One of the greatest rewards of working in PR is landing standout coverage that will ‘wow’ a client. From target trade media to the big nationals, there is nothing quite like getting your client in front of the right audience, at the right time.

A recent article from Press Gazette highlights the concerning and consistent decline in the number of full-time qualified journalists across the UK. From Business Insider cutting 21% of its staff to Reach and ITV making major cross-business redundancies, it is more important than ever to be doing your research and finding the right contacts.
With this in mind, what can you do to have the best shot at landing top tier coverage?

1. The role of digital content – video and imagery

Video has become the key to success. All news platforms want short-form video, or at least an option to get it from your client, as a basic requirement in your pitch. Video can elevate your story and help you gain attention. With the rise of TikTok and Instagram shorts, digital content has taken over. This is particularly appealing for regional, business and national news outlets.

Providing high-quality video and imagery to support your story can be the real difference between securing the coverage and being overlooked. Give the journalist an insight into your product, business, team, or service in action to bring your story to life. Not only does this help the narrative of your story, but it also helps to build strong relationships with key journalists.

2. Original data

When pitching survey content, we find that a sample size over 2,000 helps your content to be taken seriously. This figure shows that the stats are statistically robust and increases your chances of being seen. It’s also important that your survey is topical and noteworthy; don’t provide repeated data or outdated figures, as these won’t be as interesting as new, detailed, eye-catching findings.

When pitching client surveys, nationals want to understand the whole picture. Providing details on sample size, the sample location, plus any notable age group discrepancies can help to get your content noticed and used.
Look for trends, whether it’s 5%, 10% of 50% of people doing something; all figures help to paint a picture. Don’t discount smaller figures, as these could work towards a prediction angle. Giving the journalist all the relevant information you have initially can help to catch their attention; they can then use the findings in a way that works for them.

3. Catch the reader’s attention

Before any journalist opens your email, they will look at your subject line, so it’s important to make sure this is eye-catching and hooks the reader.
A good email subject can be the difference between your email being opened by the journalist or not. Often, it works well to use your headline as your email subject, as it gives the journalist all the information they need to make a judgment call. Keywords like ‘expert’ or ‘reaction’, or the use of bold statements and comparisons can help to instantly show who and what your story is about.

4. Know your audience

It can sometimes be challenging to know who you need to go to with your content, with journalists constantly moving around, but it’s important to do your research before you press send.

Getting the right person at a publication really can be the difference between landing the coverage and being deleted. Journalists get too many emails in their inbox to forward things on for you to the right person, so it’s imperative to know who you’re aiming for to increase your chances of success.

This also goes for print publications, especially trade. Research the media outlet before you share your news to ensure there is a space for you in their content. If you’re particularly certain it’s an excellent story for the publication, you can hook it into something you’ve read on their website or in their magazine. This helps to show you understand their product, their readership and their editorial goals.

5. Pick up the phone

Sometimes the best interactions are had when you pick up the phone! I find this is especially the case when I’m selling into trade publications. If you have a niche story or a complicated subject matter, it can be useful to pick up the phone and discuss your story with a journalist. This isn’t only helpful for the person you’re pitching to, it’s also useful for building relationships and understanding your target publications. I’ve found, especially when you’re trying to make a name for your client, that having an initial chat and reaching out to trade publications regularly to check in and discuss the news stories of the day, without always trying to sell in your client or a story, can have a really strong impact and helps to create valuable two-way relationships with journalists that return excellent long term PR results.