How Pet Bloggers Can Attract Media Attention
by: Carol Bryant
You are a pet blogger who wants to get media coverage, but where to start? Media attention is something we all crave, especially since we want to be viewed as experts in the pet space, right?
Well, the best place to begin pitching the media is with the basics. I have worked in PR for many years, and I am also a journalist/blogger. So I am on both the sending and receiving end of the PR pitch, and there are times when it “just ain’t pretty.” Our very own Tom Collins wrote a fab post last week, and you can catch up with it here.
In the meantime, if you want the media to cover something and feel you have the “perfect pitch,” there are a number of things you need to be doing right out of the gate.
Pitch Properly
First, don’t waste your time pitching to the wrong person. Find out who you need to pitch to and just what the exact email is to be used. Do not send what you find to be a hot topic or interesting blog fodder to the wrong person. It will be deleted and most likely, never to be shared or seen again. Do some homework.
Research Reminder
With the proper journalist/media source in tow, get to researching. What exactly would be the reason the reporter you selected needs to hear from you? I read an article recently that likened research for a pitch to that of prepping for a job interview. Look at the website/blog, read their previous articles and know what they write about; then do the pitch.
Be Real
I don’t like gimmicks and generally ignore those “Guess What Justin Bieber Did Now” type emails. I love the non-sensational headlines and intros to emails. Your goal is to keep the journalist reading.
Picture Perfect
Have images ready to go. If the journalist bites at your pitch, the last thing you want to do is scramble for photos that are needed five minutes ago.
Newsworthy
Is your topic truly something that is worthy of being dubbed “news?” What is the angle and/or your spin on a familiar topic? Add facts, figures, and additional data to topics.
Be Noticed
This is perhaps one of the most important things you can do as a blogger. Go and mingle with those in your industry, be seen, get exposure, and be educated. If you want credibility, then earn it. Get on the radar of those you want to notice you. Attending key industry events is critical. The BlogPaws Conferene is a perfect example of this. Are you attending in May?
Don’t Be a One Trick Pony
Does it drive you crazy when a brand pitches you, gets what they want, and then blows you off? It is a pretty lousy feeling, I know. So treat journalists and fellow media members with the same respect you want and deserve. Maintain the relationship by checking in and cultivating it, the same way you would any give and take relationship in your life.
Offer Yourself as a Resource
Getting on the radar of a journalist/media member is a boon for you personally if the process goes well. After all, who will they remember when they need an expert resource for a future piece?
Be available and treat your blog as the business you wish for it to be: Seen by the world as a credible resource and expert in your field.
Want more info? Come to the BlogPaws 2014 Conference from May 8 through May 10 in Henderson, Nevada, just 30 minutes from the Vegas Strip. One of our many expert sessions includes “How to Put Your Best Paw Forward” from PR pro, Patricia Jones.
Got any PR pitching tips? What has worked for you?
Again, stay tuned – much more to follow! Now is the time to register! Don’t wait: There will be no tickets given away, no freebies or special offers: This is the time and the place to get your BlogPaws 2014 Conference tickets!
