What do journalists want? 3 steps for gaining media coverage

Journalists have so many topics, events, PRs and organisations vying for their attention (plus some incredibly tight deadlines), they’re not always easy to win over.

And it’s no wonder that getting noticed is a tricky feat: in Cision’s 2020 Global State of the Media Report, a quarter of journalists stated they receive 51-100 news pitches each week. Some even reported getting well in excess of 150.

All this competition for their attention means you’ve got to really impress a journalist for your information to stand out. So here’s what you need to do to gain that all-important media attention that will build visibility, awareness and trust for your brand.

1. Get your story right

Having a good story will ultimately decide if a journalist wants to use it or not… but what do you need to do to provide them with great quality content?

Make it newsworthy

Firstly, make sure your story is newsworthy. 

You’ll want something with a gripping or intriguing angle that gives a journalist something to sink their teeth into and helps educate their audience - but also presents you as a thought leader in your industry.

One of the best ways to do this is to provide data on trending topics, research or stats and then back that up with expert analysis. Plus, be ready to offer phone, virtual or email interviews with someone in the business who knows the situation well.

If you’ve created a news release, some publications will use the quotes you’ve provided directly, but others may need exclusive, just-for-their-readers’ information and interviews are perfect for this.

Indeed, interviews are so well-liked by journalists that the 2020 Global State of the Media Report revealed that journalists consider interviews to be the most trustworthy non-brand source. These extra details supply them with information that really sets stories apart.

Make it relevant

Making something newsworthy isn’t the only key to a good story. A good story must also suit a specific journalist’s interests, their publication’s interests and their readers’ interests. In other words, it must be relevant. 

Doing some research is key for this. This doesn’t have to be excessive, but reading up on topics that a journalist has previously covered will give you a good indicator of what they want to hear about. Find out if they’ve covered a subject before, and if they have, what can you provide that’s different and advances the angle somehow?

This step is so important that when Cision asked journalists what was the most important thing PRs could do to help them, 37% responded, “Understand my target audience, and what they find relevant.” As well as this, only 1% of the journalists considered 75-100% of their received pitches as relevant. 

Since most journalists don’t feel they’re sent information that’s fit for their needs, getting this right is a basic but vital step.

2. Perfect your messages

Once you have your story, you need to approach journalists with it. Getting your messaging right, here, is essential.

There are several ways to approach a journalist but the most common is to send an email - this could mean emailing a pitch (a summary of your story and a teaser of what you have to offer) or a news release (an announcement about a specific event, launch, research and trends etc.).

But, however you first contact them, this is your chance to demonstrate why you have a great piece that’s worth covering. To do this well, journalists are looking for some key aspects.

Keep it short and sweet

Pitches should ideally be kept below 200 words. In fact, the shorter you can get your point across, the better. Journalists are hard pressed for time so if you want yours to be read, master the art of summarising your important details as concisely and compellingly as possible.

And if sending a news release, although the release itself may be longer, it still needs a summary introduction that is short and succinct. Make sure it’s catchy and engaging and draws the reader in.

Create an interesting hook (and present it wisely)

A news hook is a central piece of information or intriguing angle that draws readers into the story. And it’s important to use it well so that people want to hear what you have to say.

Put your hook in the first five words of your message to make it clear what’s inside. Make it obvious what’s on offer so journalists are more likely to click on your email, read your story and ultimately, cover your news. 

Be explicit - why is it perfect for them?

For this, put your earlier research to good use. In your email, tell a journalist why your story is relevant for them and their readers. Positioning a piece perfectly shows that you understand their needs and have made the effort to tailor your ideas.

Know what to attach and how

It’s not just the message that matters but what goes with it. Any extra detail you can supply will help make your story more noticeable - for example, providing pictures is a big plus, especially in B2B publications where images are harder to come by. Attaching a news release is also great as they’re considered their most trusted brand source of information by journalists.

However, knowing how to present them is equally important. Lots of journalists don’t like attachments and some may not even open your email if it has some.

When adding a news release or image, paste it straight into the body of text or, if you have several images, use a dropbox link. This makes for more accessible content that increases the chance of your email being opened.

3. Strengthen your media relations

To really get in a journalist’s good books, you want to create a mutually beneficial relationship. There are a few ways to do this.

Absolutely NO blanket emails 

Blanket email pitches are usually very obvious and show you haven’t put any effort into customising a piece. If you aren’t going to spend a small amount of time catering for them, they won’t want to spend time helping you. 

You need to show care so personalisation is a must. This doesn’t mean every pitch you send must be ultra-specific and entirely re-written - but simply adding a journalist’s name and briefly referencing why their interests or previous work align with your story will demonstrate that you understand their needs.

Be persistent but not pushy 

Any great relationship takes time to build. So if a journalist doesn’t feature your first pitch, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t send them anything else.

Your story may have been similar to something they’d previously been sent or it’s likely that the journalist received too many pitches that week and didn’t get round to opening your email. Whatever the reason, as long as you’re providing interesting hooks and relevant content, don’t give up. Something you send in the future may be exactly what they’re looking for at just the right time.

Despite this, always remember: being persistent doesn’t mean pushy. Although some journalists don’t mind or even appreciate a follow-up email to remind them about a pitch, know the limits. Nagging will not help you build important relationships or win you any coverage. Journalists often remember the people who have gone too far – wouldn’t you?

As with every email you send, be personable, polite and treat journalists with respect like you would your own colleagues. Building a strong relationship with them may not be a quick process, but it’s well worth doing so your stories are heard by the right people that matter to your brand.

Do you want to know how strong your presence is in the media? Our free PR audit evaluates how visible and relevant your brand is in the HR world and also provides you with tailored recommendations. Learn more here.