This document provides tips for pitching journalists on social media. It finds that most UK journalists use social media professionally, with Twitter being the most popular platform. While only 32% of PR professionals contact journalists on social media, it can be effective if done properly. The key tips are to build rapport with journalists online before pitching, tailor pitches to individual journalists' interests, and avoid hard sells or mass tweets. It's also important to move conversations offline after opening dialogue on social platforms. The best times to pitch on Twitter are Tuesday/Wednesday around lunchtime.

1. How to pitch journalists on social media
19th March 2015

2. Social Media Usage
Cision Social Journalism Study 2015 key findings:
• The majority of UK journalists use social media as
a professional tool
• Over half (53.5%) of UK journalists said they can’t
carry out their work without social media
• Twitter (75%) continues to be the most popular social
media platform for journalists
• Publishing and promoting content and sourcing
information are the two most important reasons for
social media use for journalists
• PR professionals are the most important sources for
journalists
Yet only 32% of PRs use social media to contact journalists

3. + Business focus
+ Private messaging
- Only use if already connected and worked with previously
- Not recommended
- Must be close personally and already ‘friends’
+ @Accounts blend personal and professional
+ Main platform for open dialogue with journalists
- All ‘cold’ tweets you send are public
There’s a place to pitch on social

4. And a time to pitch
Requests peak on Tuesday/Wednesday around lunchtime
Bottom out on Friday/Saturday

5. Why do journalists use social?
To find ideas, follow news and follow brands
they are interested in
Self promotion and to share their work
Interact with interview sources
Develop working relationships
Personal use (don’t forget about this!)

6. Why do journalists use social?

7. Why do journalists use social?

8. Seeking out journalists and requests
Set up searches
in Tweetdeck
Find people to outreach on
Followeronk
Other free tools
Search on
Cision

9. Approaching and pitching to a journalist on Twitter
Do Don’t
Build up your own Twitter following before pitching Tweet from an account which has just been set up
Learn about a journalists interest and hobbies Pitch to a journalist without knowing a bit about them
Interact with journalists before pitching Pitch to a journalist before interacting with them
Pitch from your own Twitter channel Pitch from you own company’s Twitter channel
Pitch to an individual journalist’s Twitter handle Pitch to a publication’s general Twitter channel
Offer resources for other stories Just think about what’s in it for you
Be personal and create a conversation Hard sell
Check that a journalist is happy to receive Twitter pitches Pitch to a journalist who doesn’t like Twitter pitches
Keep pitches targeted and tailored to each journalist Send out mass tweets
Keep using other channels to pitch Only use social to pitch stories

10. How not to pitch

11. Pitching in action

12. Good pitches

13. Twitter pitch check list
• Journalist twitter handle
• Client Twitter handle
• Make sure you use #client
• Work related bio within your Twitter profile
• Key headline

14. When 140 characters isn’t enough
• Create an online press room where media
materials can be located (link to this in your
tweet)
• Teaser Tweets (Vine)
• Shorten web links
• Move away from social

15. Then take the relationship off social
• Social channels should only be used to
open dialogue with journalists
• Conversation is much more deep and
meaningful via email or phone
• Important to develop face to face
relationships after that
• Journalists will soon be coming to you!

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17. Questions

18. Section
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