explains the employee’s journey, achievements and future responsibilities.
Apprenticeship and graduate stories can also support recruitment by showing prospective employees how people develop within the business.
New products and services are obvious content opportunities, but the story should focus on the problem being solved rather than simply listing features.
Ideas include:
Explain why the product was created, who it is designed to help and what makes it different.
The development process itself may also provide useful content. Research, testing, prototypes, customer feedback and lessons learned can all become articles, videos, case studies or social media posts.
Customer stories are among the most valuable forms of content because they provide evidence of what your business can deliver, which can be very powerful for SEO (search engine optimisation) and to demonstrate E-A-T (Expertise, Authority and Trust).
Potential angles include:
A strong case study should explain the customer’s original challenge, the solution provided and the resulting impact.
Where possible, include tangible outcomes such as time saved, costs reduced, performance improved or capacity increased. A quote from the customer will also make the story more credible.
Long-standing customer relationships can be particularly powerful. A ten, twenty or thirty-year relationship says a great deal about service, reliability and trust.
You do not always need company news to create worthwhile content.
Sharing knowledge and informed opinions can help position your business and its people as trusted experts within the industry.
Ideas might include:
This content is particularly useful when it helps customers understand a complex subject or make a better decision.
Think about the questions your sales, customer service and technical teams are regularly asked. Each one could potentially become an article, guide, video or social post.
Your internal data may also reveal useful insights. Changes in customer behaviour, demand, pricing or product specification can provide the basis for original commentary.
Businesses are increasingly expected to demonstrate their environmental and social impact.
Relevant stories may include:
The strongest sustainability stories include specific actions and measurable results.
Rather than saying the business is committed to reducing its environmental impact, explain what has changed and what difference it has made. This could include reductions in energy consumption, emissions, waste or packaging.
It is also important to avoid overstating environmental claims. Clear evidence and transparent reporting will make the content more credible.
Learn how easy it is to improve your digital sustainability in this article.
Operational improvements may feel routine internally, but they can provide strong evidence of growth, quality and long-term investment.
Possible stories include:
The story should explain the reason for the investment and the benefit it creates.
Does the new equipment improve quality, reduce waste, increase capacity or enable the business to deliver a new product? Will it create jobs or improve working conditions?
Those outcomes are often more interesting than the equipment itself.
Recognition from an independent organisation can strengthen the credibility of your wider marketing.
Content opportunities include:
An award announcement should explain what the award recognises and why the achievement matters.
Business anniversaries can also provide an opportunity to tell a much broader story. Instead of simply announcing that the company is 25 years old, explore how it started, how the industry has changed and where the business is heading next.
Some of the most engaging content comes from the stories behind the business.
These might include:
These stories can help an organisation feel more relatable and memorable.
They are particularly effective when they reveal something people would not normally see, such as how a product is made, what happens during a typical working day or how the business responded to a difficult challenge.
A good story should not be used once and then forgotten.
A new contract win could become:
The central story remains the same, but the format and emphasis can be adapted for different audiences and channels.
This approach makes content creation more efficient and helps maintain consistent messaging across the organisation.
The biggest barrier to creating regular content is often not a lack of ideas. It is a lack of communication.
Marketing teams may not hear about new contracts, employee achievements, technical innovations or community activity until months after they happen, or not at all.
A simple monthly conversation with sales, HR, operations and senior management can uncover a steady supply of stories.
Ask questions such as:
Not every idea will become a press release, but most can contribute to your website, social media, newsletters, videos or sales content.
The stories are usually already there. The real skill lies in identifying the strongest angle, adding context and explaining why the update matters to the people you want to reach.
Get in touchGet in touch if you need a hand generating ideas to shout about.