My Favorite Publications to Pitch and Why
After a decade of pitching the media, I have formed a few opinions about which publications I like and which ones I don’t.
Today, I want to share the few publications I consider favorites.
Let me make it really clear, when it comes to consuming media, this list would be very different. But as a publicist, when I’m asked about my favorite publications, I’m not necessarily thinking about which ones I personally find the most entertaining.
The way I evaluate a publication as a publicist is different. I’m looking for qualities like response rate, diversity of reporters, and that the media placement will make a positive impact on my client.
And one more thing, I don’t think I can emphasize this enough: my favorites are just a starting point. For each client, I look far and wide to make sure I am pitching all of the niche and relevant publications I can find.
But, I do have favorites. Here are the few that make that list.
Forbes.com
Forbes was founded in 1917 and at the time was the first and only major business magazine until the 1930’s. Today, in addition to their printed magazine, it lives on as a huge online publication.
If you go to the website and browse through some of the articles, you may notice that most are written by contributors and they cover so many different topics from fashion to travel to leadership.
A lot of times when I am working with a client, I search the Forbes website for key terms that are relevant to my client, find out who is already writing on those topics, and pitch those people.
The great thing about contributors is that you can usually find their contact info just by searching their name on Google. Most of the time you can find a direct way to reach out to them on their website or social media.
Eat This, Not That!
Eat This, Not That! might give the impression that it’s just about food, but it is actually a great space for stories on any health and wellness topic.
In particular, they have a section called “The Remedy” which is great for health-related subjects.
Similar to Forbes, Eat This, Not That! largely relies on contributing freelancers. Once you find a few articles that are relevant to your pitch, Google the author to find their contact information.
The Zoe Report
For stories about fashion and beauty, I am a fan of the Zoe Report. I might sound like a broken record at this point, but again, they use a lot of freelancers which makes it easy to find relevant writers and their contact information.
Bustle
I have a lot of love for Bustle.
And yes, they do use a lot of freelancers just like the other publications I’ve mentioned.
In general, they’re a women’s interest publication, but they cover basically everything under the sun with a female perspective—and more.
Since they have such a wide variety of topics and depend on freelancers, it is easier to find a lot of new contacts to pitch. Use the same formula as before,
Find relevant articles
Google the author
Their contact info should be on their website or social media.
Podcasts
When I say “podcasts” I am referring to all of them. Podcasts have surged in popularity in the last few years and I get really excited about them.
Why? There’s basically a podcast for everything. There’s no need for me to pick just one podcast because most are extremely targeted. No matter how specific your topic or industry is, I bet there’s a podcast out there with a relevant audience. I have found podcasts to be an amazing way to target niche markets.
I’ve also noticed that a lot of podcasts will even request guests. Just go to their website to find information on what they are looking for and how to contact them.
