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Why professional services firms should deploy quick-to-market survey reports to deliver timely thought leadership 

Back in 2015, when the idea of a Trump presidency was still a punchline to many, researchers found that most Americans could only pay attention to one task for 8 seconds.  

It may have seemed unbelievable then, but as rapid-fire policy shifts and widespread economic uncertainty continue in today’s digital-first media landscape, it’s becoming easier and easier to see why Americans lose focus faster than a goldfish.  

This poses a problem for professional services firms that leverage research reports to cut through the noise. On the one hand, executives crave up-to-the minute, data-driven thought leadership more than ever—our 2025 State of Digital & Content Marketing survey shows that, after articles, research reports are the most preferred content type for both C-suites and in-house counsel. On the other, today’s hyper-accelerated news cycle makes it increasingly difficult for some data to remain relevant by the time it’s ready to publish—much less hold a reader’s attention for 10-plus pages.  

Consider the time it takes to get research to market. For example, a report on the challenges facing U.S. manufacturers, based on a 20-question survey fielded in February, will likely take 2-3 months to analyze, write, design, and distribute—at which point the respondents’ sentiments may have gone stale, given ongoing zigs and zags in tariff policies. By contrast, a brief, five-question survey report released within 2-3 weeks of fielding can deliver fresh, market-leading insights on timely topics, enabling your firm to gain significant traction with target audiences via owned, earned, and social media.  

Pivoting to a flash or “pulse” survey won’t always be the right play. Topics with a longer lead time (e.g., litigation), business challenge comparisons across industries and geographies and annual reports will still benefit from additional depth and analysis—and the benchmarking data they provide is valuable. Yet it’s also not a binary decision. Supplementing an annual report with a flash survey, for instance, can add substantial value by updating the findings uncovered in the more robust effort; alternatively, firms can use a flash survey to validate research questions for use in a more in-depth report.  

Why you should consider a flash survey  

Flash survey reports deliver rapid-turn insights based on short, ~5-question surveys. The end product: 1-3 pages of designed, easily digestible content and infographics that are ready-made for an associated microsite, versus the 8-10 page (or more) research reports professional services firms typically release.  

The benefits are clear. In sum, flash surveys are:   

  • Quicker to market at a moment when publishing relevant data is more important than ever. We’ve found that we can launch a flash survey report within weeks of fielding.  
  • Cheaper to produce as marketing budgets hit pause amid ongoing economic volatility.  
  • Easier for busy executives to digest in today’s fast-changing business landscape, appealing to survey-fatigued readers looking for brief insights that are timely, relevant, novel, and useful.  
  • More targeted. Shorter surveys can help firms home in on targeted audiences’ most pressing challenges instead of trying to boil the ocean with an overly broad approach, which tends to produce more general and banal insights.  
  • Catalysts for earned, social, and marketing content. Just because the survey is shorter doesn’t mean the life of the content has to be. With the right distribution strategy, flash surveys can fuel earned media placements, social media campaigns, and more direct forms of client engagement, like webinars and email newsletters.  
  • Ideal for search and AI models like ChatGPT. Consistent publishing of new data through owned channels, supported with forward-looking insight, can help firms improve generative engine optimization (GEO). Put simply: flash surveys can help your firm show up more regularly in AI-driven search outputs.  
  • Easily repeatable. The above benefits mean flash surveys are easily replicable, keeping current and prospective clients eager for the next round of insights. 
Traditional Research Reports Flash Surveys 
In depth analysis of topics Monitoring and benchmarking fast-moving issues 
Option to explore and compare a range of different issues, sectors, geographies Greater ability to capitalize on front-page news 
Long-term trend monitoring Targeted, specific insights 
Greater opportunity to partner with potential clients and incorporate in-depth interviews Easy opportunity to engage with clients on top-of-mind topics at regular intervals 
Repeatable annually Repeatable quarterly 

How to create a successful flash survey campaign: 5 best practices  

Looking to get started with a flash survey? Consider these five best practices:  

1. Right-size your survey. Flash surveys can work at various levels, from a broad overview of current sentiment (akin to political polling) to a hyper-focused report geared towards a specific audience (e.g., DEI policies for U.S. employers).  

