As a PR practitioner, I thrive on my ability to forge meaningful relationships with journalists, facilitating expert insights and shaping industry narratives. Having access to the right tools that can help with this makes all the difference.
Qwoted, a platform designed to bridge the gap between journalists and expert sources, is one such tool that has revolutionized the way I connect and collaborate with journalists.
Recently, I was recognized as one of Qwoted’s Top 100 in PR. As I reflect on this achievement, I’d like to share the strategies that have propelled my success on the platform:
1. Craft a Compelling Profile
Your Qwoted profile serves as your digital calling card. Take the time to infuse it with personality and professionalism by highlighting your expertise, experience and industry insights.
First impressions matter. Include keywords relevant to your industry to help journalists find you when they’re looking for sources.
Take advantage of those #hashtags, too! They’re your ticket to visibility in searches. Make these specific to your expertise (not your sources). Remember, this is your profile.
And, of course, make it easy for journalists to verify your credentials by including links to your website and social media profiles.
2. Optimize Your Source Profiles
Your experts’ profiles are just as crucial as your own. As this is the first place a journalist will go to determine your expert’s credibility, make sure you invest time in curating comprehensive profiles for each expert you represent.
Include a succinct bio that focuses on your expert’s credentials. What makes them qualified as a thought leader on the topic(s)? Do they have a degree? How long have they been participating in the industry? Also, include more info on their mission.
Link to their homepage and where the journalist can read more about your source, where they can be found on social media, and where they’re located.
Take the time to fill in the ‘Recent Quotes’ and ‘Media’ sections and do your best to keep them updated with recent examples. These are excellent ways to showcase your expert’s “digital proof” by referencing other news outlets with whom you collaborated.
Finally, don’t overlook the headshots section. Including available headshots is one less email a journalist might need to send and makes their jobs easier. Make sure they’re high-resolution, professional images of the expert only and include a horizontal and vertical option.
I wish I could tell you that completing your profiles and keeping them updated is all you need to do to have success using Qwoted, but that’s only the foundational advice. The next few tips are actually the most important to line up coverage.
3. Monitor Queries Regularly
Stay proactive by regularly checking Qwoted for new queries from journalists. Set up email notifications or check the platform daily to ensure you don’t miss any opportunities to contribute insights or quotes to relevant stories.
To prevent myself from going crazy and spending too much time on the tool, I reserve spots in my calendar at the beginning and end of each day to check for new opportunities.
4. Tailor Responses Accordingly
When responding to queries, focus on providing genuine value to journalists. Tailor your responses to address their specific needs and offer insights or perspectives that add depth to their stories.
Avoid canned responses—they’re a surefire way to get lost in the shuffle. Instead, infuse your replies with personality and relevance, showcasing you or your expert’s unique perspective.
Here’s my exact template:
Brief intro: Introduce your expert & their credentials in the first sentence. Include their pronouns.
Vouch for its uniqueness: Mention your response is unique and tailored to this request (never copy/paste canned responses)
Offer up support: Let journalists know the expert is able to expand or answer more questions
Insert insights/commentary: Put the actual expert commentary beneath body of email (& make sure it is grammatically correct)
5. Missed the Deadline? Don’t Fret – Still Pitch!
If you missed the deadline or the journalist indicated they had enough pitches, still send your insights. While it is likely that the journalist won’t be able to use it, there’s always a chance that a source falls through or the insights you shared might capture their attention. Plus, it puts you and your source on their radar.
Some of my most fruitful collaborations stemmed from post-deadline pitches.
For example, this is how I met Jake Safane, a freelance content writer who contributes to CBS MoneyWatch and other personal finance outlets.
6. Prioritize Responsiveness
Journalists often work on tight deadlines, so if you receive a response with a question, do your best to respond promptly. Even if you don’t have an answer, let the journalist know you’re working on it and keep them updated on your progress. This goes a long way when it comes to building solid relationships with journalists and building rapport with journalists can lead to ongoing opportunities for media coverage.
7. Foster Community Engagement
Lastly, don’t overlook the power of community engagement on Qwoted. Connect with peers, journalists, and industry experts to exchange insights, share best practices, and expand your network.
One of my favorite features is when Qwoted lets you know of new media users. When you spot someone who writes about relevant topics, follow them so that the algorithm knows to keep you updated on their requests:
8. DO NOT USE AI
My final piece of advice for successfully using Qwoted is not to use AI. Journalists use tools to identify AI-written content and have strict instructions from their editors not to accept anything written by a bot.
In conclusion, Qwoted offers a powerful platform for communications professionals to connect with journalists and share their expertise with a wider audience.
By optimizing your profile, staying proactive, providing value, and engaging with the community, you’ll be able to leverage it more effectively.
Have you had success using Qwoted? What other advice would you share? I’m eager to hear from others and learn more to enhance my experience with this tool.
Stay tuned for more insights and tips in future episodes of Digital PR Explained! And don’t forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to never miss an episode. Happy pitching!