10 Media Relations Strategies for Capturing Attention
Newsrooms across the country are shrinking, meaning fewer journalists are often tapped with covering more beats and inundated with even more pitches. At the same time, the 24/7 news cycle—and the social media churn that has been feeding instantaneous updates over the last decade—has created an environment in which a timely story takes on a whole new meaning. What’s urgent in one moment may be old news in the next.
To break through the noise, organizations may benefit from reimagining their approach to media relations efforts. Following are ten storytelling and relationship-building tips to help garner media coverage in the current climate.
Strategy #1: Create Multimedia-Rich Story Packages
Attention spans are short. When stories catch our eye, they’re more likely to capture interest. Offering reporters the opportunity to include visuals in their piece may help increase the chances of media coverage.
Video Content Powers Modern Media Relations Strategies
Video content has become particularly valuable. This is especially true for short-form clips (30-90 seconds) that can be embedded in online articles or shared across social platforms. These should be produced but authentic, focusing on human elements of the story rather than overly polished corporate messaging. If they feel like an advertisement, a publication is not likely to bite.
Infographics Transform Data
Data visualizations such as infographics and charts transform complex information into easily digestible stories. Publications may prefer to use their own in-house teams to create these assets, but it never hurts to offer your own. Even if not used in an article, infographics and charts can be leveraged to promote the story on social media or in other owned content.
Broadcast Visuals Amplify Impact
For broadcast, have visuals ready to go. While producers may want to capture their own content, offering any supporting photos, video clips, and even b-roll footage you have on hand can help move the needle and build out your story.
A word of caution: in most cases, it’s best practice to avoid including attachments in initial outreach to reporters. Doing so may send your email to their spam folders or cause it to be misconstrued as a phishing attempt. Consider linking to supporting media or sharing it via attachment after aligning on this approach with your reporter or producer contact.
Strategy #2: Leverage Data-Driven Public Relations Storytelling
In an era in which misinformation and disinformation abounds, it can be advantageous to have access to the facts—and by facts, we mean proprietary data that grounds your insights.
This could take many forms: recurring market research initiatives, internal data that is analyzed and externalized, pulse surveys, and more. But data alone isn’t a silver bullet to guarantee media coverage. The data needs to be timely, compelling, and connected to the reporters’ area of focus.
Strategy #3: Build Relationships with Journalists
It may seem obvious, but it’s worth repeating: Media relations is a two-way street. The journalist on the other end of the computer or phone is a human, too, with their own professional and personal needs and goals. Don’t just ask journalists to help you—ask yourself how you can help them. Don’t send them pitches that you know aren’t a fit for their coverage. Make the most of their time, and they’ll be more inclined to make the most of yours.
While social media engagement can be a helpful tool in nurturing journalist relationships, it’s not the only way to forge meaningful conversations. Don’t be afraid to network in person over coffee.
If you have the opportunity to get to know journalists better as people—to hear about their interests, hobbies, etc.—embrace it. As with any form of networking and relationship-building, this helps build authentic connections.
After meeting, consider ways to stay in touch. It could be following the reporter on LinkedIn and engaging with their content (especially if they publish something you work on together). For example, this could be as simple as inviting the reporter to attend a company event, if open to media, or asking the reporter to host a lunch and learn session with your team.
Strategy #4: Use Social Listening to Embrace Real-Time News Opportunities
Social listening and newsjacking techniques can generate significant media attention when executed thoughtfully. The key is finding the right intersection between trending stories and your organization’s expertise or perspective. Successful newsjacking requires both speed and relevance; attempting to force connections to unrelated news events will damage credibility.
Timing considerations are critical. The window for newsjacking is often measured in hours, not days. The ideal response comes early in the news cycle when journalists are still developing their coverage angles and seeking expert perspectives.
That said, sometimes a day two or day three story is more appropriate. Be conscious of what you’re pitching around timely events, especially if they involve sensitive issues that impact people’s lives. If it’s not the most pressing story because it shouldn’t be, wait to pitch until the timing is right.
