Media lists are like a diving board. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They give you the spring you need to make a splash in your industry and earn media coverage for your company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re new to media list building, it\u2019s an easy process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And in this blog post, we share everything you need to know about media list building including: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s dive right in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A media list is a collection of contacts who may be interested in the news your brand shares. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These contacts can include journalists, bloggers, and influencers, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The media contacts on this list not only write about your industry, but they\u2019re good at it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their content\u2019s informative, factual, and their audience loves it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their audience is your target audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your goal is to create connections with these contacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building a strong rapport with them is key and it\u2019ll help you elevate your brand through earned media coverage in their publications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So now you know your media list is an ever-evolving repository of contacts who write about topics in your industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, how do you create one? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Media list building is simple. It requires a level of organization and an understanding of what you\u2019re trying to accomplish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To start, open a blank Excel Spreadsheet or a Google Sheet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll need nine columns: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Column 1: Media Outlet Name<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n List the name of the media outlet and include a URL for easy accessibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 2: Contact Name<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Write down their first and last name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 3: Official Title<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Is this person a Columnist? Editor? Podcast host? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 4: Social Media<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Include links to the publication\u2019s social channels and the contact\u2019s social profiles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 5: Phone Number<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Include the publication\u2019s phone number and, if possible, the contact\u2019s direct number. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 6: Email Address<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting their email address is a top priority as it\u2019ll likely be the primary form of communication when pitching your stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 7: When to Contact<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n This information comes with time. As you build stronger relationships with media contacts, you\u2019ll know the best (and preferred) times to reach them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 8: Beat<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the main topic this person covers? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Column 9: Notes<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jot down anything and everything you know about this contact. Their communication preference, if they\u2019ve written about your company before, what types of stories they\u2019re looking for, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can add columns as you see fit, but these nine are the core pieces of information you\u2019ll definitely want to include. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You have the framework for your media list, now it\u2019s time to fill it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Which means it\u2019s time to roll up your sleeves and start researching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Google searches and the native search bars on relevant social networks are great starting points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make a list of industry publications your target audience pays attention to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These publications can be big or small, but they must be ones that cover topics related to your product\/service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From there, dig a bit deeper and see who\u2019s writing about what. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Add the information you find to your media list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can probably tell, this is a more manual approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While effective, it\u2019s also time-consuming because it requires you to constantly update your media list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Journalists can be like digital nomads and move from publication to publication and sometimes from beat to beat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your media list should reflect these shifts to make sure you\u2019re reaching out to the right person for your story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Brands without the resources or capacity to create and manage a media list in-house have other options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One is a Media Database, which simplifies the process even more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Newswire, we offer subscriptions to our Media Database<\/a> which includes 800,000 media contacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These contacts are updated in real-time through a blend of technology and human-centered reviews, so you always have the most up-to-date information at your fingertips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can even refine your searches based on the following information: <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere to Find Media Contacts<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Valuable Media List Building Resource<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n