CHAPTER 8 GUIDE
Pitching Press and Podcasts
In short
A mention in the right newsletter or a spot on the right podcast can bring a channel a wave of new viewers who actually care about the topic. Most creators never try, because pitching takes time and feels awkward.
What "press" means for a small channel
For a one-person channel, press usually isn't a newspaper. It's smaller and more useful than that:
- Blogs and websites about your topic.
- Email newsletters in your niche.
- Podcasts that interview people like you.
- Other YouTube channels that do roundups or interviews.
The press bot
You could give this to your research bot from Chapter 5, since half of it is research. But the other half is outreach, and outreach involves contacting people.
Building the list
Start by asking the bot for a list. Not a giant one.
Writing a pitch that isn't spam
A good pitch is short and specific. It shows you know who you're writing to.
Sending, slowly
Send a few pitches a week, not fifty in a day. Each one should be different.
Follow-ups
People are busy. A pitch that gets no reply isn't always a no.
When someone says yes
Good. Now the bot switches from outreach to preparation.
Local press
Local news can be a good fit if there's a story. Not "local person has YouTube channel", but something with an angle.
Anti-spam rules
Most countries have rules about sending commercial email. In the US, it's mainly the CAN-SPAM Act.
Keeping a record
After a few months, you'll have a record of who you pitched, who replied and what came of it. That record is useful.
What went wrong: the pitch about an episode that didn't exist
In the first batch, one draft pitch mentioned "your recent episode on reupholstering". The owner clicked the link the bot gave.
Questions people ask
How many pitches should I send before I give up? There's no reliable number, and I'm not going to invent one.