How An Editorial Calendar Boosts Your Chances of Media Coverage
Media attention is essential for building credibility, attracting donors and funders, and building your platform.
Timing is everything when it comes to garnering coverage.
That is why editorial calendars are so helpful. They allow you to have a broader
sense of the world around you. They also help you plan release dates that
increase the likelihood of coverage on press releases, major reports or issue advocacy campaigns.
Why You Should Have an Editorial Calendar
The benefit of an editorial calendar is that it allows you to pick the right hook that boosts the chances of media coverage.
When reporters review press releases, they are viewing them from the lens of “why should I care?” and “why should I care now?”
A strong news hook, which could be a commemorative date in history, will help you answer the “why should I care now?” question.
Incorporating an editorial calendar allows you to pitch wisely and intentionally.
This isn’t to say that breaking news must always be aligned by your calendar.
Breaking news will break through no matter what is happening in the world.
But for all other news, strategically considering when to release the information is critical.
For example, there is significant media coverage about the upcoming election.
During this time, other topics – although important – may be overlooked. To boost the odds of coverage, you may need to connect your issue with the election. Alternatively, if you were pitching a story during holiday season, you’d want to see if there was a natural tie-in or angle connected to the holiday season.
In other words, media coverage is sometimes driven by the news cycle. So we encourage advocates and partners to be aware of what’s in the news cycle, what their news hook might be, and whether the time of those items align.
An Example Of When To Use An Editorial Calendar
Let’s say you’re releasing a report on child abuse prevention and make plans to do it in January.
Reporters will say, “Well, why should we publish a piece in January. Did something happen during that time?”
It may make more sense to do it in April during the observation of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
All of this is in service of helping you gain the media coverage you need and deserve.
The good news is that you do not need to do this alone. Spotlight PR can help you with editorial calendaring and more. Contact us at press@spotlightpr.org or book a consultation on our website to discuss how editorial calendars can help your team win big.
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Chris Pugh is the media relations manager for Spotlight PR LLC. Check out all blog posts and subscribe for regular communications updates.