Want PR Success? Know Where You Belong
If you’re struggling to get media coverage—or frustrated that your pitches are going unanswered—there’s a good chance you’re missing one critical piece of the puzzle:
You haven’t figured out where your story belongs.
It’s one of the most overlooked fundamentals in public relations, but it’s everything.
Every Media Outlet Has a Structure
Whether it’s a national newspaper, a local TV station, a podcast, or a trade journal, all news organizations organize their content into categories.
Take a traditional newspaper, for example. There’s the front page—that’s where the big, breaking news lives. Then you’ll find sections like business, sports, opinion, lifestyle, education, arts & culture, and so on. Somewhere in there, you’ll also find smaller columns, briefs, and features. Every story has a place—and your story needs one too.
It’s the same with TV. There are morning lifestyle segments, mid-day consumer reports, health minutes, and evening investigative pieces.
And trade publications? They’re even more structured—dividing content into case studies, product news, industry trends, and expert commentary.
Why Placement Matters
If you pitch a nonprofit human-interest story to the breaking news desk, it’ll be ignored—not because it’s not valuable, but because it’s not a fit.
If you launch a new health app and send the pitch to the sports editor, it’s not going anywhere.
Relevance is everything. Editors and producers are not just looking for good stories—they’re looking for stories that fit into their format.
When you know where your story belongs, your pitch feels intentional, thoughtful, and useful. That’s when doors start to open.
How to Find Where You Belong
Here’s how to figure it out:
Read the publication (or watch/listen to the outlet). What types of stories do they regularly feature?
Look at bylines. Who covers topics like yours? Reach out to them specifically.
Get specific. A press release about a new hire may belong in the business briefs section—not the front page.
Think like a producer. Would your story make sense as a morning feature? A weekend profile? A deep-dive podcast episode?
Don’t aim for “any coverage.” Aim for the right coverage.
Real PR Success Is Strategic
Public relations isn’t about shouting your story from the rooftops and hoping someone hears it. It’s about strategy. It’s about knowing the landscape and placing your story where it can thrive.
So the next time you ask, “How do I get press?”
First ask: “Where does my story belong?”
Once you know that, everything else gets easier.
