Digital PR professionals have to continually convince journalists that what they have to share is worth their time and valuable to their audience. Besides compelling content, they need an effective approach.
Outreach refers to the process of connecting with journalists and, by extension, bloggers, influencers, or other media figures. The purpose is to persuade them to share your message through their channels, amplifying your reach and improving brand authority.
The bad news is that they aren’t always receptive. Research shows that journalists only open 49% of the pitches they receive and reply to around 3%.
A successful outreach strategy improves your chances of holding their attention.
Step 1: Define Your Objectives
Successful Digital PR campaigns start with clear, measurable objectives.
Knowing exactly what you want to achieve guides your strategy and outreach efforts, you can use a digital PR checklist to do this.
Whether your goal is to boost brand awareness, drive traffic, or establish your company as an industry authority, specificity is key. For instance:
- Instead of “gain more backlinks,” aim for “secure 20 high-authority backlinks in three months.”
- Replace “increase engagement” with “achieve a 30% rise in social media shares for campaign content.”
Align these goals with your overarching business and marketing strategies.
Digital PR works best when it complements other efforts, ensuring a cohesive message across all channels. This approach not only amplifies your reach but ensures any media coverage delivers maximum impact.
Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience
You can’t achieve your Digital PR objectives without a clear understanding of your target audience. Start by defining who your ideal customers are and what kind of content resonates with them.
Begin by analysing your existing customer base. Use tools like Google Analytics and social media insights to examine demographics and interests. The data you collect will help you better understand (potential) clients.
If possible, you should also conduct surveys to learn more about their behaviour. Ask them questions like:
- What types of publications do they read?
- Which social media platforms do they use?
- What content do they prefer (videos, text, podcasts)?
- What tone of language do they respond to (formal, conversational, humorous)?
- What influencers do they follow?
- What problems are they trying to solve?
- What kinds of calls to action are more likely to convert?
Use this information to segment your audience by factors like age, location, industry, or media consumption habits. With these insights, you can fine-tune your messaging and content delivery, ensuring your Digital PR efforts connect with the right people at the right time.
Step 3: Create a Media List
The research extends beyond your audience. You also need a media list to pitch your stories to.
If your audience deep-dive revealed any publications they like, start there. Expand your search to include similar outlets and assess their coverage and credibility. Consider including bloggers and influencers, as well as any other media contacts that align with your customers’ interests.
You can use tools like Muck Rack or Prowly to streamline your efforts. These platforms let you search for journalists across mediums based on expertise and keywords.
That said, be selective. A Cision report revealed that 28% of media contacts receive more than 100 pitches every week, most of them irrelevant.
You increase your likelihood of securing media coverage if you approach the right people. Always double-check that the names you’re collecting align with the type of content you want to pitch.
Step 4: Craft Your Message
Journalists don’t cover topics that don’t bring value to their audience, so you need to present your message in the most effective way possible. No matter how detailed your media list is, you won’t get far without compelling content.
Your pitch should be newsworthy and relevant to both your target audience and the outlets on your media list. If you include an engaging narrative, share an expert opinion, or provide insight that solves a problem, the odds of securing coverage are in your favour.
Data is also big among journalists, with 68% revealing they’re hungry for original research.
Numbers help them provide accurate information and remain credible, especially when covering a product or service. You're halfway there if you can include a survey or statistic in your pitch.
How you package your story counts as well. While 59% of journalists are more likely to use press releases, you can experiment with diverse formats depending on the outlets you reach out to. The list includes press kits, case studies, infographics, videos, and more.
Step 5: Personalise Your Outreach
According to a study conducted by Muck Rack, lack of personalisation is the top reason 24% of journalists reject pitches.
In other words, a message you copy-paste to hundreds of contacts will probably be ignored.
Tailoring your approach, on the other hand, suggests that you took the time to understand each journalist’s expertise and interests.
Review their recent articles and peruse their social media profiles, paying attention to their tone and what topics they focus on. In your message, be specific about how your story ties into the subjects they cover.
Also, keep it short, as digital PR pitches that are 150 words or less have a better response rate.
Remember that media outreach isn’t just about getting your message out. It also helps you build relationships, which can pay off in future coverage. By doing your homework, you can connect with your contacts on a deeper level.
Step 6: Choose the Right Channels
The same Muck Rack study found that 90% of journalists are on X, formerly Twitter, which they use to find sources. Reaching out to them there might get you noticed faster than flooding their inbox.
While email is the most common communication channel, it’s not the only one. Some journalists may respond favourably if you engage them on social media. Phone calls are also effective but should be reserved for time-sensitive subjects and breaking news.
Alternatively, digital PR managers can mix and match their approach. You can contact a journalist on social media and follow up by email with a pitch for maximum impact.
Step 7: Time Your Outreach
Pitches tied to a current trend or event appear more timely. Digital PR managers should be mindful of the news cycle to see if there are any industry-related opportunities they can take advantage of.
When you send your message also matters. Journalists seem to be most receptive to pitches mid-week, from Tuesday to Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. A press release that goes out during the weekend or late at night might get buried.
Step 8: Follow Up Strategically
While a clever pitch may grab a journalist’s eye, a follow-up can seal the deal. It builds momentum and increases your chances of receiving a response.
Plus, journalists get busy, and your message can get overlooked by mistake. Following up brings your story back to attention.
That said, avoid sending multiple follow-ups in a short period, or you risk coming across as pushy and disrespectful of the journalist’s time. Space out your message and try to add value with each new one. You can do this by finding a fresh angle or sharing an update.
Above all, be polite. If a media contact doesn’t get back to you after a couple of attempts, don’t take it personally. The journalist may have other priorities. In that case, focus your efforts on other contacts.
Step 9: Measure and Analyse Results
You can’t determine if your media outreach strategy is successful if you don’t measure results.
PR managers spend 47% of their time on media measurement and identify “number of stories placed” as the most important metric they track.
Source: MuckRack
Others include reach/impressions, sentiment, social engagement, and pitch performance.
Tracking key performance indicators allows you to judge what still needs improvement. With tools like Onclusive and Meltwater, you can assess whether your PR efforts are paying off.
Step 10: Refine and Iterate
Far from being a one-off effort, media outreach is an ongoing process. By using metrics and feedback from media contacts to refine your tactics, your approach will become more effective with time.
If your pitches received little response, reevaluate how you package your stories. In contrast, if the campaign was a hit, understand what channels or messaging contributed to its success so that you can take advantage of them again in the future.
More importantly, keep experimenting. The media landscape is constantly changing. Industry trends and journalist preferences shift, while outreach and monitoring platforms evolve. Make it a point to keep up.
Practice Makes Perfect
Media contacts help you connect with your target audience and improve brand awareness.
With a solid outreach strategy to back you up, you’re better positioned to spark their interest in what you have to share.
You’re also better equipped to build relationships with the people on your media list, driving meaningful results for your brand in the long run.
