Press Outreach by Twitter

You've planned an event, have great news to share, or see an opportunity to get some attention for Democrats Abroad through recent/upcoming news. What's the best way to go about getting in touch with journalists these days?

Consider Twitter! Journalists talk to each other on Twitter, keep their eyes out for stories, and use it to crowdsource tips, anecdotes and quote sources. Here's how:

IDENTIFY POTENTIAL MEDIA CONTACTS

Use your personal Twitter account instead of an anonymous Democrats Abroad account if at all possible. Media relations is about relationships, so it’s very likely that you’ll have more luck by using your personal account, with a name and a face to connect with.

Find and follow the right journalists for your location and topic. Focus on journalists in your area who write about politics/American politics (or for some media outlets, American "expat" cultural stories). Feel free to follow them from your personal account AND a Democrats Abroad account if you manage one!

HOW TO: Find and track country+topic specific journalists by creating a Twitter list.

Using Twitter's Advanced Search, filter to your location and search keywords such as journalist, politics or journalist, US politics.
Review search results and identify journalists who may be interested in Democrats Abroad topics. Look at their profile to see who they write for, what they write about, what their views are, etc.
Create a Twitter list and add your best journalists to the list.
*Public lists can be seen by anyone viewing your profile and will notify a user if they are added to it, just like they are notified if you follow them or like a tweet. You can choose to make lists private, if you prefer.
Then, expand your list. Look at at who your journalists are following, and what lists they are already on. You can find both of these things from their profile page.

BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS

Don't miss opportunities to like, retweet, comment on tweets from journalists you want to engage with. If a journalist is covering topics relevant to Dems Abroad, that probably means there are opportunities to comment, like and share their tweets - both when they share stories they’ve written and when sharing their opinions.

This is most successful when done consistently, over time. But do not let this stop you from reaching out to new journalist contacts.
If they’ve written a great article, highlighted something you agree with or have questions about, reach out and engage by liking, replying and retweeting. Avoid over-selling Democrats Abroad by mentioning it every single time, but a mention here or there can be helpful :)
Do not just tag journalists in tweets you want them to see. This can seem similar to sending spam, even if you have good intents.
*Exception: If they write a story that includes Democrats Abroad, absolutely tag them when you share this article on Twitter!

USE THESE RELATIONSHIPS TO GENERATE DEMS ABROAD NEWS COVERAGE!

Provide information to the journalist in a timely, useful way. Make the relationship mutually beneficial, by positioning it as how we can help them. Reach out ahead of a big news day or event that you think the journalist may be interested in covering. Tweet them publicly or send a direct (private) message that is short and tailored to them. Include a link to the event or page with more info as appropriate.

Twitter is often FASTER than email, so be ready to follow up quickly.
Messages are much more effective if they do not sound like you sent the same thing to 100 people.
If Dems Abroad gets coverage through this relationship, be sure to tweet about it! Post the link and tag the journalist and media outlet, with a few positive words about the article.

Message Example 1:
Hi X! I thought you might be interested in the US election watch party hosted by Democrats Abroad on (DATE). We’ll be at (PLACE) starting at (TIME) and would love to see you if you can stop by! Either way, if you plan on covering the elections and need any local US POVs, I’d be happy to connect you with a few Americans who can speak on the topic. Thanks! (Link to event)

Message Example 2:
Hi X! I saw your story about the US midterms today and really appreciate [something specific you like about their work]. I’m Country Chair for Democrats Abroad in [location] and wanted to reach out in case you’re covering Tuesday’s elections. If you’re looking for local American POVs, details about voting overseas, global numbers etc, I’d be happy to help or connect you with some of our volunteers - just let me know. Thanks!

Message Example 2a: As a public post
@Name Are you continuing the great work you’ve done on US elections this week? If you’re covering Tuesday’s midterms, @DemsAbroad can offer some local American POVs, details about overseas voting etc. I’m a volunteer with them and happy to help connect if interested!

Of course, every journalist is different, like we all are, and online trends can vary by country and culture. You may find that things are slightly different where you are, but keep an open mind! You won’t know what new tactics work best until you’ve tried them out. Let us know if these tips have worked for you: comms@democratsabroad.org. Or tweet us @demsabroad :)