How To Write Media Pitch Subject Lines That Capture Journalists’ Attention

Senior Director of PR & Operations at ChicExecs PR & Retail Strategy Firm.

Media pitches are one of the best ways to get your brand featured in a big-name media outlet. But pitching isn’t easy: As I’ve written about before, chances are good that, no matter how awesome your pitch is, the majority of journalists won’t respond to your email.

What’s going on? 

The biggest issue is that most email pitches focus too much on the body of the message and not enough on the one factor that determines whether a journalist sees your pitch: the subject line.

According to 2020 Muck Rack data, 93% of journalists prefer to receive pitches in one-on-one emails, but their inbox is full. You need to make your pitch stand out in a journalist’s inbox with a subject line that convinces them to read your message.

If you’re sending out dozens of pitches and haven’t heard back, try tweaking your subject lines with these seven tips. 

1. Avoid Spam Trigger Words

Many email clients will filter your message to the Spam or Trash folders if it contains spammy-sounding words and phrases. Even though you might want to use words like “sale,” “now,” or “limited time,” they can set off alarm bells.

Draft a few subject line options and check them against the common spam trigger words Autopilot compiled. This can not only help you get past the spam filter, but it will also make the email look more appealing to journalists.

P.S.: Journalists get a lot of spam. You should also clarify that the email is a pitch so the journalist doesn’t delete it immediately. Starting off with the word “pitch” is a great, succinct way to show that your email is legit.

2. Drop In A CTA

Aside from giving you a feature, is there something you want the journalist to do after they see your message? Try to drop in a call to action that gives them clarity or value. Something like “Pitch: Phoenix makeup biz goes plant-based [samples available]” can get a journalist’s attention.

3. Don’t Scream At Them

Subject lines in all caps definitely get attention, but for all of the wrong reasons. Typing in all caps makes it seem like you’re yelling at the recipient. It can even make you look demanding and difficult, which certainly doesn’t make you look like a good source to journalists. You might be able to use caps on one word for emphasis, but generally speaking, it’s better to stick with sentence case.

4. Just Say No To Clickbait

Look, clickbait can work for news stories, but most journalists don’t want to see it in their inboxes. Subject lines like “You won’t believe this” or “Open for an incredible story” take up a lot of room, don’t have a lot of real substance and will likely make journalists roll their eyes.

Email clickbait looks spammy, anyway, so keep your subject lines as descriptive of the real story as possible. The journalist will be the judge of whether your story is “incredible.” 

5. Offer An Exclusive Story

Seventy-six percent of journalists will be more likely to cover a story if you offer them an exclusive, according to 2019 Muck Rack data. Mention in your subject line that you’re giving the reporter an exclusive scoop with something like: “[Exclusive] pitch: 50% of San Francisco women want to leave jobs.”

Of course, you actually need to offer an exclusive story. Only pitch an exclusive story to one journalist at a time. You can offer it to a different outlet if the reporter rejects you or if they don’t reply to your follow-up emails within three weeks. 

6. Personalize The Subject Line

The more relevant you can make your pitch’s subject line, the better. While you can drop the reporter’s name into the subject line pretty easily, that might not be enough to personalize the subject line.

Instead, drop in relevant details like your location, the reporter’s beat or the name of the outlet you’re pitching. That might look like: 

• Pitch: Dallas business giving away $5,000. 

• [Exclusive] Oil exec scandal for The Daily News.

• Pitch for Anna Rodriguez: medical bills increase in NYC by 40%.

7. Keep Your Subject Line Short

It might sound like you need to cram your subject line full of lots of details, but the best thing you can do is to keep it short and sweet. Actually, most email clients cut off subject lines at 60 characters or less. Keep it shorter than 60 characters and no more than 10 words.

You don’t need to tell the reporter everything in the subject line. If they want more context, they’ll ask for it. Treat the subject line as an informative appetizer, not the main course.

The Bottom Line

Subject lines are one of the top factors that determine if a reporter reads your pitch. The problem is that many brands focus so much on the body of the email that they forget about the subject line. You’re already putting hours of work into your pitches; why not finesse your subject lines to increase your odds of success? Follow these seven pitch subject line best practices to get your foot in the door.

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