Strategy #5: Develop Thought Leadership Platforms
Don’t limit yourself to earned media alone or force earned media to operate in a silo.
Owned content offers another powerful avenue to tell your story. Identify the intersection of the issues important to your audience and where you have unique expertise and build a thought leadership platform around this junction.
Whether it’s publishing a recurring column on your organization’s blog, hosting a podcast, or developing a speaking platform, there are many ways to share your thought leadership alongside earned media.
Strategy #6: Consider Contributed Content
Contributed content provides an avenue to share executives’ points of view while maintaining control of the narrative—though the resulting articles will likely need to meet publications’ editorial standards.
This could take shape in a variety of ways, from developing articles that are published on a regular basis (e.g., monthly or quarterly) to drafting a timely piece one time. Contributed content is not advertising and should not be treated as such. It should provide a publication’s readership with timely, actionable insights and avoid overly promotional or salesy language. Additionally, the content has to be unique to the outlet, meaning you can’t plug and play the same byline across publications.
Make sure you research publications’ guidelines and submission process before sharing drafts for their consideration.
Strategy #7: Research Partnership Opportunities
Consider developing ongoing content partnerships with select publications or journalists that provide them with regular, exclusive access to your organization’s insights, data, or leadership perspectives. This might take the form of monthly industry briefings, quarterly trend reports, or first access to proprietary research findings. These partnerships create a win-win scenario: publications get reliable, high-quality content they can count on, while your organization builds deeper relationships and consistent media coverage.
The key is ensuring the exclusive content is genuinely valuable and newsworthy, not just repackaged marketing materials. Focus on insights that help journalists better understand industry trends, market dynamics, or emerging challenges their readers care about.
Strategy #8: Investigate Non-Traditional Media Channels
It’s no secret that podcasts are an incredibly powerful media platform, offering listeners in-depth conversations that can humanize your organization and its leadership.
When pitching podcast appearances, research the show’s format, audience, and recent episodes. Come prepared with compelling stories and a conversational approach rather than corporate talking points.
While media training is always integral to executives’ success in interviews, this is especially true when it comes to long-form and/or visual formats (podcasts may have accompanying videos, too). This is because factors such as pacing, staying on message, pivoting around tougher questions, and body language need to be sustained for longer period of time. Practice here is helpful. Beyond an initial training sessions, it’s helpful to brush up on key messages and review how to address challenging anticipated or potential questions to build confidence and prepare for the interview itself.
Strategy #9: Incorporate Events into Your Media Relations Strategy
Your event strategy should be integrated into your broader marketing and communications plan—and it should also be connected to your earned media approach.
Events provide an opportunity to share significant news, introduce or launch a new product or service, and connect more broadly with your target audiences whether you’re speaking or attending to network.
Regardless of how you’re participating in industry conferences, think about how you can maximize your presence on the ground and disseminate insights before, during, and after the event.
For example, are you able to secure a list of reporters who are attending, and if so, can you schedule interviews during the event? How can you package learnings into owned content following the event? Are you posting on social media with key takeaways during compelling sessions? Can you pitch insights following the event as well?
Strategy #10: Master Cross-Platform Storytelling
Successful media relations requires the ability to craft stories that can seamlessly adapt across multiple platforms and formats while maintaining consistent messaging.
It can be helpful to start with by mapping out key messages and variations, as appropriate, for your target audiences. These messages can then be adapted as needed for platform-specific uses, adjusting length, tone, and more.
One story might be communicated through a press release, a visual infographic for social media, a conversational podcast interview, and a blog post. Each version of the story, while it may contain different information and have a different positioning, should reinforce the core narrative while maximizing engagement on its specific platform.
This multi-platform approach allows you to take many bites of the apple, making the most of your insights and extending their reach and self-life.
The Future of Media Relations
The future of media relations belongs to organizations that can adapt to journalists’ evolving needs while creating compelling, multi-dimensional stories. By embracing these ten strategies, organizations can achieve impactful media coverage and make meaningful connections in an increasingly competitive landscape.
