How do you choose the best media outlets to pitch to?

People always look for the biggest media outlets they can find because they think being featured there will create the most impact. Sometimes that’s true, but more often, it’s not. In many cases, a niche trade publication or local news outlet will be a better fit. That’s why it’s so important to first identify your goals before you start planning and building your media list. Your goals need to be objective, quantifiable, and have a deadline. What do you want to get out of your PR efforts? Do you want to create awareness of a problem or opportunity? Are you trying to drive sales for a product launch? Or maybe you need to get your side of the story out about a PR crisis. Figure that out, then map out your KPIs to track results.

First, you should categorize media into several categories: local media in your city or region; media in your country; media around the world. If you are just starting to develop your project, start with local media. They are often underestimated by many people, but sometimes local media can attract more attention than international media.

Having a clear understanding of your goals, target audience, and desired outcomes provides a strategic foundation for your pitching campaign. It guides your decision-making process and increases the likelihood of a successful and impactful campaign.

Every executive and small business owner has a different goal for their PR campaign. Achieving client goals through a brand visibility strategy is done by reverse engineering or working through steps to reach the intended audience. Knowing more about the audience and where they consume content helps tremendously. That starts with one of the following questions: "What kind of thought leader would you like to be known for/referred to as a leader?" or for business brands: "Where /what categories do you want to show up as a leader?" Then, the work can begin.

Knowing what your aim is for a campaign is defining. It brings clarity and help you choose the right strategy. This is also very key as what worked for a previous campaign may not be relevant for current or future ones. It will also help you settle on who to approach, how and when. If you have news that relates to national budgeting for example, sharing it in the budget reading 'season' is more like to get you the result you want.

The biggest media outlets aren’t always the best choice because their audiences, though large, are less focused. You’ll also face the stiffest competition here because everyone is pitching them. Instead, figure out which media outlets have the audiences that are most aligned with your goals, regardless of there size. This could include trade publications, local news outlets, and even niche blogs. Don’t get me wrong — the big outlets are great, but you’ll often get more impact with less effort and in less time by putting more effort into pitching the smaller, more focused outlets. Plus, you can then leverage that earned publicity to make it easier to get featured in the larger media outlets.

Authority and audience are the key criteria in selecting the best media outlets for a story. Developing an extensive media list may achieve significant coverage, but if the audience isn't the correct target for your communications it's just creating noise. Think about where your customers or stakeholders are and what they read and consume and start there. Depending on the brief, a detailed piece in a niche trade title may reap much greater rewards than a passing reference in a national newspaper.

Remember, the key is to select outlets that not only reach your target audience but also align with your campaign's values and messaging. Thorough research ensures that your efforts are focused on outlets that can maximize the impact of your campaign.

I recommend that you don't use off-the-shelf media bases and journalist bases. More often than not, they contain low-quality media with irrelevant or outdated contacts. Search for the necessary media by keywords using special software, or analyze competitors. You can also search for media by trending queries relevant to your business.

Big doesn't always mean great. A paid newsletter may be more effective for your outreach than a mainstream media - this is because the newsletter's audience is your target segment. Find the right (platform) fit for your news. Research and ensure that your decision is based on facts and not the outlets' brand appeal or its reputation.

Another factor to consider when segmenting your media outlets is that this allows publicists to tell multiple stories to the media simultaneously, without being a stalker or a spammer. When you have different pitches for different beats for one client, you can pursue big brand-level pitching AND targeted trade pitching in the same month, ideally doubling your chances for a meaningful placement.

In addition to segmenting yourself, leveraging tools like Muck Rack, which has ongoing Global Media List rankings can help, too. Don't forget--a trade publication like American Banker can be listed next to the New York Times, if it's relevant to your audience. Don't use a single metric, like reach, to determine segmentation. Understand the whole picture.

Here again, I recommend dividing the media into segments: local media, media in your country and international media. You can further divide them by another segment: topics. For example, technology topics can be divided into software development, Artificial Intelligence, etc. Select the media that is most relevant to your business from this list and prioritize it.

With limited (or not) resources, you need to be scientific in your approach. List the outlets in order of importance - and that must be informed by the criteria you set. Which one has your target audience on lock? which one meets your budget (if it's a paid campaign)? etc. Then launch your outreach in that priority order.

Individualize each pitch and don't use mass mailing apps! Address the journalist or editor by name. Take the time to study his or her work, as well as articles that have been published in the media. Study their TOV: this will help you when preparing your story. Fill your pitch with facts and figures: this is much more interesting, because people like to read stories that show how things were and how they have become.

The bottom line is that in PR the media are our #1 client. Without strong relationships and a deep understanding of THEIR business, PR campaigns simply won't succeed and our paying clients won't get the results they desire. When you frame it like this, the quality, relevance and customization of your pitches must be high. Would you bcc your biggest client on a mass email? Exactly. So why would you do that to the press?

By customizing your pitches, you not only increase the likelihood of coverage but also build stronger relationships with journalists and influencers. This personalized approach demonstrates your commitment to delivering content that aligns seamlessly with their audience and editorial style.

Don’t use templated pitches! Customizing for each journalist/outlet is time consuming but much more effective. When following up, try picking up the phone and calling. You may be surprised with the positive reception.

I create my pitches like a bespoke suit, making sure it's customized and a perfect fit for their audience. Don't make the pitch about you (or your client) but rather about how this story is going to help the audience. The media is a business and if they're not providing great information, their audience will move over to their competitors. When I pitch a podcast, we listen to a couple of episodes to then reference in our pitch (shows we're paying attention) and we then give a 5-star review along with a written review of the podcast. Not too many people bother to do this and by doing so, you're creating goodwill with the podcaster and showing your support for all that they're doing.

Best media outlets are those that are read by the audience you are targeting with the story. Now, there is hardly any proven tool that links publications with their readers, and that makes it difficult to identify the right media. However, sales teams are usually connected with the customers and can fill you in with insights on what sources of information are the go-to resource for customers. Once you have that information, you have to do the following: - Research those media - Identify the journalists writing about your sector - Research their work - Customise the pitch to make it appealing - Follow up and let them take the lead from there

One aspect of our job as public relations that isn't talked about enough is that we need to educate our internal stakeholders. Helping them understand that a hit in Automotive News can often be more impactful than a Wall Street Journal because your key audience is reading it. Trade publications are powerful, and can often more tangibly demonstrate ROI by driving traffic to the website, etc.

Build a rapport with outlets that goes beyond sending them your news. You can for example let them unrestricted access to your executives and bring them in the know of breaking news.

Many Public Relations teams miss valuable opportunities due to a lack of organization. The work doesn’t end when the press release is sent out. PR companies and their clients must be ready to address follow-up questions. As a journalist, on several occasions, I have received in my inbox great pitches that didn’t end up being featured because when I attempted reaching out to get further context, either there was no reply or it took the PR person over a week to get the necessary contextual answers from their clients. If a PR professional sends a release with bold claims and ghosts me when I seek further information, it is a significant red flag – and I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing it with readers.

Pitching a reporter the same story they just wrote about another company last week will lead to nothing but frustration. It is best practice to find reporters who are writing about the topic you are pitching them, yes, but don't pitch them a story they have written before! Find a new angle, expand on their previous work, and make sure you're bringing a new perspective that hasn't come across their inbox yet!