The Best Tools to Find Journalists in 2023
The world of journalism has evolved over the years, and the media landscape has changed significantly as a result. Journalists are no longer confined to traditional media outlets; they are now working for online news sites, blogs, podcasts, and social media platforms.
Finding the right journalists to pitch your story to can be a daunting task. This is especially true at a time when there areso many different media outlets and journalists to choose from. However, there are a variety of tools available to help you find the best journalists to reach out to in 2023.
Before we talk about what these tools are, let’s discuss why we do media outreach to begin with.
The goal of media outreach
During media outreach, many businesses and organizations make the mistake of targeting publications rather than journalists. Of course, it is important to have a list of target publications. However, it’s even more crucial to identify the specific journalists who are interested in your niche and the kind of topics you have in mind. After all, journalists have the influence to pitch a story to the editorial team successfully – so it’s them who you need to worry about winning over.
Journalists are the ones who create and write articles. They have their interests and preferences, and they are more likely to cover stories that align with their areas of expertise. By targeting journalists directly, you can increase the chances of getting your brand message out there and building relationships with the media.
The best tools for finding journalists and securing media coverage
LinkedIn is a professional networking site that you can use to find journalists and build relationships with them. You can search for journalists by name, location, media outlet, and more. LinkedIn also allows you to join groups related to yourindustry, which can be a great way to connect with journalists who are interested in a particular topic. Furthermore, youcan use LinkedIn to share your content and engage with journalists in a professional setting.
Pressfarm
Pressfarm is a PR tool that helps businesses and startups to connect with journalists and media outlets. The platformprovides a comprehensive database of journalists, bloggers, and media outlets, allowing you to search for contacts based on your interests, locations, and much more.
One of the most significant advantages of Pressfarm is that it offers the functionality required to build personalized media lists. You can build these on your own or sit back and let the Pressfarm account executive build your media lists – customized with your goals in mind.
If you choose to build your own media lists, you can create customized media lists based on your needs, allowing you to target specific journalists and media outlets that are interested in your niche.
Pressfarm also offers additional services such as press release distribution, media monitoring, and real-time analytics. You can use the Pressfarm tools to distribute your press releases and pitches to targeted journalists and media outlets. Alternatively, you can let the Pressfarm team take care of all the distribution for you.
The pricing for Pressfarm’s services is based on the level of access you want to the platform and the number of media contacts required. Not only is Pressfarm relatively more affordable than other PR tools, but it is also a valuable investment for businesses aiming to connect with journalists.
HARO
Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is a free service that connects journalists with sources for their stories. You can sign up to receive daily email notifications with requests from journalists for sources on various topics. You can filter the requests by topic, location, and media outlet.
Responding to a HARO request can be an excellent way to get your client or brand mentioned in a story. HARO has a large network of journalists and is an excellent resource for PR professionals who are looking to build relationships with journalists.
Twitter is a powerful tool for finding journalists and staying up-to-date on breaking news. Many journalists use Twitter to share their stories, engage with their followers, and promote their work. As such, you can search for journalists by topic or beat and follow them on Twitter to stay up-to-date on their work.
Additionally, Twitter’s advanced search feature allows you to search for tweets by keyword, hashtag, location, and more. This feature can help you find journalists who are tweeting about specific topics or events.
Muck Rack
Muck Rack is a popular platform used by PR professionals to search for journalists, media outlets, and topics. The platform includes a database of over 50,000 journalists and media outlets, making it an excellent tool for finding the right journalists to pitch to. You can search for journalists by, location, media outlet, or name. Additionally, Muck Rack offers real-time monitoring of journalist activity, including tweets, articles, and social media posts.
This feature allows you to track what journalists are writing about and stay on top of breaking news. Muck Rack is a paid service, but it is well worth the investment if you want to streamline your media outreach efforts.
PressRush
PressRush is a media database that includes over 1.2 million journalists and media outlets. You can search for journalists by location, media outlet, and more. PressRush also offers media monitoring and tracking, which can help you stay up-to-date on what journalists are writing about.
Additionally, PressRush includes a feature called “Pitching Mode,” that allows you to pitch your story directly to journalists through the platform. PressRush is a paid service, but it is a comprehensive tool that many PR experts are using.
Google News
Google News is an excellent tool for business owners or PR pros who want to find journalists who cover their niche. By using keywords related to your industry, you can find relevant news articles and identify the journalists who wrote them. You can then reach out to the journalists directly and pitch your story to them.
Start building more meaningful connections with journalists
In today’s digital age, getting media coverage is crucial for businesses to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industries. Beyond that, they need to a way to reach their target audience. However, finding the right journalists who are interested in your niche and story angles can be a challenging task. That’s where the list of tools above comes in handy.
These tools can help your businesses connect with the right journalists. They also increase your chances of getting media coverage and building long-term relationships with the media. By using these tools, you can stay ahead of the competition and reach your goals for media outreach and public relations.
