The first port of call is an extensive media audit, and that’s checking not just titles, but contact names and email addresses, and picking up the phone. It can be a daunting task, but the rewards can be significant.

So what could lead you to this point?

• Low coverage - the media is an evolving landscape, with newspapers under particular pressure. Titles are closing, news desks are shrinking and competition for editorial space is high. Therefore, it’s even more important to approach the right people, in the right way, for your story to land.
• Contact concerns - a contact list tailored to your client and backed up by a media database is a given, but do alarm bells start ringing when a previously supportive media outlet suddenly stops carrying your press releases? Has someone else taken over your contact’s role, or have they left? Does the title even still exist? It is time to check that list?
• Client request - as much as PRs like to deliver coverage, a client will want to see it as well, especially if it’s likely to be a KPI by which you are measured.
• New client - as part of the onboarding process, a client’s target media will need to be analysed and confirmed.

Cison’s 2024 State of the Media Report showed that 87 percent of journalists prefer a pitch by email but the strike rate for relevance is poor. Only two per cent said that the vast majority of pitches were suitable for them, with 68% saying they want PR professionals to understand their target audience and what they find relevant.

Therefore, it’s important to cut through to the right people and know what they’re looking for. A media audit will help determine who the best journalists are to approach, whether your pitch is right for their audience, how to craft the right pitch for them and whether you should follow up.

So how do you go about it?

Go back to basics - check the titles and journalists you’re targeting are still the right ones for your client. If it’s a new client, be focused on targeting the right media that fits their brand whether that’s regional or national, radio or TV.

After that, pick up the phone. It’s all about strengthening relationships so that your news article and your client stands out from the crowd.

What are the benefits?

A media audit ensures that your contacts are up-to-date and your media list is as robust as it can be.

In speaking to editors, you can establish stronger relationships with your client’s relevant media and develop a greater understanding of the media landscape - what the publications want to carry and, equally, what they don’t, which helps to secure valuable coverage.

This deeper knowledge also means clients can be given informed recommendations on which titles will best suit their news, features and campaigns, and why.

Moving forward

A media audit done properly is a time-consuming exercise but it is the foundation on which PR work is built. Therefore, it cannot be a one-off; regular checks are important and once those relationships are established, they need to be maintained.

The creation of a robust media list is therefore a major step towards quality earned media, and as Richard Branson said: “Publicity is absolutely critical. A good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad.”