Pitching to media via LinkedIn ads: the way forward for PRs?

Pitching to media via LinkedIn ads: the way forward for PRs?

Charlotte Stoel

Charlotte Stoel

I can’t imagine a world when PR people pitched stories without email and the web, but according to our CEO that was the case when she set-up Firefly. Now, in this digital age, we’re likely to catch the interest of journalists and bloggers on Twitter, with some even asking us to only pitch to them this way – you know who you are!

Personally, Twitter would be the only social media channel I would use to pitch (and I do use it in a selective way) but I recently found out that an online marketing agency in the US is suggesting a new medium; LinkedIn ads. So, how does it work? Essentially, PRs write a pitch that is no longer than 75 characters; there really is no room whatsoever for fluff. This text goes into an ad where reporters can click through to see more information. The upsides to this are that:

  • You have a clear way of measuring interest
  • This is not a disruptive form of pitching
  • You learn to hone your pitch to the really important bits

The downside? Unfortunately, for me there are many:

  • It costs money
  • It makes it harder to tailor pitches
  • Slow turnaround
  • It’s impersonal
  • You’re not part of the process, so can’t add value like you can in a conversation

Most importantly, I would feel – and I’m sure many PRs would agree – like this is a very passive approach. When you’re motivated to get the best results for your clients, sitting back and waiting for a response wouldn’t work for me. However, maybe there is scope to use this approach in tandem with more traditional outreach mediums such as phone and email? It makes sense, but the returns on investment still need to be proven.

This post was written by Charlotte.

Share this story:

Read more from the blog

Blog

Is AI changing the way we search?

I can’t imagine a world when PR people pitched stories without email and the web, but according to our CEO that was the case when she set-up Firefly. Now, in this digital age, we’re likely to catch the interest of journalists and bloggers on Twitter, with some even asking us to only pitch to them […] ...Read more

Megan Dennison
Megan Dennison
Blog

How your attitude to sales impacts reputation

Those who are responsible for sales have a huge impact on business success. Building a strong sales reputation is therefore crucial. ...Read more

Claire Walker
Claire Walker
Blog

Celebrating the human influence in reputation shaping

Whilst AI can be a useful PR tool, the human element should always remain central to any PR campaign. ...Read more

Alexandra Kourakis
Alexandra Kourakis

Add a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Is it time to shape your reputation?

We operate in London, Paris and Munich, and have a network of like-minded partners across the globe.

Get in touch

Sign up to Spark, our newsletter

Receive thought pieces from our leadership team, views on the news, tool of the month and light relief for comms folk

You can unsubscribe at any time, please read our privacy policy for more information