6 reasons why reporters aren’t interested in your content marketing

Integrating digital public relations with your content marketing efforts can be a highly beneficial approach, particularly when aiming to expand brand recognition and strengthen your website’s backlink profile.

Developing high-quality content and proactively sharing it with journalists and writers can result in valuable media exposure, alongside the acquisition of backlinks to your website and the associated credibility gained from being featured in reputable sources.

This method of securing media coverage is remarkably powerful, though it requires careful execution.

Errors in any aspect of the process can significantly lower your likelihood of achieving positive results. If you are experiencing difficulties, review your content and outreach strategies to identify and correct any potential issues.

1. It’s not newsworthy

It’s a common observation that news outlets prioritize covering information that qualifies as actual news.

However, what precisely constitutes “news” in this context?

For those involved in content marketing, this generally centers around three key elements: currentness, applicability, and importance.

There’s a challenge, though: Most content marketing initiatives lack dedicated journalists focused on breaking stories, unlike traditional news organizations. So, how can you develop content that genuinely merits news coverage without the extensive resources of a newsroom?

The solution lies in generating and examining your own data.

If your company presents a novel data collection or a fresh interpretation of existing data, you become the exclusive source of that information, allowing you to offer it directly to publications. This substantially increases the appeal of your submission.

This approach blends original content marketing with digital public relations efforts.

However, the content needs to be more than just current; it must also be pertinent to the journalist you are contacting and their readership. Further details on this will be provided in point #4.

Lastly, consider importance, which relates to the effect it has on the intended audience. In the case of local news, this explains why reports on issues like traffic congestion and school cancellations are common: they have a direct impact on the daily routines of viewers and listeners.

Alternatively, your data can hold importance for writers who specialize in particular areas. As an example, for our client Porch.com, we sought both national coverage and more focused attention from industry-specific websites like Realtor.com.

With this goal in mind, we surveyed individuals regarding their views on HOAs. This project resulted in coverage from Realtor.com, REALTOR Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, and other outlets.

Meeting the criteria of importance can be difficult for brands, but providing entirely new insights makes it achievable.

2. The importance isn’t immediately apparent

Consider if an unknown individual offered you a book without a title or any cover art, simply stating, “You’ll likely enjoy this.” Would you commit to reading it in its entirety?

It’s unlikely. You’d naturally question how this person could possibly know your preferences, and why you would invest time in a book to determine if it aligns with your interests.

Submitting a pitch email functions similarly – you’re asking the recipient to believe your assessment that your content will resonate with their readership and hold value for them. This approach is insufficient.

Within the email itself, it’s essential to clearly articulate the precise reasons why this content is valuable to their audience. Incorporate bulleted lists highlighting the most compelling key points and emphasize aspects directly applicable to their readers.

The reason for this is simple: recipients will likely dedicate only a few moments to assess whether the content merits further consideration. You must proactively demonstrate its worth and avoid assuming they will invest the time to discover it themselves.

3. You’re contacting the incorrect journalists

Creating a pitch list involves more than just selecting the publications you aim to reach; it also requires pinpointing the individual writers who specialize in related areas.

Frequently, however, the research stops at a broad category, such as wellness or athletics. Many journalists, however, focus on more defined subjects, like the connection between wellness and athletics, instead of broadly covering wellness or athletics in general.

This type of investigation is a crucial component of effective digital PR. A survey of 500 writers conducted in 2019 revealed significant frustrations. The most common complaints were insufficient research into the writer’s background and a lack of understanding of the publication’s focus.

Locating the appropriate journalist significantly increases the likelihood they will value your pitch, as it will be directly applicable to their work, genuinely engaging, and something they would consider sharing with their audience.

Fortunately, the prevalence of this error suggests that a carefully targeted pitch is more likely to gain attention.

4. Your pitch is generic

Even when reaching out to a writer who appears to be a good fit, your communication should always be tailored to them individually.

It’s difficult to effectively target various writers with a standardized pitch, as there are always subtle differences in what aspects of your content will resonate with different individuals.

To illustrate, consider pitching the findings of a survey you conducted regarding preferred holiday gifts. A technology writer specializing in Software as a Service (SaaS) may be particularly interested in gifts related to software, whereas a technology writer focused on e-commerce might be more drawn to the product and marketing implications.

Therefore, leverage the research you’ve already completed within your pitch. Establish a personal connection with the writer (by mentioning their previous work or a shared interest you identified on platforms like Twitter).

Following this, clearly and concisely explain why you believe their readership would find your content valuable, highlighting key insights relevant to that specific audience.

By demonstrating this level of effort in your outreach, you’ll show the writer that you’ve genuinely considered their audience, increasing the likelihood they will give your pitch serious attention.

5. Your pitch is too high-maintenance

This issue can manifest in several ways when reaching out to potential clients or publications.

To begin, consider the length of your pitch emails. A survey involving 500 writers revealed that most prefer pitches to be under 200 words in length.

Exceeding this length increases the chance of disengagement, so prioritize clarity and brevity in your communication.

Furthermore, avoid requesting recipients to reply if they are interested in viewing supporting materials. This creates an unnecessary hurdle and introduces friction into the process.

Rather, provide a direct link to the relevant content, allowing immediate access for those who wish to explore it further.

Additionally, evaluate the number of links included in your pitch. We recommend limiting yourself to a maximum of three links, and ideally focusing on just one. Avoid requiring the recipient to navigate through multiple links.

As with all marketing efforts, the goal is to facilitate a smooth and effortless evaluation of your content’s appeal.

6. The content is too on-brand

Content heavily centered around your brand identity can come across as promotional material to writers, leading to immediate rejection.

Carefully evaluate your content to determine if it primarily advertises or discusses your main products or services.

For example, if your content argues that remote work improves well-being, and your company sells home office equipment, that information might be more suitable for your own website rather than being presented to publishers as news.

However, an exception exists if you possess verifiable data to support your assertions and clearly outline your research methods; this can minimize perceived bias and make your pitch acceptable to writers.

Alternatively, a potential conflict of interest could be the issue. If a hotel group publishes a report ranking hotel cleanliness—with its own properties at the top—the findings are unlikely to be seen as impartial, as the primary goal appears to be self-promotion instead of offering objective, useful information.

Your content might also be overly branded in its visual presentation. Excessive or conspicuous use of your logo or frequent mentions of your brand name can be detrimental.

Review your content again to identify if it suffers from any of these issues.

Numerous pitfalls can hinder success in content marketing and digital PR. However, by focusing on creating content that genuinely benefits target audiences and pitching to writers who reach those audiences, you significantly increase your chances of securing media coverage, boosting brand recognition, earning valuable backlinks, and establishing overall authority.