Tips to Increase Media Pitch Success
Posted on Jun. 2, 2025 / Subscribe 0
As we experience the rise of alternative media outlets such as Substack and podcasts, it’s essential to look for ways to evolve your pitches as journalists’ preferences shift with the changing media landscape. The next time you pitch a story, whether for yourself, your organization, or a client, you may consider one of the following tips to make your pitch stand out and have it start a strong relationship with the writer.
1. Get to the point: Journalists receive hundreds of emails daily from professionals just like you wanting to pitch them a story they think is essential. To differentiate yourself, ensure your pitch is concise yet clearly communicates the news value. This means that the content of the pitch not only aligns with the journalist’s interests and the interests or demographics of their audience but also explains the relevancy, timeliness, and/or uniqueness that makes the angle worthy. Platforms like MuckRack have made this process easier by allowing writers to designate interests on profiles. However, it’s still important to do your own research to ensure you are contacting the right person for the story.
2. Personalization: Journalists are people, too! Make sure your pitch addresses the journalist by name and isn’t cut and pasted from other pitches you’ve sent. Where possible, incorporate language that illustrates you’ve researched the journalist and understand their likes and interests. For example, if relevant, you can reference a recent story they’ve written or explain why your pitch is a good fit for their beat.
3. Take advantage of new resources: With resources like Qwoted, there are new ways to connect with journalists to hear what they are writing about and need from subject matter experts (or their PR teams) to help support their article. Other more personal platforms, such as Substack, provide journalists with an open forum to discuss their work and even talk about some of the content or pitches that work for them, and what doesn’t. Joining these platforms can offer you more exclusive access to the minds of journalists and help you understand what they really want or are interested in
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