Pitching via LinkedIn: Survey shows a disconnect

The survey revealed significant information about best practices for building relationships with tech reporters. One area of particular interest was an examination of the methods PR pros rely on to pitch journalists versus the ways journalists prefer to be pitched.

According to the survey, the top methods used by PR practitioners to pitch journalists include:

1. Email—100 percent
2. Phone—70 percent
3. Twitter—42 percent
4. Comments on a journalist’s blog—23 percent
5. LinkedIn—15 percent

On the flipside, the top methods preferred by journalists to receive pitches are:

1. Email—99 percent
2. Phone—43 percent
3. LinkedIn—35 percent
4. Twitter—32 percent
5. Comments on their blog—13 percent

Notice that pitching journalists through LinkedIn is the fifth-most-used method for PR pros while journalists have indicated that LinkedIn is their No. 3 preferred method for being pitched.