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6 dos and don’ts for pitching a reporter via Twitter

Technology continues to force industries to evolve. In order to stay top-of-mind, public relations practitioners must adapt to these changes and incorporate the necessary tools for delivering their client’s message to the right audience. Beyond the traditional pitching techniques, PR practitioners are using social media to secure stories.

Here are some dos and don’ts for pitching a reporter via Twitter:

1. Do follow reporters on social media – This includes Twitter, Pinterest, Blog posts, etc.  Get familiar with what a repoter posts about. This will give you a deeper look at what the reporter is interested in and how you can make a connection
2. Do take it a step further & engage  – Reply to an article they tweet about or retweet an article they published. Make sure to include a comment! Let the reporters know you are interested and knowledgeable in the topics they report on
3. Don’t DM a reporter – Unless you have worked with a reporter frequently, do not bother sending them a direct message to try and get a story out of them. This can be intrusive and an invasion of privacy
4. Do get to know the reporter – If you’re lucky and live near the reporter, ask them out for a cup of coffee to get to know them a little better. If not, do some research. Don’t be afraid to call a reporter and ask what they prefer. Some journalists even include pitching preferences in their Twitter bios
5. Don’t send reporters lengthy pitches – Keep in mind how many other emails and phone calls reporters receive from other PR practitioners. Keep your pitches brief and to the point. This is where pitching via Twitter ties in. 140 characters or less will force you to be brief
6. Do follow up after a story is published – Tweet about the article and directly mention the reporter who covered your story. If you communicated via email, it is appropriate to send them a quick email to say thank you

There are exceptions to some of the dos and don’ts mentioned above. Make sure to take the time to form a relationship with reporters who are frequently publishing stories that you or your client can provide expertise on. The stronger the relationship the better the chance a reporter will reach out to you as a PR practitioner who can provide insight or an expert source.

Do you have any additional tips for pitching a reporter via social media? Leave them below in the comments!

Bill Kiefaber • July 8, 2013

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