When it comes to finding public relations opportunities, the more sites that talk about your brand, the better, right? Not always.
Sometimes you’re better off spending more time looking for higher quality blogs or sites to pitch than taking anything and everything you come across.
Here are five signs that you should skip a blog or site and find a better one.
1. No New Content for Months
From an SEO perspective, an outdated blog is nearly dead to Google. And that doesn’t bode well for new traffic coming to check out a review of your company or guest post from you.
Instead
Look for sites with a regular cadence of posts, since those are more likely to be looking for more things to cover.
Found a good site? Create a winning pitch with our free “Media Pitching Do’s and Don’ts” tip sheet!
2. Alexa Ranking is Low
While there’s no exact number to aim for in terms of a website’s Alexa ranking, the lower the number, the better quality and trafficked a website is. So getting an offer by a site that ranks at 2 million + isn’t all that exciting in the scheme of things, because that site probably won’t appear high in search results.
Instead
Decide how high you want to aim. If you’re just starting your PR efforts, you might look for sites that rank at 500,000 or better. As you generate better press, you can move to higher-ranking sites.
3. Your Audiences Don’t Align
If you sell a B2B mobile app, why waste your time pitching it to a site that focuses on game apps? You’re essentially barking up the wrong tree, and the traffic you get from that link, if any, are surely not your ideal customer.
Instead
Spend time on each site diving into what they cover to get a feel for who they target with their content. Make your shortlist only those sites that attract your demographic.
4. There Are Flashing Ads. Everywhere.
You don’t just need to look at metrics like number of visitors and Alexa ranking. Look at the site itself. Does it scream “affiliate marketer!” with an ad in every corner? Do you really want recognition from a site like that?
Instead
Look for visually-appealing sites that you’d turn to for content. A site that focuses on delivering valuable resources will be much more respected than the first example.
5. They Want Money
Public relations isn’t advertising. Sure, you can invest in sponsored content, but if you’re going for a product review or coverage of your news, decide if it’s really worth it to pay cash for the privilege.
Instead
Look at the long-term. If you can get one mention for free and see a ton of traffic from it, you can discuss future partnership opportunities.
Now that you know who to pitch, see how to pitch! Watch Michael Smart’s free on-demand webinar now!
Photos: John Fowler, hobvias sudoneighm, tax credits (Creative Commons)
