At this point, you already have your narrative, position, press-kits, and your socials aligned. Now it would help if you learned more about journalists and what they like to write about. Understanding newsworthiness is crucial—it's the difference between getting media coverage and being ignored.
To journalists, newsworthiness is the Holy Grail. They are always trying to blog, vlog or talk about the next best thing. After all, readers, listeners, and viewers always want to see something new and exciting. But here's the key insight: what might be highly newsworthy to you may not be newsworthy to most other people. So you have to know what journalists regard as exciting and newsworthy.
Examples of Newsworthy Developments
A new release — the most newsworthy of them all. The music scene evolves around new releases. New music is always news worth sharing.
A new club night or tour. This can be newsworthy, especially if you're booking other exciting headliners. A new club night or tour is news worth sharing.
A new podcast, radio show, documentary, or other unique content. This can be newsworthy. It depends on the content, of course. If you have a special guest mixed by an exciting artist, that is a lot more newsworthy than if you are always the one mixing it.
Examples of Not-So-Newsworthy Developments
You had a fantastic performance. It's great if you played a unique set somewhere, and you should share this with your followers. However, it's not something journalists are interested in hearing about after the show. The best thing you can hope for is that they are present during this moment. So if you have a night you feel something is going to be spectacular, it's always good to invite journalists beforehand.
A famous artist played your track. Well, of course, this depends on the fame of the artist. But sending a press release just because an artist played your track is a bit much. It's not something journalists are going to base an entire article on. It may help to convince them that the track is relevant. So you can share this when you send in a track. Don't expect them to share something just because another artist played your song.
You upgraded your studio. Things like this may seem like a big deal to you. And you should let your fans know about this on your socials. But journalists don't care about which synthesizer or plug-in you just bought. Don't reach out to tell them. You can always mention it, by the way, when you're reaching out for other news.
Key Takeaway
Remember: journalists are looking for stories that matter to their audience, not just to you. Focus on what's genuinely new, exciting, or significant. When in doubt, ask yourself: "Would I want to read about this if I didn't know the artist?"