Although communications, public relations and marketing functions are separated in many organizations, content is the bridge that connects them. Offering useful, compelling content is a sound strategy for anyone engaged in these roles. Here are five tips to help you move in that direction:

1. Research and Statistics

Communications and PR: Media love proprietary research and statistics. It helps them answer the question, “why is this story newsworthy?” If you don’t have the resources to generate your own statistics, visit census.gov and other public sites to find relevant information. In this way, you can help the media by doing some research for them.

Marketing: Share some stats with customers about what’s selling the most, or conduct a focus group and share the results with prospects and customers. Open a window to your processes and watch them respond.

2. Roundups, Rankings, Lists and Tips

Communications and PR: Press releases and story pitches that organize info into roundups, rankings, lists and tips are easy for the media to scan and even easier to publish in the format you send. Because tips and roundups are scalable, media outlets can easily add, subtract or modify the content to meet their needs.

Marketing: Customers and prospects want to know about your products’ features and benefits. Why not offer them a list of list of ways to use your product, or tips on how to get the most out of the product?

3. Have a Sense of Humor

Communications and PR: Some companies issue “fake” press releases on April 1, filled with tongue-in-cheek news.

Marketing: Hire a cartoonist to draw a one-panel joke about your  company or industry.

4. Seasonal and Other Timely Events

Communications and PR: If it’s Christmas, make a list or ranking of the best gift ideas. Always look to the season or current events for news pegs that will attract media interest. But make sure it’s relevant. Don’t shoehorn your company and its products into an angle that makes no sense.

Marketing: Use your delivery platforms to keep customers and prospects up-to-date on current events in your industry. Relate what’s happening and illustrate how your company fits in.

5. Q&As

Communications and PR: The Q&A is another format that’s easy for media to read quickly and even easier to incorporate into their publications. Choose a compelling subject from your company to interview, ask candid questions about your industry, publish candid answers and steer away from questions and responses about your products. Let the attribution be the link to your company, not the content.

Marketing: If you issue e-newsletters, include Q&As with prominent members of your customer’s communities. Again, focus on candid questions and responses, not on your products and services.