Generally speaking, the former may attract a broader audience—but encounter more competition from other organizations and media outlets—while the latter will reach a smaller but more attentive group. 

Either way works: the key is to carve out a focus area that’s right for your business. Think about what type of survey feels authentic to your organization. For instance, most executives aren’t turning to a mid-sized accounting firm for general economic indicators. A flash survey aimed at CFOs’ greatest accounting challenges in light of the current economic environment may be a better fit.  

Key questions: Where do my organization’s business development goals overlap with our areas of expertise and trust in the market? Who are the buyers or decision-makers we want to target? Can we overlay a particular regional or industry focus? Can we own this topic in the marketplace?  

Remember: Sometimes it’s better to do a deeper dive into a more focused topic that fewer people are talking about than a surface-level investigation of a topic dominating every headline.  

2. Implement key project management controls. If you want to get a survey out fast, it’s important to avoid unnecessary delays. Limiting the number of subject matter expert (SME) reviewers—both in drafting the questions and analyzing the data—can help speed things along. An internal champion who can spearhead the process is critical. Get your design and digital teams involved as early as possible, to ensure the end product looks as good as the insights it contains. 

3. Make your questions count. Start with a hypothesis so that you hold yourself to a clear idea of what the survey will cover. Flash surveys give you less room to work with than a traditional report, so it’s crucial to think strategically about the questions you want to ask. This could mean prioritizing questions that are repeatable and comparable—giving you the option of a quarterly or annual survey—or ensuring your questions help tell a compelling story that won’t become obsolete with the next X or Truth Social post. To that end, don’t “waste” questions pegged to a named event or time. Take a holistic view while still hitting on your target audiences’ biggest pain points. 

4. Visuals count. A flash survey report should illuminate the data in the most clear, engaging, and digestible manner possible–avoid dense blocks of textual analysis. Infographics or interactive visuals are key. Use bullet points or lists for easy reading and drop in pull quotes of SME analysis to supplement the findings.  

5. Create once, share everywhere. Once the report is finished, leverage it to fuel earned media opportunities, provide fodder for direct client outreach, and generate email newsletter, conference/webinar, and social media content. To that end, be sure to equip SMEs with ready-made language they can use to share the key findings on LinkedIn and beyond.  

Deliver timely and useful content, fast  

In a world that’s changing so quickly, executives and in-house counsel need up-to-date information on what peers are doing and guidance from their advisors on what that means for them.  

Flash surveys are one way to do just that. To learn more, contact us. 

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Establishing true authority in a crowded landscape requires an effective PR strategy. One proven way to cut through the noise is research-driven thought leadership – a strategy that Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law firm representing management, has effectively leveraged in partnership with Greentarget for a decade.

Since 2012, Littler and Greentarget have conducted an annual survey of in-house lawyers, C-suite executives, and HR professionals to understand the top regulatory, social, and technological issues impacting the workplace. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 created a need for Littler to provide quicker and more frequent data. Companies of all sizes were facing unprecedented challenges and the firm’s clients expressed a strong desire for benchmarking data to help respond to a rapidly changing pandemic environment.

Solution

To stay ahead of the curve, Littler and Greentarget reconfigured their strategy by introducing shorter “pulse” surveys focused on time-sensitive issues. In the early months of COVID-19, team members across Greentarget’s Media Relations, Research & Market Intelligence, and Content & Editorial teams – led by Littler’s account team – developed a more efficient approach that cut down lead time before publication.

From March 2020 through the end of 2021, eight survey reports (six in the U.S. and two in Europe) were published, providing valuable insights for employers on such issues as vaccination policies, return-to-office expectations, hybrid working models, and safety protocols.

Results

The surveys have generated substantial media visibility, with more than 1,100 media placements stemming from the 2021 research in top-tier publications – including the Associated Press, Axios, Bloomberg News, CNBC, Financial Times, Forbes, New York Times, PBS Newshour, Politico, Reuters, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post – as well as in a range of industry trade and regional media.

