Every day, journalists’ inboxes fill with hundreds of stories competing for attention to be shared. So, how can you ensure you create newsworthy content to stand out and be selected?

Creating newsworthy content is an essential skill for PR professionals. However, it is not always easy to do. Playbook Public Relations is here to take you through the steps necessary to get your client’s story picked up and write the perfect pitch.

• Think like a journalist

First, make the journalist’s life easier by thinking like one and creating the content they are looking for with as little editing as needed. To do this, consider what makes a story newsworthy from a journalist’s perspective. Then, keep this list in mind when reviewing your story.

Does it have…

• Timeliness
• Impact
• Novelty
• Conflict 
• Proximity
• Relevance 
• Prominence 

The more things you can check off this list, the better, and if you can only check off one or even none, consider a new angle. However, it is crucial to remember the audience you are trying to reach.

For example, a hospital may focus on success stories of new procedures and surgeries on particular patients and their impact on the community. In contrast, a clothing store may focus on sharing the latest styles for the upcoming season.  

• Stay on top of trends.

Whether it be external impacts on your industry that could affect your business or a more broad viral trend that you could make relevant, ensure that you cover those topics before the public moves on. Usually, there is a small window of time to write about a trend before it is “old,” so stay ahead.

For instance, this could relate to a brand’s social responsibility story. If a social topic such as a current climate crisis is relevant to your brand, that is a potentially great story. Or, more simply, if you are a skincare brand, around the summertime, a blog on sunscreen would be very suitable.     

• Impress with facts and figures

People like to see the numbers. Whenever it is possible to access any data, whether it is qualitative or quantitative, include it if it fits the story. These figures give readers a measurable impact on their lives, which will spark interest. The more organized your data appears in the story, the better. Journalists often prefer infographics and graphs whenever possible to make the information clear and easier to read.

Not only do facts and figures add interest to your story, but they also will give you credibility. They create credibility because they can eliminate biases that journalists try to avoid.