How brands can widen their reach with CNN’s iReport

Wednesday morning, CNN released the list of nominees for its annual iReport Awards. Though many of those nominees aren’t professional communicators, crisis communicator Gerard Braud earned an in-depth storytelling nomination for his videos about Hurricane Isaac and its aftermath.

Brand communicators may not think iReport is a good fit for their communications strategies, but Braud is emphatic about its usefulness: “Every company, government agency, and nonprofit should establish an iReport account,” he says.

How can such an account be useful? Braud and David Spark, founder of brand journalism consulting firm Spark Media Solutions, offered insights about when it could come in handy and when other outlets would be preferable.

Instant audience

Communicators should think of iReport similar to the way they think of Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, Braud says.

“Should your organization experience a significant crisis that gets significant media coverage, iReport is your direct path to adding perspective and official information about your breaking news story,” he says.