Magazine, newspaper and blog features can leadto more sales and help raise the profile of your brand. For some online sellers, pressfeatures have proven to beeven betterthan SEO at getting customers to their stores. But what’s the best way to get your designs in front of journalists and bloggers?
We asked journalists Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking, founder of art, craft and design blogCreative BoomKaty Cowan, and Vogue-featured jewellery designer Kim Lawler from Finest Imaginary if they could shed some light. Here they each share their five top tips for getting your shop,your productsand even yourself featured in blogs and magazines.
Featured image: Silver Key Necklace by Joanna Wakefield
Handmade Ceramic Mug by Laura Lane
Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking from Skribe London
Tracy and Marie-Claire are successful (award-winning, even!) journalists who have written forCompany, Cosmopolitan, Grazia, Red, the Observer, Daily Mail, Top Santé, Mother & Baby, and You and Your Wedding… the list goes on. Together they set up Skribe London, a consultancy that helps small businesses find their story.For bespoke, one-on-one sessions on how to get more press coverage for your business, visit www.skribelondon.comor email hello@skribelondon.com for a quote.
1. Find your story
Think like a journalist, decide what makes the story of your business unique and then the best blog or publication to share this story with.
2. Treat journalists like customers
Follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Linked In, get to know them and build a relationship with them to learn what they’re looking for, what stories they are currently working on and work out how your business can help. Follow #journorequest on Twitter for story leads.
3. Read everything!
Not just the blogs, magazines and newspapers that you think might suit your products, but also other niche or off-piste magazines. Then work out how you might fit into their features, ie as a personal tragedy-to-triumph story, as an expert in your field, as a career mentor. You could evenloan your products for feature photoshoots in exchange for a credit and link to your website.
4. Tailor your approaches
What works for Take a Break magazine won’twork for GQ magazine,so never send out a blanket, catch-all email or press release. Tweak it according to the different editors and, crucially, different potential consumers. Read the masthead of magazines and always contact the editorial assistant or features assistant first, then the commissioning or features editor.
Tip: the editor-in-chief is far too busy to receive and respond to press releases.
5. Make sure you are credited correctly
You’ve got the press – great! Now maximise it by making sure the blog or magazine fully and correctly namechecks your business andincludes a link to your stop or website. That’s when you’ll see your story turn into PR and sales.
Katy Cowan, editor of Creative Boom
Katy Cowan is the founder and editor of the inspirationalCreative Boomblog, an online magazine that celebrates, inspires and supports the creative industries. She is alsoMD at Manchester PR agency Boomerang
1.Haveprofessional photos
Invest in a decent photographer to take photosof your products. Get some professional shots done of you, your studioand maybe evenyourwork in progress too. Having great quality imageswill often determine whether you get media coverage. Try to create the same level of imagerythat you regularly see in your target publication. Remember, the better the photograph, the more chance you have of getting featured.
2. Read the magazine cover to cover
Before you target any newspaper or magazine, read them cover to cover and explore regular features or columns where you think you might be able to put yourself forward. Women’s magazines have lots of ‘Shopping’ pages, for example. Find out who edits those, and send over what they need with a short, sharp pitch. So, if you see a Shopping page in a magazine and all they do is share a photograph, a short paragraph and a website link – that’s what you need to provide!
3. Use Twitter
First of all, follow all the journalists and writers you want to build relationships with on Twitter. Have a decent website with quality imagery and a link to a ‘Media’ page where journalists can easily find the information and images they need to write about you. Then share this web page on Twitter with certain journalists. Don’t be afraid to tweet: ‘Noticed your regular Shopping page, check out my latest collection here – all images/info for download’.
4.Build relationships
When you gain media coverage, make sure you thank the journalist afterwards and keep their contact details on file. You’ll want to build a relationship where possible and ensure that the journalist has you in mind the next time they need to cover something related to your business/products. Write down little notes about them if you get to know them, so you can ask them specific things next time. Remember, all business is about good relationships.
5.Submit a proposalto bloggers
If you want to get featured in the art and design blogs, bloggers often love a ‘series’ of work to share with their huge audiences. Why not create something that you know will get great traction and have the potential to go viral? Ensure you get some decent photography of your project before emailing/submitting your work to all of the key blogs, like Colossal, Fubiz, MyModernMet, BoredPanda and of course Creative Boom!
We have a Crafts section and we’re always on the look out for decent work to share with our audience. We’re so well known these days, that our articles have the potential to go viral. One last week attracted 25,000 visitors in one day! Email between six and 10 Jpegs of your work, at least 1,000 pixels wide, with information about you and the project to submit@creativeboom.com.
Finest Imaginarycactus jewelleryby Kim Lawler photographed by Holly Booth
Kim Lawler from Finest Imaginary
Kim Lawler is the brains behind Finest Imaginary. As well as being a professional maker who has had herjewelleryfeatured in Vogue no less, she also helps other small creative businesses build their online arsenal by designing websites, offering her creative services, and writing guides to selling online.You can find more advice from Kim on her blog Kim Lawler Creative.
