The Secret to Responding to Media Requests

Digital PR Article

Any business looking to improve their awareness online can benefit from different media/ journalist request platforms. Platforms such as HARO and ResponseSource have new opportunities each day to help a journalist by being a story source, as well as tell people about your company.

Responding to a request that relates to your business can create positive relationships with journalists as well as generate those brand mentions and link opportunities. There is an art to successfully responding to these requests to gain the best outcome possible.

Respond only if you fit the nature of the request

Don’t waste yours or the journalist’s time if you or your company does not fit the nature of the request.

If the journalist is requesting for a specialist comment, this isn’t the time to be promoting your services or products. Read the request carefully and make sure the content you are providing fits.

The more direct and helpful you are the more a journalist will respect the information you are sending them.

Respond in the right way

If you fit the nature of the request, respond as soon as you can. Even if the deadline for the request is days away, the quicker you respond the more likely you are to be featured.

Many requests can gain thousands of responses and after a while journalists will stop reading them. Get your response in sooner rather than later.

Clearly identify how you can help

Make it clear who the subject matter expert is and provide all the necessary details so that the reporter has everything in one place and can easily attribute the information provided.

By details, think first and last name, title, company name, company type, company website and physical location. Also liking to link to relevant sites like LinkedIn profiles and company websites can be useful.

Don't just offer an interview and leave the reporter to guess what this pro has to say. Reporters will often quote directly from the media request response. So, you want to give a quotable response.

Following the response, feel free to add that the source is available to chat by phone or answer further questions by email, assuming these things are true.

Respond just once

Finally, one response per query will do. Don't reply through the media platform and then track down the reporter's work email and send it separately there as well, there’s no need to send the same one twice.

Don't send any "in case you didn't see this..." emails if the deadline is short. You will gain a response from them if they want to know more.