Crafting a news article that makes headlines is all about striking the balance between ensuring the content is newsworthy, telling a compelling story and adhering to the publication’s respective style guide.  

While your corporate blog posts allow for a more casual and personal tone, media articles follow a different structure – the inverted pyramid. Being across the nuances of these means you’ll speak the language of journalists, and your content will more likely feature in relevant publications. 

Moreover, the way you nurture relationships with journalists and present your news ‘pitch’ plays a crucial role in how to cut through the noise and garner journalistic attention.  

Nurture relationships with your up-to-date media list  

The first step to a successful media pitch is ensuring to pitch your story to the right person. Keeping an up-to-date media list takes time and it’s important to be across the latest job changes within the industry, reviewing your list regularly.  

Consider also how you foster relationships with your media contacts so that when you do pitch – it’s not coldly out of the blue. Providing an initial media kit containing essential information about your business proves to be a valuable resource for journalists. It streamlines their process, eliminating the need for additional research to understand your business and relevant information and assets. 

Further, proactively providing industry information ‘ins’ to your contacts – even before you have a story at hand – not only establishes a relationship with the journalist, but it also positions you as a credible thought leader and ‘go-to’ in your industry. This means when it is time to share a newsworthy article with them – you’ll go from cold pitch to a warm check in. Better yet – offer the story as an ‘exclusive’ and reach out to your desired publications first with this offer before reaching out your extended list.  

Assess the news-worthy angle before pitching  

Before writing any media article, evaluate the intrinsic news value of your pitch. Ask the question: Why should people care about this story, and does this angle align with the publication’s audience and style? Find the information gaps in your industry and fill these or add a compelling new angle to an existing hot topic in your domain. 

Structure articles using the inverted pyramid approach 

Unlike traditional storytelling, media articles follow the inverted pyramid structure. That is, an upside-down triangle where you emphasise the most critical information at the broad base and less vital details at the narrow tip. This method not only engages readers by placing compelling details upfront but also facilitates seamless editing for journalists. When reporting an event, for example, focus firstly on essential elements, such as the keynote speaker’s main points or decisions made and add supplementary information thereafter.  

Align your content with the publication’s style guide  

Ensuring your content is grammatically correct and aligned with the publication’s style guide makes journalists’ job a lot easier. For example, the ABC has a their own style guide, while Nine Enterainment Co. – owner of The AFR, The Age and The SMH – follow a different style guide. Being across the nuances within these such as how quotes or titles are written to the overall tonality, means you’ll differentiate your pitch and speak the language of journalists. The outcome? Less time, effort and editing required, and it is more likely a journalist will pick up your article.  

Capture attention with compelling hooks  

Capture the attention of journalists with a compelling story angle or hook. Highlight the relevance, timeliness, or uniqueness of your story upfront, making it clear why your pitch stands out. Craft personalised pitches aligned with the journalist’s interests and audience to increase the chances of your story being considered. 

Use short paragraphs and headlines for impact  

Enhance readability and engagement through the strategic use of short paragraphs and engaging headlines. Scannable headlines serve as entry points, enticing readers to delve deeper into the article, acting as a roadmap that guides the audience through the narrative. – while bite-sized paragraphs allow readers to absorb information quickly. A journalist’s role is to relay information clearly without flowery language and lengthy, convoluted paragraphs. 

Foster credibility with clear identification and attribution within articles 

Finally, clear identification and sources within media articles are crucial for transparency and accountability – adhering also to journalistic standards. Properly referencing names in the article and including sources transforms vague opinions into verifiable facts. When opinions are present, their attribution should be clear, and the article maintains credibility.  

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At Hume Marketing Co., we cultivate extensive media lists within the professional and financial services landscape. Contact us if you would like more information about our PR and media relations services.