What Makes a Great Media Pitch (and What to Avoid)

Want to get featured in the media? It all starts with the right pitch. Here's how to stand out—in an editor’s very crowded inbox.

Whether you’re a DIY publicist or working with a professional PR team like VideoPRMedia, mastering the art of the pitch is critical. Journalists, producers, podcast hosts—they all want great stories. But they don’t want generic emails, copy-paste press releases, or pushy promotion.

This article breaks down exactly what makes a winning media pitch—and the red flags to avoid—so you can land more features, interviews, and mentions.

✅ What to Include in a Great Media Pitch

1. A Strong Subject Line

Your email is competing with hundreds of others. Make it short, specific, and curiosity-piquing.

Examples:
✔️ “Why Gen Z is bringing back handwritten letters (and how one brand jumped on it)”
✔️ “Seattle startup turns food waste into skincare—founder available for comment”

2. Personalization

Reference the outlet, journalist, or recent story they covered. Show that your pitch is meant for them, not the masses.

3. The Hook

Lead with your angle. What makes this story timely, unique, or relevant to their readers/listeners/viewers?

4. A Short, Skimmable Body

Use bullet points to quickly outline:

• Who you are
• What the story is
• Why it matters now
• What you can offer (quote, interview, behind-the-scenes access)

5. A Clear Call-to-Action

Invite the recipient to respond—“Would you be interested in covering this?” or “Let me know if you'd like the full story or an interview.”

6. Contact Info + Extras

Include your media kit link (if available), website, and your best contact method. Attach a relevant image or headshot if it helps.

🚫 What to Avoid in Your Pitch

• Sending a press release as the pitch – Press releases are great as follow-ups, but your pitch needs to tell a story.
• Overhyping yourself – “Game-changing,” “revolutionary,” “must-read”—these are red flags unless you can prove them.
• Mass emails – Journalists can smell these a mile away. Avoid CCs and generic greetings.
• Being vague or self-focused – It’s not about what you want covered, it’s about what their audience wants to know.
• Following up too aggressively – One follow-up a few days later is okay. Five is not.

💬 DIY vs. Done-for-You Pitching

Doing it yourself? Start small—focus on local media, niche blogs, or podcasts in your industry. Use templates but make them personal.

Want help? A professional PR team brings:

• Media contacts and relationships
• Pitching expertise and positioning
• Press release writing, design, and distribution
• Story development based on editorial trends

🎯 Ready to Get Your Story Picked Up?

At VideoPRMedia, we specialize in getting real stories in front of the right editors, podcast hosts, and producers. Whether you're launching, scaling, or rebranding, we craft pitches that resonate—and get results.

📩 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get help building a pitch that opens doors and earns coverage.