A guide to building the perfect media list

Whether you’re a digital PR specialist working in an agency or in-house, or perhaps a general marketing professional trying to nail down your approach, creating the perfect media list is crucial for the success of your PR campaigns. 

A strong media list can make all the difference – so, here’s our guide to help you avoid common mistakes and build the best list possible.

7 common media list mistakes – and how to avoid them

When it comes to building a media list, mistakes can easily slip through the cracks. Here's what to look out for and how to avoid them:

1. Not giving it enough time

One of the biggest pitfalls is rushing through the media list-building process. You may end up with too few contacts, limiting your reach, or fall into the trap of the dreaded “spray and pray” method, where you add anyone and everyone with an email address. 

This can result in sending your content to journalists who aren't the right fit, leading to potential unsubscribes and missed opportunities to reach them when your content is more relevant.

Solution: Spend just as much time curating your media list as you do writing your press release or campaign materials. Be selective, and always make sure the contacts are relevant to the story you’re pushing.

2. Recycling old lists without refreshing

It’s tempting to reuse the same media list from previous campaigns, especially if you're working with a client who tends to release similar content. However, journalists frequently change jobs or areas of focus, so a static list can quickly become outdated.

Solution: Take time to refresh your list before each new release. Spend at least a couple of hours searching for new journalists covering relevant topics. This keeps your outreach up-to-date and increases the likelihood of landing coverage.

3. Ignoring geographic relevance

If your press release includes data or pricing specific to certain regions, it’s important to localise your outreach. Sending UK-specific data to a US-based journalist, for example, can create confusion or lead to your email being ignored.

Solution: Filter your media list by location and ensure you're sending region-specific information, especially when discussing currencies or market data. Always tailor the details to the audience you’re trying to reach.

4. Not making a high-priority target list

Every media list should have a top tier – the journalists and outlets that are high-priority targets. 

Whether it’s because they have a large readership, align perfectly with your client’s target market, or they’re new domains you want to break into, these should receive extra attention.

Solution: Build a shortlist of 25-50 key contacts and take the time to personalise your outreach to these. Consider crafting bespoke subject lines or tailoring the opening lines of your email to reflect the type of headlines these publications usually run.

5. Overlooking competitor coverage

You can learn a lot from where your competitors are landing coverage. If similar brands are being featured in key publications, there’s a good chance those journalists will be interested in your story too.

Solution: Regularly monitor competitor campaigns to see which journalists are covering them. Set up Google Alerts to receive notifications whenever your competitor is in the news. This is an easy way to stay informed without constantly searching for updates. You can also analyse their backlink profile using tools like Ahrefs to identify high-quality publications they’ve appeared in. Add relevant contacts from these publications to your media list if they align with your client’s press releases.

6. Having one long list of contacts

A blanket list for every campaign rarely works. You need to refine your list according to the type of journalists and publications genuinely interested in your story. Journalists appreciate relevancy, and sending them information they don’t cover – or using the same press release for everyone – can lead to unsubscribes and reduced engagement.

Solution: Segment your media list. If your press release covers multiple angles (e.g., a campaign on birthday gift trends by age group), create separate tabs for different audience segments, such as parenting, women’s lifestyle, or even publications that target certain age groups e.g. seniors. Then tailor the release for each group to maximise relevance. 

7. Poorly organised media lists

Many PR professionals make the mistake of dumping their information into a document or spreadsheet without proper organisation.

Solution: To avoid this, ensure your spreadsheet is well-structured with clear columns for key details like name, email, title, location, publication, and any notes on coverage or special requirements. This organisation enables easy import as a CSV into various media outreach platforms, streamlining your outreach process and reducing the potential for errors.

By avoiding these common pitfalls and focusing on building a media list that’s segmented, personalised, and regularly updated, you can ensure you’re sending your campaigns to the right contacts every time. Remember, the more time and effort you invest in building your media list, the better your chances of PR success.

If you're aiming for PR success, explore our Digital PR services and let us help you get featured in all the right publications.