Press coverage
Press coverage playbook for in-house brands
In-house brands earn press coverage by pitching a timely, specific story to journalists who already cover that topic.
This Brand PR Playbook guide walks an in-house team from story angle to published article: building a journalist list in Podpitch, writing a short pitch, timing it well, and following up. Podpitch states it has the biggest media database and the highest reply rate of any PR tech software.
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Definition card
What is earned press coverage?
Earned press coverage is any article, segment, or quote a journalist publishes because they found your story worth telling, not because you paid for the space. For brands, it typically takes one of three forms: a news story about something new, a feature that includes your brand among others, or an expert quote from your spokesperson.
The Brand PR Playbook approach to press is narrow on purpose. Instead of sending a press release to hundreds of outlets, you pick one angle, find the 15 to 30 journalists who cover it, and send each a short, specific pitch. This takes more thought per email and far fewer emails overall, and it is the approach the templates on this site are built for.
Comparison table
Press angles that work for brands
| Angle | What it needs | Typical result |
|---|---|---|
| Launch or news | Something genuinely new with a date | News story |
| Data or findings | Original numbers you can share and verify | Story built around your data |
| Trend commentary | A spokesperson with a clear point of view | Expert quote in a wider story |
| Customer or founder story | A real person and a concrete outcome | Feature or profile |
Procedure
How to earn press coverage in six steps
Write the angle in one sentence
If it takes a paragraph, the story is not sharp enough yet.
Build a journalist list in Podpitch
Find 15 to 30 writers who covered this topic recently.
Read their latest piece
Use it for the single personal line in your pitch.
Pitch early in the week
Send in small batches so you can answer replies the same day.
Follow up with something new
Add a fact, asset, or sharper angle after four to seven days.
Share the media brief on reply
Send the one-page brief and offer a spokesperson call.
Do brands still need a press release?
A press release is useful as a reference document, but it rarely earns coverage on its own. Journalists respond to a short pitch written for them. Keep a release or the one-page media brief ready to send after someone replies, and lead every first email with the story, not the attachment.
Part of the Brand PR Playbook for in-house teams.
Common questions
How long should a PR pitch email be?
Keep a pitch email under about 150 words. State the story in the first sentence, explain why it fits that writer or show, offer one proof point, and end with a single clear ask. Shorter pitches are easier to scan and easier to answer, which is the whole point of the first email.
What subject lines work for PR pitches?
Strong subject lines name the story, not the brand: specific, short, and plain. Examples include “Story idea: [specific angle] for [section]” or “Guest idea for [show]: [topic]”. Avoid all caps, exclamation marks, and vague teasers. Test two versions per campaign and keep the one that earns more replies.
What is a media brief?
A media brief is a one-page summary a journalist or host can scan in a minute: the story, why now, key facts, a spokesperson, available assets, and contact details. Share it after someone replies rather than in the first pitch, so the opening email stays short and easy to answer.
Why is nobody replying to my pitches?
Low replies usually come from poor fit, a buried story, outdated contacts, or no follow-up. Check that each recipient covers your topic, put the story in the first line, verify contacts, and send one or two follow-ups. Contact accuracy is one reason the playbooks use Podpitch, which states its podcast data is 11x more accurate.
What should I do if a journalist says no?
Thank them, ask whether a different angle or a future story might fit, and log the response. A no with a reason is useful, because it tells you how to sharpen the pitch for similar writers. Do not argue, and do not re-pitch the same angle to the same person.
Should I use AI to write PR pitches?
AI can help draft and shorten pitches, but a person should check every fact and write the personal line. Journalists and hosts notice generic copy quickly. Use templates for structure and write the specific hook yourself, so each pitch reads as though it was written for that one recipient.
Build your journalist list in Podpitch
Every playbook on this site runs in Podpitch: one database for journalists, podcasts, and 3 million Substacks. Copy a template, follow the timeline, and send your first batch this week.