Qwoted works best when your profile and pitches give journalists everything they need to say yes. Here's what we consistently see separate the sources who land coverage from the ones who don't.
Complete Your Profile
A complete profile does more than look good. It helps our system make smarter matches, gives journalists a fuller picture of you when you pitch, and helps your profile rank higher in our database so reporters can find and reach out to you directly. Think of it as your resume on Qwoted.
Here's what to fill in to get to 100%:
Bio - This is often the first thing a journalist reads, so it matters. Keep it to around 100 words and pack in what counts: your credentials, your area of expertise, any notable outlets or projects, and anything that makes you a credible, interesting source.
Profile photo - Helps journalists put a face to your name.
Hashtags - These power your matches. Qwoted uses them to connect you with relevant requests and to notify you when new ones come in. They also work as filters in our source database, so adding them is one of the easiest ways to get found.
Employment - Your title and company show up when you pitch and add another layer of credibility.
Media - Add your published work here: articles, podcasts, broadcast appearances, white papers, and the like.
Recent quotes - These can be published or unpublished. Pull from a past article, a blog post, or even a pitch that didn't get picked up. This gives reporters a preview of your tone and perspective before they ever talk to you.
Recent commentary - When you pitch, you'll see an option to "amplify this pitch." Qwoted will summarize your pitch in a couple of sentences and surface it on your dashboard and relevant journalists' dashboards, as well as under "story ideas." If you don't like how a pitch got summarized, you can delete it.
Headshot - This can be the same photo as your profile picture, just uploaded separately. It's there so journalists can grab a headshot for their story if they need one.
Contact section:
Gender identity and location are required. They're our two most commonly used search filters.
Email and phone number are how a journalist reaches you or your client. If you're representing someone else, feel free to use your own contact info here.
You'll need two social media links to hit 100% completion.
One thing worth knowing: Qwoted profiles are public by default, which means they can show up in Google searches. If you'd rather they didn't, there's a "hide from search engines" option at the bottom of your profile page.
Pitching Best Practices
Move fast - Even with a few days until deadline, try not to let more than 12 hours pass before you send your pitch.
Keep it clean - Use bullet points and short sentences. Pitches with 7 to 12 sentences tend to get the best response rates.
Be unique - Tailor each pitch to the specific journalist and request. A generic pitch reads as one.
Avoid selling - A pitch is a chance to help a reporter answer their question, not a chance to sell your product or service.
Answer the question first - Lead with a direct response to what the journalist actually asked, not an introduction or background on yourself. Reporters are scanning a lot of pitches at once, and the ones that let them quickly grab a usable answer are the ones that stand out. This takes a bit more effort, but it makes a real difference.
Make it "Qwoteable" - Write your answer so a reporter can lift it with minimal editing. Ask yourself:
What do I know that a journalist can't just Google? Firsthand experience, patterns you've seen with clients, real numbers, something surprising. That's the good stuff.
Is it concrete? A specific number, a client story, a result, a comparison. Vague insights get skipped. Specific ones get quoted.
Would a real person actually say this out loud? Read your pitch back. If it sounds like a press release, rewrite it in your own words.
Check Your Pitch for AI Before You Send It
Most journalists can't accept pitches that read as AI generated, and it's a common reason strong pitches get passed over.
Before you submit, run your pitch through Pangram, our built-in AI detection tool. It'll give you a sense of how AI detection systems are likely to read your writing, so you can adjust before a reporter ever sees it.
More Resources
Questions about any of this? Reach out to us at support@qwoted.com.