The reports also led to a considerable increase in website traffic for Littler, including a five-fold increase in page visits to press releases related to the reports and almost double the traffic to report landing pages from 2020 to 2021. Additionally, the survey on the Delta variant’s impact was cited multiple times in OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard as part of the agency’s factfinding with respect to employer vaccine mandates.

Perhaps most significantly, Littler has received a plethora of direct feedback from clients who are relying on the data to help guide and support workplace strategies, as well as understand how their peer group is approaching emerging issues. More than 4,500 executives completed the surveys in 2021 – the highest response rate in the history of Littler’s surveys and another clear indicator that issuing brief surveys on timely and relevant issues is resonating with clients.

Taken as a whole, the research reports have further bolstered Littler’s standing as the go-to employment and labor law adviser and authority across a broad range of industries – all while providing critical insight to employers in uncertain times.

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Even with a contentious presidential election and the worst of COVID-19 behind us, journalists say the fake news situation isn’t getting better. And they don’t know how to address it.

But if journalists don’t know how combat fake news, who does? That was the focus of Greentarget’s 2021 Fake News report, which was released in late October.

In this episode of Authority Figures, Aaron Schoenherr sits down with members of the Greentarget team – including Betsy Hoag, Director of Research and Planning, Lisa Seidenberg, Vice President of Media Relations, and Paul Wilson, Vice President of Content and Editorial— to discuss the report and its findings. The team discusses how fake news can be combatted, what role regulation might play and how we can prepare the next generation to face the challenges presented by fake news.

Episode Highlights:

1:00 — Betsy describes the background behind the report, what went into devising the survey questions, and who answered them

4:26 — Paul defines fake news and discusses the term’s polarizing nature

5:47 — Acknowledging fears of journalism’s delegitimization, Lisa goes over what clients should take away from this year’s survey findings

7:37 — Betsy and Lisa talk about how survey respondents’ political beliefs challenge preconceived notions about who is affected by fake news, and how to counsel clients in such a polarized environment

10:23 — Paul and Betsy try to get at the heart of journalists’ hesitation to amend Section 230

13:40 — Lisa and Paul speak about how to engage journalists amid the fake news controversy, and what journalists can do to combat fake news

19:30 — Betsy, Lisa, and Paul examine the psychological impact of consuming a fake news story, and share their own experiences with fake news

25:39 — Knowing that trust in news media is at an all-time low, Betsy, Lisa, and Paul contemplate ways to prepare their children to navigate the fake news landscape

Click here to download Greentarget’s 2021 Fake News report.

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Cries of “fake news” have become a favored weapon of bad actors looking to cast doubt on credible reporting. But news that is actually fake is a clear threat to our very democracy — and it’s found a prominent breeding ground on increasingly powerful social media platforms.

Last year, our Fake News 2020 report found that 80 percent of journalists strongly believe misinformation has negatively impacted journalism. Furthermore, 56 percent said social media is the single greatest fake news distribution threat. So when we release our second Fake News report later this fall, we’re going to zero in on social media’s role.

And what, if anything, journalists think should be done about it.

Social Media Both Supports and Undermines Credible Journalism

Journalists rely on social media to do their jobs. Many comb social media for story ideas or leads, use it to obtain and verify sources, and share their stories to boost engagement. 

But social media can be a double-edged sword, even if you look past the effects Facebook and other platforms have had on the advertising models of traditional news outlets. Journalists use social media to get reality-based news in front of a broader readership, but propagators of disinformation use it too. From there, audiences can indiscriminately share and disseminate stories (real or fake) quickly and easily. In turn, social media becomes an echo chamber, making it easy for audiences to attack and discredit those same stories.

Social media, obviously, isn’t going away. And because it is one of the main fronts in the fight against fake news, it’s time to sound a battle cry. Whether or not the government ultimately intervenes, we as PR professionals need to do our part to support journalists, amplify truthful news stories, call out fake news when we see it, and commit ourselves to high levels of transparency and ethical behavior. 

