I often write in my posts about using photo captions or cutline’s to briefly explain a bigger story whether it is for your website or materials you are sending to the media. Often I prefer to send the media a captioned photo over a full release. Obviously for a significant incident a full release is warranted, but for many other activities such as Fire Prevention Day, citations, school visits etc., a captioned photo is effective and more likely to receive placement.
Ragan Communications calls captions or cutline’s “Scanner Grabbers,” and has some excellent thoughts on how to capitalize on smaller is better.
Scanner Grabbers are headlines, subheads, kickers, section heads and pull quotes; these elements accomplish two things simultaneously: They get essential information across to the “scanner”—the person who is merely flipping through the publication or scanning down the Web page—and they try to coax the scanner into reading the article.
Former Ragan publisher Jim Ylisela offers the following tips. Most are geared towards a corporate public relations environment, but should still be able to get your creative PIO juices flowing.
1. A caption is an entry point, just like a photo, a headline or a pullout quote. So treat it like one. If you’ve got room for one sentence, write something that will make people want to read the story.
2. Add something that isn’t obvious. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, then you don’t need another 20 to describe what we can all clearly see. Advance the story by telling us what we don’t see—but should know.
3. Photos can be self-contained stories. I’d like to see corporate editors do more with “snapshot” moments, by taking a compelling photograph of an event, or someone doing a visually interesting job, then writing an entire story about that moment—all in the caption.
4. Most readers will look at a photo and its caption before tackling the story. Use online photos and captions to link to a slideshow, or other related information. In print, use the caption to drive people online to find out more.
5. Make captions interactive. Many organizations run photo competitions, but very few hold caption-writing contests. Have a little fun. The boring, run-of-the-mill corporate photo will draw much more attention if you invite your readers to fill in the blank caption. (Rules of decorum apply.)
Also on The Fire PIO…
- Add some Creativity to your Staged Photos – May 7, 2010
- Stock Photos can increase your PR value – April 12, 2010
- Magic Wands are only in Fairy Tales – May 18, 2010
- We must Accommodate Internet Journalists – June 24, 2010
No Comments