By Cornelia Fernandez-Salvador
Published July 21, 2021

You can’t approach media outreach in the B2B space by building a basic media list off of Cision, selecting filters, and blasting out a standard pitch. Some nuances will pique some reporters' interest, while the same details may be irrelevant to others. 

Time and time again, we see the need to hyper-target the right reporters who have the highest chance of caring about what you have to offer. Below are some tips to help find your targets. 

Keyword Search

Get a lay of the land with some basic keyword searches in different combinations. For example, if you are a B2B SaaS platform that provides companies the ability to localize their global marketing efforts, try searching no more than 3-5 keywords at a time in different combinations like B2B SaaS Local Marketing or Localize Global Marketing. This will bring up news articles in publications you may not have on your list that are relevant to your value proposition. You’ll still need to sort through what works and what doesn't, but it can provide a hotter lead than a cold email to a reporter. 

The Twitter Hack

When working with niche B2B companies, it may seem difficult to find reporters and outlets that work for your client outside the top-tiers. A great way to find relevant reporters and/or outlets is the Twitter hack. Find a reporter or outlet you know is a good fit on Twitter and, guess what? Twitter then suggests a list of relevant accounts for you to follow. Again, all may not be a fit, but it is a great place to build on your efforts and expand your media list.

Timely Newshook

Sometimes reporters who don’t cover your “beat” are covering news that impacts your industry. Monitor these stories and get creative in how your company is relevant in that news cycle. We call it trend-riding. For example, one of our clients is a branded live content platform that pivoted to digital-only events as a result of the pandemic. Their expertise in putting together socially distant events that were remotely produced and livestreamed allowed us to target broader business reporters covering the pandemic. Start by identifying a news or trend relevant to your client’s industry, even if it's not an obvious fit. Then search related stories and angles on social media and Google that you reference in your follow-up along with how your company fits in. 

Reporters rarely respond to cookie-cutter pitches blasted out to long media lists filled with irrelevant contacts. It takes time and research, but these are just some of the tactics our team at Carve uses to find the best reporter fit and increase the opportunity for coverage.