Ten strategies for reaching journalists in 2025

Reaching journalists with your organization’s message requires a combination of new approaches and established methods. While the media landscape is in constant flux, the core principles of public relations remain constant. The most important part of any PR strategy is building personal relationships. Understanding a publication's style, knowing its audience and building trust with its editors is the bedrock of successful public relations.

However, journalists are adopting new tools and workflows to manage the accelerated news cycle. Understanding these shifts, including how journalists use artificial intelligence and social media, is crucial for any organization seeking to earn media coverage. Balancing traditional relationship-building with modern methods is the key to a successful PR strategy.

What are the best strategies for reaching journalists in 2025?

1. Optimize content for AI search

Press releases may now reach journalists indirectly. AI chatbots, functioning as search engines, retrieve data from your organization’s website or press sites. This creates an opportunity for your news to reach its intended audience through SEO. Therefore, do not just email a press release; publish it on your website. Ensure original research or data is accessible and well-structured, increasing its likelihood of being discovered by the AI-powered analysis tools journalists use.

2. Identify journalists' preferred social media platforms

Many journalists utilize social media, but not all platforms are equally relevant. LinkedIn remains a primary hub for professional connection and sourcing, but other platforms like Instagram and Facebook also have a share of the trade press audience. Before developing a social media strategy aimed at journalists, identify where they are most active and tailor your approach accordingly.

3. Frame your pitch as a conversation

Effective PR professionals build relationships by engaging in genuine conversations. Offer insights and customize your pitch to a journalist's specific platform and audience. Frame your outreach as the start of a dialogue. One method is to reference a story the journalist recently covered and explain how your information provides a new angle or serves their audience.

4. Provide turnkey media assets

In an era of reduced newsroom resources, making a journalist's job easier provides a significant advantage. When pitching, offer a complete package of assets, which could include high-quality video, graphics, data access and case studies or expert sources. The more you can provide, the higher the probability of securing coverage. Do not require journalists to navigate password-protected portals; lower the friction to increase your chances.

5. Use social media for audience insights

Journalists often use social media to interact with their audience, treating these exchanges as a focus group by posting questions to gauge topic resonance. Your organization can adopt a similar strategy. Engage with topics relevant to your industry, monitor what gains traction and use these insights to craft pitches on subjects of known interest.

6. Avoid exaggerated and urgent language

Journalists receive a high volume of emails, many marked with false urgency. Avoid using exaggerated words like “thrilled” or “pioneering” in press releases and pitches. Reserve terms like "urgent" for truly time-sensitive matters, such as a correction or a last-minute interview change. Using it for a standard product launch will damage your credibility.

7. Position your story within a broader trend

The most effective way to secure coverage is to avoid always pitching stories focused solely on your company. Instead, identify a broader industry or societal trend and position your organization as a key example or expert source within that narrative. This approach demonstrates an understanding of the larger context and helps a journalist tell a more comprehensive story.

8. Personalize pitches authentically

AI can assist in drafting a pitch, but it cannot replicate a genuine human connection. Journalists report receiving and deleting AI-generated emails that lack authenticity. A simple, direct line showing you are familiar with their work is more effective than a generic, AI-written compliment.

9. Respect communication preferences

The appropriate method of contact—phone call, email, text, or social media direct message—depends on the journalist. Most prefer email for pitches and dislike cold calls. Some are open to DMs or texts. Research their preferences by observing how they interact online. If you are uncertain, email is the safest option. Never follow up on an email with a phone call to confirm receipt.

10. Prioritize accuracy and substance

In an age of widespread disinformation, credibility is paramount. Journalists are less concerned with whether AI assisted in writing your content and more concerned with its accuracy. Ensure every statistic, claim and piece of data you provide is factual and well-sourced. Journalists are highly skeptical; an inaccuracy will not just cause them to pass on the story but may also lead to a permanent loss of trust.

AOE has deep experience with traditional PR and stays abreast of new tools and trends. Contact us to learn how our strategies can enhance your PR campaigns.