500 writers & editors reveal what they look for in a pitch
DESCRIPTION
In this BuzzStream webinar, Ryan McGonagill & Kelsey Libert share the results of their Perfect Pitches survey. Ryan and Kelsey reached out to more than 500 editors at publications like Time, BuzzFeed, Upworthy, and more, and asked them what they look for in a pitch. For more about outreach best practices, visit http://www.buzzstream.com/blog. For more from Kelsey & Ryan, visit http://frac.tl/.TRANSCRIPT
@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl Image Credit: http://frc.tl/1nuTW0Q
This is a storyabout a noise:value ratio
that has gotten out of whack.
@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
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Editorial voices are outnumbered by public relations professionals by almost 5:1
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http://frc.tl/1mrxZgH @KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
“Many [PR professionals] have a misunderstanding when it comes to the difference between advertorial and guest posts.” – Gigaom.com
“Too many submissions we get are clearly just pitches for a company, attempting to masquerade as thought pieces, a press release dressed as a guest post.” – TechCrunch.com
“Over time [guest blogging] has become a more and more spammy practice.” – Matt Cutts
Our Research
@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
We interviewed over 500 writers, editors, and publishers.
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This Is Their Story
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About how many
stories do you write
per day?
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@KelseyLibert,@RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
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The majority of people you’re pitching only write
ONE STORY per day.
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About how many
pitches do you
receive per day?
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"300-plus. No joke!"
- Reuters.com
"Too many to count, seriously."
- HuffingtonPost.com
"Wow - I have lost track.”
- USNews.com
"I mostly filter these or unsubscribe."
- Lifehacker.com
“It's CONSTANT! It's
like they're rewarded for
pitching, not for landing pitches...”
- PopularMechanics.com
“Dozens. I've started filtering them so they are
automatically deleted.”
- FundRaisingCoach.com
"Anywhere from 15 to 100 depending on the time of
year."
- TheCentsibleLife.com
"Dozens during a normal business day, hundreds
during major conventions."
- DigitalProductionBuzz.com
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@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
Although most writers publish one story per day, 44% of them get pitched a
minimum of TWENTY TIMES per day.
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How often do you write a
story based on
something that was sent
through a pitch?
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@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
Although writers are inundated with pitches, only
11% often write a story based on content that was
sent through a pitch.
@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill,
www.Frac.tl
However, 45% said sometimes, so there is an opportunity for change.
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Your Strategy Lesson
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Would you rather be
pitched ideas that you
can collaborate on or get
a finished asset?
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STOP spamming writers with poorly matched assets.
Instead, collaborate on mutually beneficial ideas.
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What characteristics
does the perfect piece of
content possess?
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What types of content
do you wish you saw
more?
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Your Networking Lesson
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How important is it for a
person to establish a
personal connection with
you before pitching content?
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@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
64% of writers think it is of some importance that you
establish a personal connection before pitching.
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Use Twitter as a platform to socialize with your prospects
weeks prior to the pitch. Engage in blog posts.
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Which of the following
channels do you prefer
to be pitched on?
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Put down your cell phone. Stop spamming on social media.
Start writing sincere emails to the best-fit person for your campaign.
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Use a CRM such as BuzzStream to manage your relationships.
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Your Pitch Lesson
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What time of day do you
preferred to be pitched?
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What time of day do you want to be pitched?
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Use a pre-scheduling tool to send your emails in the early
morning hours.
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What email length do
you prefer?
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88% of writers prefer a pitch be less than 200 words. Check your word count before sending.
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Do you open an email
based on its subject
line?
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@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill, www.Frac.tl
Test your subject lines in your inbox. What stands
out? The golden rule is 45-65 characters.
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Which of the following
subject lines catches
your attention the most?
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An overwhelming number said they want a subject line that is:• Direct • Concise
• Descriptive• Includes keywords relevant to the writer’s beat
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How likely are you to delete
a pitch based on a
spelling/grammar error,
regardless of the content’s
quality?
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Do you auto-delete
pitches that contain
certain words?
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@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill www.Frac.tl
If you could give 1-3 points
of feedback to people who
pitch to you, what would you
say?
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• Do your research. • Know the publication.
• Be relevant. • Make it newsworthy.
• Know my beat. • Don’t use all caps.
• Be personal. • Be concise.
• Don’t cold call. • Does it fit my beat?
• Use spellcheck. • No giant attachments.
• Don’t pitch on social media. • Know my audience.
• Avoid phony friendliness. • Get my name right.
• Avoid the fluff. • Tailor your subject lines.
• Die in a fire.
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“If I don't respond it's because I'm not interested. If I am interested, I will email you back.”
– NationalJournal.com
“1) Don't send multiple emails and follow-ups. 2) Don't follow up your email with a call.”
– Parents.com
“Do not call me 5 minutes later to follow up.”
– Geek.com
“Don't follow up so many times. If we're not interested, we're not interested.”
– OutOfThePastBlog.com
“Unless I contact you asking for more information, don't follow up 2 and 3 times asking if I'm going to write about the story you sent me.”
– TheGoodWineGuru.com
What characteristics
does the perfect piece of
content possess?
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• Breaking news • Exclusive research • Emotional stories
• Timeliness • Relevance
• Data • New hook
• A story • Interview opportunities
• Data visualizations • Useful information
• Innovative • Interesting analysis
• Storytelling • Well-researched
• Meets editorial mission • Original content
• Solutions to problems • Engaging • Amusing
• Useful insights • Humor
• Unique angles• High-quality graphics
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Research by Kelsey Libert, www.Frac.tl
http://frac.tl/publisher-feedback/
Leverage The Science Behind Great Content.Research by Kelsey Libert, www.Frac.tl
