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Strategic Learning: Building PR Target Lists

Updated over a week ago

Why this matters
A well-curated media list ensures your outreach reaches the right journalists at the right time. Targeting based on relevance—not volume—improves engagement rates and strengthens relationships.


How to Identify Relevant Journalists Using Topics and Past Coverage

Best practices

  • Use search filters in the media database to find journalists by topic tags, beat, and recent articles.

  • Review each journalist’s profile and pitching preferences before adding them to your list.

  • Prioritize contacts who have covered similar stories in the last 6–12 months.

Helpful resources


When to Segment by Geography, Beat, or Influence

Segmentation tips

  • Geography: For local news, policy, or region-specific campaigns.

  • Beat: For product launches or niche industry stories.

  • Influence: For high-reach campaigns or thought leadership initiatives.

  • Maintain separate lists for each segment to keep outreach focused.


Tips for Maintaining Clean and Compliant Contact Lists

Best practices

  • Regularly update and deduplicate your lists to avoid outdated contacts.

  • Log interaction history and notes for future reference.

Helpful resources


Outreach Timing and Frequency Recommendations

Guidelines

  • Align outreach with editorial calendars and recent coverage trends.

  • Avoid mass sends—focus on personalized pitches for relevance.

  • Track open and click rates to refine timing and frequency.

Helpful resources

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