2021 Fake News Report: A Preview

In our report last year, journalists overwhelmingly felt it was their responsibility to fight fake news. But they were split on whether the government should get involved. They didn’t agree about whether the U.S. should impose anti-fake news laws to combat misleading information. More than a third (39 percent) supported or strongly supported anti-fake news laws, while nearly as many (35 percent) did not support such laws. About a quarter – 26 percent – said they were neutral toward the potential laws.

But that was before a contentious campaign season, disputed election results, and an unprecedented insurrection at the nation’s capitol — spurred in large part by groups using social media to get their message across. 

And as we face continued vaccination hesitancy and a resurgence of Delta variant-related positive COVID-19 cases, we can’t help but wonder: Have we finally reached a critical turning point in the fight against fake news? 

Evaluating the Communications Decency Act, Section 230

We wanted to know specifically what journalists think about calls to reform Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act — which grants internet platforms legal immunity for most content posted by their users. Do journalists feel this act currently grants social media platforms too much leniency? Especially when we factor in alternative, far-right platforms like Parlor, Gab, and MeWe?

The White House has initiated conversations to hold social media platforms more accountable for their content. Is this appropriate? Will this assure journalists more that their credible news stories might have a chance of breaking through the fake news maelstrom? Will such reforms go far enough?

Weighing Additional Governmental Interventions to Combat Fake News

Reforming Section 230 is just one commonly discussed approach aimed at limiting the flow of fake news on social media platforms. Do journalists think the Biden administration should generally prioritize combating fake news – and, if so, how should do they think it be done? Here are some other options:

  • Regulating and enforcing antitrust laws
  • Revising libel and slander laws
  • Revising the “fair use” doctrine 

We’ll also ask journalists for their thoughts on a variety of other issues related to fake news including how the term has evolved in the last year.

How PR Can Help Journalists Fight Fake News

While we may not be on the front lines, PR professionals can and need to support their colleagues in battling the dissemination of fake news. As part of our 2020 report, we vowed to take the following steps. And we encourage your organization to do the same.

  • Support the work of reporters and editors. We value the work that journalists do every day, and we appreciate the privilege of collaborating with them. We pledge to continue to support journalists and amplify reality-based news sources.
  • Stress ethics and transparency. We strongly discourage lying to journalists or putting forth non-credible sources, and we pledge to always fact-check our work. Because we embrace transparent relationships with journalists (and the public), we will always be responsive to journalists’ questions and endeavor to help them solve problems when we can.
  • Put the audience first. Many PR practitioners hone their craft by developing the perfect pitch to get a reporter’s attention. That is, of course, important. But we believe in only offering insights that a journalist’s audience cares about. 
  • Advocate against fake news. We believe it is our responsibility to help others understand the difference between real and fake news, thereby hindering the spread of fake news. Since we believe this starts with educating the next generation of active news consumers, we pledge to take a leadership role for future PR practitioners today, tomorrow, and always.

We’ve followed through on this pledge by devoting podcast episodes to the topic, participating in webinars, lending our voice to roundtables with future PR leaders such as PRSA Voices 4 Everyone, and raising awareness through articles like this one. And we’ll continue to advocate as a voice for truth and transparency in journalism especially while fake news remains a threat. 

We’re excited to share our findings in our 2021 Fake News report this fall. Connect with Greentarget to receive the report right to your inbox. 

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As a young reporter, I viewed PR professionals as something to work around. At least, that’s how I viewed them when I was feeling charitable.

To be sure, there were PR folks I liked and trusted, but my broader perspective was not uncommon among journalists — and it’s one that remains rooted in some truth. Then as now, there were some PR professionals trying to prevent journalists from doing their jobs. They could make it difficult to get access and candor. They put processes in place that were cumbersome or even ridiculous.

But as a young reporter I didn’t fully appreciate the ways PR professionals could and did help journalists do their jobs. And while journalists and PR professionals are not – and should not be – too cozy, it’s clear that the relationship between public relations and journalism could be important in fighting one of the more pernicious threats of our time: fake news.

Fake news is a common enemy for journalism and PR. It also was the subject of a research report Greentarget released late last month, just a week before voting day in one of the most tumultuous U.S. elections in decades.

