I’m currently in the process of securing a column with a major media outlet and happened to see an email from a blog reader that asked me how they could get their work featured in major media outlets.
Freelancers are very concerned with getting their work in major media outlets because it helps them build their portfolio. They can also use it as leverage when negotiating rates. It goes without saying that if you really want to be taken seriously as a freelancer, you may need to work on getting your name on the big sites. Here are some of the ways freelancers can get featured in major media outlets.
Have patience.
Getting your work featured in major media outlets doesn’t happen over night. I’d been blogging for four years before I secured my column over at The Huffington Post. Freelancers need to remember to be patient when building their portfolio and remind themselves that even people like me started with no clips and no big media mentions.
You also need to have patience when pitching and remember to follow up. That column I’m in the process of securing? Yeah, that’s been in the works for months.
Just pitch them.
The easiest way to get featured is to just pitch major media outlets. It’s how I’ve gotten every column at a major news site. Contrary to popular belief, these things don’t just fall into your lap.
In order to get featured in large media outlets you’ll need to learn how to craft a winning pitch. Carol Tice of Make a Living Writing has some excellent resources on this very subject. Josh Elledge also teaches people how to do this on his membership site Upend PR. I’ve used both resources with great success.
Work for clients with syndication relationships.
Some of the ways my work has been featured in large media outlets like Business Insider is because the articles were syndicated from one of my client websites. If you secure clients that get syndicated on major media outlets, you significantly increase your chances of getting your work featured there. You can then use it as leverage.
Network
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I got my Huffington Post column because I met one of their editors at a conference. I immediately emailed him and he got me set up with my own column.
You never know who you will meet at blogging and media events, which is why it’s important to attend events that make the most sense for your business.
Become a Subject Matter Expert
I’ve discussed the importance of becoming a subject matter expert several times. The reality is major media outlets are just looking for a good writer, often times they are looking for individuals with credibility and a social media following of their own.
The bottom line is if you want to get featured in major media outlets it’s imperative that you learn to simultaneously juggle client work with building your own brand.
Final Thoughts
By having patience, learning to pitch, networking and establishing yourself as an expert in your field, you will soon start landing those opportunities to have your work featured in major media outlets. Make sure to follow these tips with consistency and you’ll be calling yourself a Huffington Post blogger in no time.
