Why pitching to journalists and earned media is worth the effort

staceymeadwell

4 hours ago

*There are many benefits to successful press pitches*

Woman reading newspaper labeled “The Morning Chronicle” and “YOUR STORY HERE” at a desk — *There are many benefits to successful press pitches*

Why pitch to journalists and pursue earned media? Getting a quote, story or opinion/comment piece published takes time and effort, with no guarantees of successful pitches – although there are ways to increase your chances, which I go into later.

But first, some good reasons for securing earned media:

Third-party endorsement

Earned media is validation from third-party sources. A trusted publication or website publishes your comment, story or opinion piece with your business name, and it is someone outside your business essentially saying you are worth paying attention to.

It also supports and helps build on an individual’s authority and, by association, brand authority.

Gain wider reach

A media outlet will generally have a bigger audience than you would usually reach with your own content, and it is likely to put your name in front of different people.

Trade publications have specialist audiences who already have some investment in industry knowledge and expertise. If the publication is subscription-only, there is an even stronger vested interest in the content it publishes.

Cost efficiency and ROI

Advertising or sponsored content costs money, while earned media costs time.

It also typically converts better because readers trust editorial content more than paid placements.

AI search/SEO

When asked questions about a brand, AI will search for mentions outside of a brand’s own website and social media accounts to help determine reputation/trust, so earned media supports search authority.

If the third-party website includes backlinks, this also supports domain authority and traditional organic SEO rankings too.

Journalist relationships

When I was a property journalist, the PRs and individuals I gave the most time to were those who had a track record of delivering useful and interesting quotes, stories, and opinion.

If I was in a tight spot and needed something quick to fill some space, I had my go-to list of people with whom I’d built a good relationship.

Becoming a go-to and having a good relationship with a journalist can also mean quicker response times and easier negotiations if you need coverage. It can also be useful for crisis and reactive moments too.

Industry mover and shaker

In the property/built environment sector, there are many issues, eg, planning reform, building safety and sustainability, which are live debates. (Other industries will no doubt have their own issues.)

Having comments or opinions on the big topics gives you a stake; it puts you in a position to help shape the conversation rather than simply reacting.

This can open doors with policymakers, local authorities, or industry bodies.

Tips for pitching to journalists

All pitches to journalists need to answer one fundamental question: What’s in it for the readership of their publication?

If your story, opinion piece or comment pitch is offering something relevant and interesting (new) to the journalist’s readers, then it stands a better chance of landing.

A journalist will easily sniff out a thinly veiled marketing message or an idea that’s been stretched in an attempt to make it relevant.

In your pitch, get to the point, say why a conversation with you, your subject matter expert, or client is beneficial to them.

Highlight key areas they can talk about, and if it’s not obvious, why it is relevant to their audience.

Just make sure you can deliver on the promise. Saying a client or team member can talk about something only to have them clam up in the interview is a fast track to having future pitches ignored.