QUICK PR READS YOU CAN TACKLE BETWEEN BITES
Happy Wednesday, Lunch Breakers! It’s the last week in April, which means only a few more days until the Justin Timberlake ‘It’s Gonna Be May’ meme floods our timelines and newsfeeds. In this week’s edition, we’re exploring Twitter’s potentially new ‘tipping’ feature, highlighting the latest lessons from Muck Rack’s ‘Bad Pitches’ round-up, and learning some useful PR tips from two separate journalism surveys.
Have Tweet; Will Tip
Twitter is exploring some features for content creators to monetize their Twitter following. One of those, according to The Verge, is a ‘tipping’ feature that would allow users to tip others for great Tweets. A tech blogger and app researcher known for reverse engineering social media code shared some screenshots of what the tip function could look like with multiple payment options, including CashApp, Venmo and PayPal. Communicators specializing in influencer marketing should keep close tabs on if this feature eventually gets released to the public.
Here’s the Pitch
Muck Rack’s ‘This Month in Bad PR Pitches’ is entertaining enough, but our favorite chaser to that shot is Michael Smart’s monthly insight chock full of useful communicator takeaways. This month, we’re pumping the brakes in bewilderment that someone would follow up with a reporter six hours later. It’s also a useful reminder—for next year—to include a ‘Not April Fools’ Joke’ disclaimer should you happen to pitch on or leading up to April 1st. Finally, if you’re going to use a mail merge for a blanket pitch—something we frown upon—make sure to…well, you’ll just have to see the error to believe it.
Cision’s State of the Media
Cision’s annual media insights emphasized the importance of PR pros doing their homework to target the right reporters. The majority of reporters told the PR software platform that only a quarter of the pitches they receive are relevant to their beat. Speaking of, nearly half of reporters surveyed said they’re now covering five or more beats. In a time where journalists are already stretched thin, communicators need to be patient and provide enough up-front information on why their story idea is newsworthy and relevant.
Bonus: More Earned Media Takeaways
If you’re looking for additional journalistic insight, check out SpinSucks’ recap of OnePitch’s reporter survey. It’s always heartening to see that around 90% of surveyed reporters accept pitches, and that exclusives, original data and compelling subject lines are three strategic ways to pique interest. On the flip side, don’t expect great results if you’re pitching a reporter on a topic that they just covered.
