Tips to Build a Media List

1. Assess your target audienceThe first thing you need to decide when creating your media list is who your target audience is and how best to reach them.

Start by researching what your target audience is interested in and how they prefer to consume information, including via blogs, websites, TV programs, newspapers or magazines.

2. Research media outletsConduct research into relevant media outlets to find out what topics they cover, the medium (online, radio, etc.) and the readership or audience size. Take note of the frequency the media outlets publish, produce new content and any relevant deadlines.

For instance, a blog may publish posts daily but a magazine will often be published monthly. Understanding the editorial calendar and the deadlines of the media you’re targeting will give your story the best chance of landing.

3. Find the right contactWhen creating a media list, it is important to find the best person to contact from the media outlet. This person should have responsibility for or an interest in the topic of your story. Look at articles written about your topic in your target publications and note the journalists who wrote these stories. It is also helpful to look at the job titles of journalists, producers and reporters.

When it comes to newspaper, magazine or internet, a beat reporter, editor or managing editor would be the right place to start. Contact the person who covers the topic or section you’re interested in contributing to. Be well versed with the content they cover before reaching out with a story idea. For radio or television, a producer, segment producer, booker, assignment editor, or content director are good places to start.

Try to avoid sending your media release or pitch to the email address for general inquiries, as often it will not reach the right person at the media outlet. Ensure you don’t contact several people at the same media outlet as they may think that you are spamming them.

To find media contact details, you can visit the media outlet’s website, where they might list staff email addresses and phone numbers, or call the publication directly for information.

4. Organize your informationMake your media list easy to use and update by putting it into a database, such as an excel document, with separate columns for the name of the media outlet, contact person, job title, email address and phone number.

It is also a good idea to categorize your list into different sections for the type of media outlet. For example, you could create a section with your blogging contacts and a separate section for your magazine contacts. You also can add a column for date contacted or next steps to organize your outreach efforts.

5. Connect in the digital worldEngage in social media to make virtual connections and media relationships. Follow reporters, and become familiar with the stories they cover. Connect on LinkedIn and be sure to follow them on Twitter. Members of the media tend to utilize Twitter the most, making it one of the best ways to connect directly with them. Retweet, favorite and even comment on their stories in your feed. Be creative in letting them know you’re following their content and enjoy their work. Soon, they will begin to recognize your name, which could help increase the likelihood of them responding to your pitches.

6. Begin your outreach and update your listWhen sending correspondence for the first time, it’s ok to ask if they’re the right contact for this type of information or if they recommend you send it to someone else on their team. Many reporters and media persons are open to helping you be effective with your outreach, which saves them (and you!) time, and they may suggest an alternative to contact that would be a better fit. It is important to update your list regularly, as your media contacts will often change roles or move into a different area of expertise.

7. Track media After pitching your idea to media, follow up with them or check the media outlets regularly to discover whether they published a story about your efforts. You can set up Google alerts with key words to receive notifications about news, blogs and other media published online. Once your story is published, you can share it on social media to expand its reach with your audience. Everyone loves to see a good story about an issue they care about, so confirming that your media outreach was effective can increase the positive impact of your work.