500 writers & editors reveal what they look for in a pitch

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This is a storyabout a noise:value ratio

that has gotten out of whack.

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Editorial voices are outnumbered by public relations professionals by almost 5:1

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“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

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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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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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Although writers are inundated with pitches, only

11% often write a story based on content that was

sent through a pitch.

@KelseyLibert, @RyMcGonagill,

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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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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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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

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