How To Impress An Editor And Guest-Post For Your Clients
Content marketing is an anti-promotional content-based strategy used by publicist and marketing experts as an alternative approach to PR. If you’re a publicist, you are familiar with it – the question is – how do you do it successfully.
There are a few approaches to successful content marketing. You can start your own blog, gain a following and feature you or your clients in the content you create, but its hard get a substantial number of clicks without having some serious media presence. As another approach, you can become a contributor for an already established media outlet by submitting your content for consideration. If the content is newsy in nature, and not promotional, you may just be doing a financially strapped news organization or blog a favor.
The value of guest posting is undeniable. Instead of pitching reporters stories they might like to create that include your client, you will be pitching editors pieces that you have already written. Having an effective pitch will be central to your content marketing strategy. Consider:
Find the right publication
Do the research and find out a publication’s focus. Don’t waste your time pitching the latest tech to a food blog. The closer you can fit their mold, the more likely they will pick it up.
Descriptive subject
The subject line is the first thing that the editor will see in his inbox. Don’t make it overwhelming but include something that might grab their attention. There’s no chance of you getting the hit if they don’t ever open the email.
Personal introduction
Use the name of the editor in your introduction. That way they don’t suspect you are doing some mass pitch. Using names can add a layer of comfortability that would otherwise be absent. This kind of info is can be easily searched for on the internet.
Non-promotional content
You’re a publicist. It’s obvious the whole strategy is for promotional purposes, but don’t make that abundantly clear to the editor. If they get the feeling that your article is more like an ad, they probably won’t take it.
Willingness to cooperate
Work with the editor. If they don’t like the initial idea, be willing to adjust to fit their vision. After all, it is their publication.
It’s time to let your inner-writer shine. Besides, no one knows your clients better than you.
