Maximise your reach: Using Synapse to reach journalists
PR
The question on many PR’s lips (from seasoned professionals to industry newbies), is how do I get noticed by a journalist?
Email has traditionally been the go-to tool for PR outreach, but it comes with its challenges. Emails can easily get lost in crowded inboxes, overlooked amidst the deluge of daily messages, or even marked as spam with the new feature for the users of Gmail (or by the journalists themselves).
This is where Synapse – The Stories Marketplace comes in, offering a new solution to streamline connections and make interactions between both sides more meaningful.
So here are our quick tips for using Synapse to connect with journalists.
1. Write a relevant headline
A catchy and relevant headline is crucial. It serves as the first impression and the gateway to your content. It’s the first thing journalists see and what makes them eager to click on “read more”.
What makes a headline irresistible? Is it the promise of valuable insights, a compelling question, or a hint of something new? The answer lies simply in its ability to make it clear in a concise way what your story is about, why it’s relevant and why a journalist’s audience would be interested.
Just as Karen Cross, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Reach PLC Magazines & Supplements said when we spoke to her; “We’re looking for precise information on the content of the pitch, rather than a vague headline that’s designed just to catch attention.”
Make your pitch headline stand out and journalists will start to engage!
2. Journalists prefer exclusives
Every time we meet with a journalist, they tell us that they want more exclusives.
Journalists want exclusives because they provide unique story angles that haven’t been covered elsewhere, allowing them to write about it from fresh perspectives.
It’s also a chance for you to take a story from a small mention in the back pages to a full feature in the front. Surely one standout piece is worth more than two small mentions.
On Synapse you can send exclusive content. You pitch, for example, 3 journalists and if 1 of them accepts the exclusive, it disappears for the other 2.
3. Watch for requests
Journalists can send out requests for content on Synapse. Accepting a request when you have something relevant to provide, lets you message that journalist so that you can share more information. This also provides an opportunity to start building a proper relationship.
If you connect with and help a journalist who often writes about sectors you work in, chances are they’ll come back to you for content in the future.
How Can Synapse Help?
Synapse is changing the way PRs connect with journalists. By implementing new technologies, PRs can increase visibility, build better relationships, and drive more efficient media relations.
Interested in better connecting with journalists? Register today and discover how Synapse can transform your media relations approach.
FAQs
Registration is simple! Click here to here and then fill out your information. Our team hand verify all of our users within 24 hours. Once your account has been approved, you’ll receive an email inviting you to log in.
If you have any questions or problems, get in touch with [email protected]
Our team hand-verify every single one of our users. Synapse is designed for journalists, reporters, editors and those in the media sourcing stories. It’s also designed for PR professionals. We have our own verification process, but if required, we’ll always get in touch with you directly to get some more information on your day-to-day role and to make sure Synapse is right for you.
There are over 3000 amazing people on Synapse; all of whom want to revolutionise the media relations industry. Our PR user base is from across the UK and covers a mix of agency, freelance and in-house professionals. Our journalist user base is similarly broad. There are national publications, trades, regionals and freelancers all using the platform.
No! At the moment, Synapse is completely free to use for all users, so register today and try it out.
We’d love to. But we’re not quite there yet.
Synapse believes that journalists have the right to their own data, and that by giving journalists control over their data, PRs will receive more accurate and timely information that isn’t currently available on any other database.
This means that we need to work with journalists to register them on the platform, rather than adding every UK journalist without permission. This is something our team is working on every single day.
Have a journalist or publication you’d like to see on Synapse? Get in touch and let us know at [email protected]
We launched on 21st September 2023 with over 1800 users already pre-registered. Since then we’ve grown to over 3000 users, onboarded national publications and have more news to come. Watch this space!
Our users are so important to us. You literally keep us going each and every day so we’re always here to help. From solving tech issues, demoing the platform to posting pitches and requests on your behalf when you’re just having one of those weeks, we put our users at the heart of everything we do.
If you want to read more about our users’ experiences, you can check out their stories here or get in touch with [email protected]
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