How to ‘flirt’ with journalists on Twitter

This article was originally published on PR Daily in January 2016.

Let’s be honest, email pitches are tough to track. You can check the guest post guidelines, try to hone in on the right journalist and craft an email you think sounds polite and courteous. Then, you get silence.

Yes, journalists are busy, but most also aren’t very responsive to a cold call. It’s why referrals get the job nine times out of 10.

So what to do? You’re in luck. Some cool entrepreneurs invented this shiny gadget called Twitter. It’s like a networking meetup that’s happens every day. People talk about things that are important to them, share ideas and post articles. If you ask me, it sounds well-equipped to handle a little flirting.

Here’s how to do it best:

Build your dream journalist list

Many, if not most, journalists are on Twitter. Each one’s usage though, is not created equal. In order to track who is doing what in terms of Twitter activity, start by adding between 10 and 20 names from your favorite blogs, to your new Twitter list. Then check their activity periodically throughout the day.