Essential Guide to PR and Communications in Sweden

Sweden’s media landscape is largely controlled by a few major media groups, such as Bonnier Media, which owns more than 200 titles across the country. These range from national newspapers to niche magazines and more specialist titles.

Compared to some other markets, there’s a limited number of tech publications, with many titles covering broader topics. While Sweden has some top-tier tech titles, it can be tricky to find high-quality publications covering some industries and interests.

Generally speaking, most media outlets are located in Stockholm, with a few large titles based in Gothenburg and Malmö. With a population of just 10 million, the pool of media in Sweden is relatively small, so maintaining strong relationships with journalists is key.

A strong local angle is especially important to journalists in Sweden. If you’re managing PR for an international company, try to highlight connections to Sweden, whether it’s a local spokesperson or a partnership with a Swedish company, and where possible add contextual references to demonstrate a deep understanding of Sweden’s market.

Translating press releases into Swedish can also help make your story more appealing. While most journalists understand English, they prefer to receive content in Swedish.

Avoid being overly commercial. Journalists value their independence and tend to shy away from pitches that feel like advertisements. For this reason, opinion pieces can be tricky to place with media in Sweden if they come across as too self-promotional or don’t speak to the realities of the local market.

Similarly, it can be difficult to secure coverage with product updates in Sweden, as the media find them to be too promotional. However, certain industries, like automotive, tend to be more open to this type of content if it’s useful and relevant to their audience.

Digital media now the default option for most people in Sweden. Social media is also becoming an important channel for news, with younger people, in particular, turning to TikTok and other platforms for updates.

There has been a lot of consolidation in the market. Many local outlets and smaller titles have closed, merged with other publications, or been acquired by larger media groups. As a result, there are fewer independent publications available today.

Freelance writers are becoming more common, especially in tech, finance, and business. Many publications rely on contributors rather than full-time staff.

The shift in how younger people access news, through social media platforms, is an interesting trend to watch, but still very much in its infancy. It’s not yet clear how media outlets will adapt to this change and make money from audiences on these channels.

AI is another emerging trend, but it hasn’t yet had a huge impact on PR in Sweden so far. Currently, it’s being used for translating content and brainstorming ideas.

The continued concentration of media in Sweden is also impacting the PR/journalist relationship, with the already limited number of publications growing smaller still. It’s very important to build and maintain strong, personal relationships with journalists.

Sweden is a relatively small country with a limited number of publications, so building good relationships with journalists is crucial, but this takes time.

Focus on building long-term relationships with the media. If a story doesn’t land, take time to regroup and adjust your approach. Don’t push too hard or you could find that journalists will start ignoring you.

It’s really important to know that you can’t just launch a campaign or announce news in Sweden without first building relationships and integrating into society. Even large firms like Amazon have had to invest in building ties with the media and showing commitment to the market

With that in mind, you should aways translate and localise your content. Show how your news adds value for Swedish readers and connects with local trends and debates. A local spokesperson can help in this regard.

Finally, avoid being too commercial. Otherwise, you may find that journalists ignore your pitches or simply pass them on to advertising teams instead.