As a PR strategist, I read A LOT!
Why?
I need to keep updated on trends happening in the media so I can give my clients the best tips and advice when it comes to all things PR.
This week I came across some interesting stats that I’d like to share from Muck Rack – a PR software tool.
It’s from a list of 32 stats but I’ve pulled out the most relevant for you, especially if you’re looking to pitch your story to the media.
I’ve also included a little information on why it’s of interest and how it can help.
Drum roll please…
1. 65% of journalists prefer to be pitched before 11 a.m.
That’s a good stat to know. Next time you’re emailing a story to a journalist, make sure it’s between 9am – 11am.
I’ve also read a stat (can’t remember from where) that says the best days to email are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
So get pitching mid-week in the morning 😊
2. 61% of journalists prefer to receive pitches that are under 3 paragraphs in length
If you’ve been following me for a little while, you’ll know this is what I preach all the time.
Keep your emails short and sweet.
Journalists are crazy busy!
Some of the popular ones receive between 100 and 600 email pitches each day!
God doggit! Imagine their inboxes!
They don’t have time to read War and Peace!
Give them the relevant information.
Get to the point quickly.
3. Lack of personalisation is the #1 reason why journalists reject otherwise relevant pitches
This may surprise you, but it used to be the norm to send out blanket emails to a bunch of journalists all at once. You know the ones where everyone is BCC’ed in!
In fact, some people still do this! 🙄
Journalists HATE that!
If you want coverage for your story, personalise each email to the journalist and publication.
Otherwise they’ll immediately know that you’ve sent it to every Tom, Dick and Harry and it’ll be deleted.
4. 73% of journalists are okay with receiving a follow up to a pitch they didn’t initially respond to
Ok, so you’ve sent your press release.
You haven’t heard anything (which by the way isn’t unusual).
Should you follow-up?
Yes! Send them a follow-up email.
Your pitch may have been missed or they may have meant to follow-up and forgot.
Should you ring them? This is debatable. Many journalists will say “No, don’t ring.” But it does work in some circumstances.
5. 83% of journalists say Twitter is the most valuable social media platform to their work, up 70% from last year
Yep! You read that right!
Twitter is THE TOOL to use when researching journalists to cover your story.
You can search which journalists write for certain publications and what sort of stories they cover.
It’s also great for building and nurturing relationships with them.
6. 71% of journalists track how many times their stories are shared on social media
So many clients get featured in the press and forget to share the story!
Guys, journalists get monitored on how popular their stories are by how many readers and shares they get.
So for goodness sakes, help them out.
Share the sh*t out if it!
Share any coverage you get but also go beyond this and share their stories that you enjoy reading.
It helps them.
And next time you go to pitch to them, they’ll remember you.
That’s how you build relationships.
So what’s your takeaway? Which stat surprised you most? Tell me in the comments below…
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