No association thrives without a robust media division because the media is one of the main channels for communicating with members and an industry at large.
Typically an association media mix includes a website, a newsletter or newsletters, webinars, podcasts, conferences and trade shows, and frequently, a print magazine. Naturally, the senior managers of these departments have a perspective on the state of media based on years of experience. They represent a mastery of multichannel advertising campaigns, conference production and sponsor sales, supplier relationships, and forging related partnerships. This month, we were pleased to get an opportunity to chat with Diane Rusignola, Vice President, REIT Media, at the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts.
In the case of NAREIT, a $37 million organization based in Washington, D.C., the media mix is diverse. It includes a suite of digital products, email, multimedia, and events. We sat down with Rusignola for a conversation on media trends. Here’s our discussion.
Fox Tales: As head of Nareit’s media offerings, what marketer needs are you seeing? More tangible ROI? Leads? Exposure?
Diane Rusignola: It’s really a combination, and the goals can vary quite a bit from one marketer to another. Some companies come to us primarily for visibility and brand awareness, while others are looking for thought leadership, engagement, or opportunities to get in front of a very specific audience within commercial real estate.
Diane Rusignola.
What I’m seeing more and more is that marketers want to understand exactly what they’re getting for their investment. They’re asking about audience, distribution, engagement, and reporting earlier in the conversation. At Nareit, we have a very targeted audience of REIT and publicly traded real estate professionals, so our value isn’t necessarily about delivering the biggest possible number of impressions. It’s about reaching the right people. That distinction is increasingly important.
Fox Tales: Has that shifted in the last half decade?
Rusignola: Definitely. There’s much more emphasis today on measurable results and accountability. Five years ago, a company might have been comfortable buying exposure in a respected industry publication simply because it knew the audience was valuable. That credibility still matters, but marketers increasingly want data to accompany it.
I also think the relationship has become more consultative. Rather than someone simply asking, “What advertising do you have available?” I spend a lot of time asking what they’re actually trying to accomplish and then building something around those objectives. Sometimes the answer is a webinar or podcast. Other times it’s sponsored content, an email campaign or a combination of several channels. The conversation has shifted from selling inventory to finding the right way to connect a marketer with our audience.
Fox Tales: Where do you see media spend trending? Newsletters? Conferences and trade shows?
Rusignola: I don’t think there’s one channel that is replacing everything else. What I see working is an integrated approach. Conferences and trade shows remain incredibly valuable because there is no substitute for face-to-face interaction, particularly in an industry that is so relationship-driven. But digital media gives marketers a way to extend those relationships throughout the year.
Newsletters are especially interesting because they reach people in an environment they’ve actively chosen to engage with, and they can drive audiences back to deeper content. Webinars, podcasts, video and sponsored articles allow companies to demonstrate expertise rather than simply advertise. Increasingly, the strongest programs connect those pieces: a company might have a presence at an event, participate in a podcast or webinar, and then use newsletters, email and social media to amplify that content.
Fox Tales: What kinds of sponsored content are especially effective in achieving marketers’ goals?
Rusignola: The most effective sponsored content starts with something the audience genuinely wants to know. The strongest programs aren’t simply advertisements dressed up as articles or podcasts. They provide useful expertise, data, perspective or solutions to a real industry challenge.
That’s particularly true with a sophisticated professional audience. At Nareit, we work with companies on sponsored articles, webinars, podcasts and other thought-leadership opportunities, and the content that works best tends to be educational rather than promotional. A marketer may have tremendous expertise in AI, sustainability, property operations, data or another area affecting real estate. Giving them an opportunity to share that expertise can establish credibility while also accomplishing their marketing goals. It creates value for both the marketer and the audience, which is ultimately what good sponsored content should do.
Fox Tales: You have a mix of media products, but I don’t see print. Is it a conscious decision to forego that channel, and why?
Rusignola: It is. Nareit was historically a print publisher, including REIT Magazine, but our media strategy has evolved along with the way our audience consumes information. Today, REIT.com, our newsletters, email, podcasts, webinars, video and social channels allow us to reach people more frequently and give marketers many more ways to engage with them.
Digital also gives us flexibility that print simply can’t provide. We can publish and distribute content quickly, extend its life across multiple channels, and provide marketers with meaningful reporting on how audiences engage with it.
I spent a significant part of my career strictly in editorial, so I certainly still appreciate a beautiful print publication. But from a combined editorial and a business standpoint, which is where my career is currently rooted, digital allows us to meet our audience where they are and create programs that are more timely, targeted and measurable.