The ‘Reality-Based Press’

In a recent column assessing news media efforts of the past four years, the Washington Post’s media columnist Margaret Sullivan used the term “reality-based press” to describe the news media that relies on traditional journalistic principles. It’s troubling that such a term is even necessary – and Sullivan’s not the only one using similar language — but it helps understand Greentarget’s point of view.

While the news media’s record is far from unblemished, the credibility it earns by being right more than it’s wrong and by trying to live up to a set of standards is important. In an era when it’s never been easier to disseminate information, or harder to tell information from misinformation, grounding journalism in reality – by reporting facts that journalists have made every effort to verify and substantiate – is critical for a host of reasons, including the credentialing of media outlets.

Readers, in their capacity as citizens, voters and businesspeople, need to be able to trust what’s reported by these outlets. Their trust is vital to the functioning of our democracy, our market economy and our daily lives. Without reliable information, we can’t make informed decisions about who to vote for, where to invest or, for instance, how to wear a mask to protect against a deadly airborne virus.

For public relations firms like Greentarget, which seek to give thought leaders the opportunity to express their points of view, the existence of a credible, reality-based news media is crucial. Fake news as it’s most aptly defined — false, fabricated or unverifiable stories – creates chaos and has a collective effect of delegitimizing media outlets.

Journalists Look Past (and Before) Trump When it Comes to Fake News

These issues spurred Greentarget to survey journalists. We focused in part on whether a change in Washington would help beat back fake news in the eyes of journalists. We figured that there wasn’t anyone better suited to assess the situation – but the survey results were simultaneously distressing and hopeful.

Journalists were fairly pessimistic about whether a Trump loss would improve things, despite Trump’s unprecedented battles with the news media, marked by consistent accusations of fake news against journalists and relentless misinformation from the president himself. But the journalists rightly pointed out that the roots of fake news predate Trump and predicted that the problems would outlast him.

Journalists were adamant that fake news negatively impacts journalism and largely feel that fake news is more dangerous than no news. But the journalists we surveyed also were clear that they thought they should be the ones to fight fake news – that despite the brutal job losses and financial hits to the news media over the past 15 years, journalism remained the best antidote.

Journalists Inspiring … PR Professionals?

In some ways, their gumption is inspiring, because it indicates that journalists simply refuse to give up despite the challenges they face. But considering public sentiment – Gallup reported in September that six in 10 Americans have little or no trust in the media – good faith efforts by journalists to turn the tide simply might not be enough.

Most of the reporters and editors we surveyed said fighting fake news shouldn’t be the responsibility of the government, perhaps not surprising given journalists’ ingrained devotion to the First Amendment. But other parties, including digital platforms like Facebook and Google, which have extraordinary power to disseminate information, could play a huge role. Interestingly, 56 percent of the journalists we surveyed pointed to social media as the single greatest threat regarding fake news distribution.

That made us wonder if public relations could play a role. Some research has revealed passivity among PR practitioners in addressing fake news. In light of our survey results and current events, we at Greentarget simply, but vigorously, reject that approach.

What PR Can (and Should) Do

There are ways our industry can and should help. That’s why as part of the report and separately we’re releasing the pledge below as part of our commitment to fighting fake news – and we hope other PR professionals will abide by it as well.

Some of the pledge has been part of Greentarget’s ethos since our founding – and we believe our work to provide reporters with credible sources who can help make sense of what’s going on helps journalists regain the credibility that is essential to combatting fake news. But we’re choosing this moment to formalize our thinking – and we’re going a step further by committing to working toward broader media literacy. That includes working with a group of Chicago high school students in 2021 to help them understand the fundamentals of public relations – and how to identify fake news.

Our research report is indicative of our organization’s commitment and its evolving thinking. Journalists might feel like the responsibility of fighting fake news rests solely on their shoulders. But given the stakes – not only for our industry but, more importantly, for our democracy – it’s time for the PR industry to step up.

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New research by communications firm Greentarget examines fakes news’ effect and origins, prescribes action for preserving the integrity and value of journalism.

