For PR pros, social media is more than just memes and foodie videos – it’s a valuable tool for connecting your brand with the media. You can be just 140 characters away from your next media placement if you follow this list of do’s and don’ts.
Do
1. Watch the trends
Journalists are continuously hunting for the newest trending story. By monitoring social media for popular topics, you’re able to capitalize on opportunities to connect your brand with the latest trend. This will allow you to serve as a source to journalists seeking to interview or collect information related to the current trend.
2. Build Relationships
Identify the appropriate journalists for the media you’re looking to pitch and follow them on social media. Make sure to share their content and even reply to a story they post or tweet on social media. By building a relationship long before you pitch the journalist, you increase your chances of attracting attention to your story idea.
3. Collect Insight
Follow journalists on social media and learn about the topics that interest them and stories they cover. By fully understanding the type of stories a journalist covers, you’re able to properly tailor your pitch to the reporter and even reference a previous story related to your pitch.
4. Pitch Via Social
Keep it short and sweet. Make your social pitch stand out by personalizing your message and keeping it concise. Craft your tweet or direct message like a headline, offering only key information upfront and directing the journalists to links with more information.
Don’t
1. Contact Without Following
Social media courtesy is to follow the journalists before contacting them – especially with a pitch. Show interest in them and their stories before asking for anything.
2. Send Mass Pitches
You’ll need a public social media profile to pitch media, which means journalists can see all your posts. With this in mind, never use social media to send the same pitch to several journalists. Reporters are looking for exclusive and personalized pitches – not the same old copy and paste pitch being sent to the masses.
3. Use Facebook
Facebook is a family-friend oriented social media platform. By sending friend requests to journalists, you’re running the risk of engaging with the reporter’s grandmother who tagged her in a photo or a shared Facebook memory of the journalist at prom. To keep the relationship professional, connect with journalists on platforms liked LinkedIn or Twitter.
4. Stop Engaging After Connecting
Once a relationship is built and a story about your client is written, continue to follow and engage with the journalist on social media. This leaves the line of communication open for future opportunities.
If you’d like help attracting or pitching a journalist, one of our skilled Public Relations Firms can help! Contact us today to get started.