1.Have bothlifestyle and white-backgroundimages
Magazines and bloggers aren’t always looking for the same kind of images, so have a mixture of really good quality lifestyle and white-background cut-out shots ready to make sure you have what they want.
2. Answer enquiriesstraight away
Journalists are usually working on very tight turnaround times, so make sure you can jump straight to that email or get samples in the post on the same day.
3.Be organised and press-ready
It pays to be organised with your items for press. I keep a folder in my Dropbox with high-resolution press-ready images –then I justsend that link to any journalists who need them sothey can download the images they need. I also have a Google document with all my product information, so I can quickly reply to any press requests with a copy-and-pasted snippet about the products I’m putting forward.
4.Engage with journalists on Twitter
Follow your favourite publications, and their editors/journalists, on Twitter. Engage with them in a non-businessy, authentic way and watch out for any press requests they might post. Keep an eye on the#journorequest hashtag – there are some interesting opportunities every day on that tag!
5. Make your products easy to find!
Be findable. Make sure your products are titled, described and tagged correctly on the sites you’re selling them through. Journalists will search for key terms such as ‘gifts for mum’ or ‘stocking fillers’. If you’ve got a product that fits those kind of guides, make sure you’ve got a line in your description saying so! Something like, “this handmade silver charm necklace is the perfect present for Mum this Christmas” will do the trick.
Read our Twitter chat Q&A session on how to get more press >
More tips and advice…
Top Lifestyle Magazines you should be reading
How to get more press coverage for your crafts and designs
How to get noticed by the press
How to write a press release
How to take photographs journalists will love
How to get your photos magazine ready
bloggershow to be featured in the presshow to get featured in a magazinemarketing for makerspress coveragepress releasepress tips
Camilla
Camilla Westergaard is content editor at Folksy. Her mother is a potter and she grew up with a ceramic studio in her house, surrounded by handmade objects of desire, leading to a lifelong love of craft. When she's not stitching, printing and sketching, she can be found curating content across Folksy, interviewing designers and helping British makers get their work seen across the world.
I am an experienced professional with a deep understanding of the strategies and tactics involved in getting press coverage for businesses, products, and individuals. My expertise is based on a comprehensive knowledge of the media landscape, public relations, and effective communication with journalists, bloggers, and editors.
In the provided article, the focus is on obtaining media coverage for online sellers and creative businesses. The insights shared by the featured experts—Tracy Ramsden, Marie-Claire Dorking, Katy Cowan, and Kim Lawler—offer valuable tips for navigating the world of press features. Let's break down the key concepts discussed in the article:
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Find Your Story (Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking):
- Think like a journalist to identify what makes your business unique.
- Choose the best platform (blog or publication) to share your story.
-
Treat Journalists Like Customers (Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking):
- Build relationships with journalists by following them on social media.
- Understand their needs and the stories they are currently working on.
- Utilize #journorequest on Twitter for potential story leads.
-
Read Everything (Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking):
- Explore a wide range of blogs, magazines, and newspapers to find suitable features.
- Tailor your approach for different publications and potential consumers.
-
Tailor Your Approaches (Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking):
- Customize your communication for each publication and editor.
- Contact editorial assistants or features assistants first, then the commissioning or features editor.
-
Ensure Proper Credit (Tracy Ramsden and Marie-Claire Dorking):
- Maximize press coverage by ensuring correct naming and linking to your business or website.
-
Have Professional Photos (Katy Cowan):
- Invest in high-quality professional photos of your products, studio, and work in progress.
- Match the level of imagery found in your target publication for better chances of being featured.
-
Read the Magazine Cover to Cover (Katy Cowan):
- Familiarize yourself with the publication's regular features or columns.
- Identify opportunities to pitch your story based on the publication's format.
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Use Twitter (Katy Cowan):
- Follow journalists and writers on Twitter.
- Share a link to your media page, showcasing information and images for journalists.
-
Build Relationships (Katy Cowan):
- Express gratitude to journalists after gaining media coverage.
- Maintain contact details and build relationships for future opportunities.
-
Submit a Proposal to Bloggers (Katy Cowan):
- Create projects with viral potential for art and design blogs.
- Submit proposals with quality images to key blogs in your niche.
-
Have Both Lifestyle and White-Background Images (Kim Lawler):
- Provide a mix of lifestyle and white-background images for different preferences.
-
Answer Inquiries Promptly (Kim Lawler):
- Respond quickly to journalist inquiries, considering their tight deadlines.
-
Be Organized and Press-Ready (Kim Lawler):
- Maintain organized press-ready images and product information for quick responses.
-
Engage with Journalists on Twitter (Kim Lawler):
- Follow publications, editors, and journalists on Twitter.
- Respond authentically and watch for press requests, utilizing hashtags like #journorequest.
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Make Your Products Easy to Find (Kim Lawler):
- Optimize product titles, descriptions, and tags for easy discovery by journalists.
- Include keywords that align with popular search terms.
These concepts collectively form a comprehensive guide for individuals and businesses seeking effective strategies to secure press coverage in magazines, newspapers, and blogs.