Chicago, October 27, 2020 – A polarized media environment and cries of “fake news” – often from the highest levels of government – that greet publication of even the most rigorous reporting have eroded journalists’ hope for their profession’s future, according to a new study released today by strategic communications firm Greentarget.

The outcome of the November election won’t change that outlook, the journalists who took the survey say – but at the same time, they firmly believe journalists themselves are in the best position to fight the threat of fake news.

Fake News 2020, a research project conducted in July, August and September 2020, queried more than 100 journalists, half of whom have worked in the profession for more than 20 years. The report addresses the origins and definition of fake news, as well as potential remedies for its creation and dissemination. And it shows that despite President Donald Trump’s relentless attacks on the press, journalists don’t expect broader improvement if Joe Biden wins next month’s presidential election.

“These survey results are significant because they gauge the sentiment of a broad swath of professional journalists at a crucial moment in history,” said John E. Corey, founding partner of Greentarget. “We work with some of the most talented and experienced  journalists in the world on a daily basis – and even we were taken aback by the level of pessimism and the lack of clarity around how to address and ultimately correct the growing prevalence of mis- and disinformation.”

“That was part of the reason why we went beyond simply reporting these results and conclude our report with actionable guidance that everyone in the news ecosystem –journalism schools and think tanks, public relations practitioners and newsrooms – can and should embrace. We did this because we understand the critical role journalism plays in the healthy functioning of democracy and the free market.”

Fake News 2020’s Top Findings

  • Fake News Has Hurt Journalism: 80 percent of respondents strongly believe fake news has negatively impacted their profession, and 14 percent say they somewhat believe that it has. Further, the journalists surveyed say fake news fosters multiple prejudices and distorts the public’s understanding of current events.
  • Don’t Expect It to Get Better Under Biden: One in four respondents say Trump has had a significantly negative impact on journalism. But just 46 percent feel optimistic about journalism’s future under a new president, and 43 percent say they are indifferent on the question. The survey, conducted when it was clear that Biden would oppose Trump in November, clearly indicates that after years of attacks on journalists’ credibility and a steady erosion in trust, a sense of fatalism has settled in.
  • Journalists Still Want to Fight the Good Fight: Despite their pessimism, journalists surveyed believe they (reporters, editors and news councils or journalism organizations) are best positioned to vet fake news and identify misleading information. Only 12 percent think the government should call out fake news. Relatedly, only about four in 10 support or strongly support using the law to curb fake news.
  • Fake News Remains Difficult to Define: Part of the problem is that fake news can mean different things to different people – even journalists. About a third of our respondents say fake news is disinformation (false information knowingly spread with the intent to deceive), while another third say it is misinformation (false or misleading information spread by those who believe it to be true). Twenty-two percent equate fake news with propaganda.

 How to Combat the Fake News Epidemic

The report concludes by laying out a series of actions PR professionals can take to fight fake news. The measures include supporting reporters and editors, stressing ethics and transparency, putting the audience first and broadly advocating against fake news.

Greentarget pledges to follow these steps and encourages other PR practitioners to do the same.

“Long before fake news was part of the common vernacular, the principles of journalism – and the role they play in contributing to smarter, richer and more balanced conversations – have been fundamental to our business,” said Lisa Seidenberg, Greentarget’s vice president for media relations. “We know how important journalism is in our work to help organizations establish unique positions of authority, and we encourage all PR professionals and influential voices in the news ecosystem to support rigorous, responsible journalism. The success of our work depends on the steady flow of reliable information and stemming the tide of fake news is good for our industry and, more broadly, our society.”

A full version of Fake News 2020 is available here. For more information, contact Lisa Seidenberg at lseidenberg@greentarget.com or (312) 252-4108.

About Greentarget

Greentarget is a strategic public relations firm that helps leading law firms, accounting firms, management consulting, real estate and financial services organizations create unique positions of authority through skillful participation in the conversations that matter most to their key stakeholders. With 60 professionals in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London, Greentarget combines earned media, research and market intelligence, content and publishing, digital strategy and amplification, and special situations counsel to help clients grow market share, attract leading talent and achieve a higher purpose. For more information, visit www.greentarget.com.

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