Tips for Pitching Tech Journalists

A recent webinar on “The State of Tech Journalism” featured a discussion between prominent journalists Teena Maddox, Associate Managing Editor of TechRepublic; Hayden Field, Emerging Tech Writer for Morning Brew; and Ed Baig, a freelance tech journalist previously with USA Today. The main topics of the webinar revolved around COVID-19, the transition to online events, and how these affected tech journalists in particular. 

Of course, the pandemic had a tremendous impact on the stories covered by tech publications. On the webinar, Field said that it’s become easier for journalists to fit a COVID-19 angle into stories because they’ve gotten so used to doing so. Maddox noted that the pandemic has impacted everything in some way, so it’s hard to even do a PS5 story right now without talking about COVID-19 because the whole supply chain has been impacted. Baig added that it’s increasingly difficult to find “that one angle” that hasn’t already been written about and that the biggest dilemma for reporters is wondering when they can stop looking for the COVID-19 angle.

Moving forward in 2021, here are some tips companies should keep in mind when reaching out to tech journalists, based on advice shared by the panelists in the webinar. 

How to make it worthwhile for reporters to attend your virtual event

The pandemic impacted the way reporters cover events, and the panelists all agreed that the big switch to virtual events has been a positive thing for several reasons. Maddox said she herself has attended somewhere around 20 events, and that TechRepublic can now send more reporters to cover events that are all online. For example, she said that she was only able to send one reporter to AWS last year, but that she had a whole team covering it for 2020, and they could get a lot more coverage out of it. 

Field said that while she’s participated in fewer than 10 online events in 2020, one main benefit for her is getting the recordings of presentations afterwards, because she appreciates the ability to go back and check quotes and make sure she’s getting all the features on the new technology right. Event organizers should always be sure to offer journalists access to the presentations when the event is over. The journalists on the panel also expressed the desire for embargoed briefings or interviews ahead of major events, which help them plan for and prepare their coverage.

Tech reporters are most interested in attending events that are releasing new data or making an announcement that has not already been reported or published elsewhere. In the webinar, the panelists all expressed that that companies should not host an event just to host an event. They said that while circumstances may have changed, what makes something newsworthy hasn’t.

Panelists said that most journalists are comfortable with Zoom because it’s easy to use, but that they will use whatever platform is necessary to cover an event. Field said that it’s a real turnoff for her if she has to download a special software to attend a virtual event and that she prefers platforms where she can just join from her browser.

What inspires tech reporters to reach out to experts?

One major drawback to the switch to online events is the lack of opportunities for chance meetings and serendipitous conversations between journalists and founders at events. This makes it a little tougher for establishing relationships that reporters can turn back to later on when they’re working on a story. 

That said, the panelists agreed that what tech journalists want most is to talk with experts who can help them paint a bigger picture of what’s going on in an industry. Journalists want people who can speak to wider trends, who are plugged in enough to talk about more than just their company. 

Field said that since the beginning of the pandemic, she’s found it easier to get high-level executives on the phone when they’re working from home. They seem to be more plugged in and available. When it comes to speaking with academics, however, Field said it’s been more difficult over the past several months for her to connect with researchers and professors.

Panelists agreed that they are not likely to use social media influencers for their stories, and Maddox said she would rather speak with industry CEOs or executives, academic subject matter experts, and even agency spokespeople, if they can put her in touch with the right executives that she needs for a story. The key takeaways here are that experts must be able to provide real value to the journalist, and they should be easy to reach on the phone.

Tips for pitching tech journalists

It’s important for companies to know how and where tech writers like to be pitched. Each journalist is different, so what applies to one doesn’t necessarily apply to others, which is why it’s important to develop relationships with them in order to learn their preferences. For example, journalists are very active on Twitter, but not all of them want to be pitched there. Email is by far the best way to reach out to reporters.

The journalists on the webinar all noted that social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are for their personal use and they do not accept pitches there. Field remarked, “I know some journalists are very against getting pitched on Instagram and will block the person.”

As businesses look at how to reach out to tech journalists in 2021, it’s clear that reporters are interested in the same things that have always been important to them: personalized pitches, quick and reliable access to top-level management and industry experts, and access to exclusive information or news that has not yet been shared elsewhere.

COVID-19 has impacted the angle tech journalists may take on a particular topic, as well as the way they cover events, but the best way for a company to get their attention is to provide real value and to make their job easier.