Narrowcast Your Message for Broader Success

“I want a New York Times op-ed.” 

If you’re in the public relations business, you’ve likely heard this goal dozens of times. If you’re lucky, you’ve placed one or two pieces there. 

The challenge: supply and demand. Everyone strives to be in a big national outlet and therefore wants to pitch themselves to big national outlets. That space, even on the internet, is limited, and most people are going to walk away empty handed. 

But the good news is that wants and needs are two very different things. 

What is Narrowcasting?

Businesses and organizations do not always need a New York Times or Wall Street Journal op-ed to achieve their communications goal. More eyeballs are traditionally believed to bring a greater chance of success but, in many cases, smaller niche publications that want your piece are more effective.   

The days of broadcasting your message to the widest possible audience and hoping that the right people see it are over. Most organizations will have more success with narrowcasting: targeting smaller, focused outlets that are read–and respected–by your specific target audience.

These outlets take many forms, and can even include independent journalists on platforms like Substack. Selecting the right one comes down to a combination of communications goal, outlet audience and placement probability.

Establish Your Goals

What are you trying to accomplish through your content and media placement? 

Are you raising awareness of an issue affecting a particular area or industry? Advocating for the passage or repeal of a law or regulation? Trying to establish your author or company as a category or thought leader? Each of these will send you towards different solutions. 

For goals that have a geographic peg, such as a local law or a program you are trying to promote, look to a publication’s subscriber base to see if they are the people that will be affected by the legal change or new program. For brand awareness or thought leadership, trade publications are a great starting point for establishing those bona fides. These outlets also have the added bonus of being prime reading for beat reporters at more mainstream media outlets. In addition to your owned content, reporters will lean on your full body of earned media work. Plus, authoritative industry-specific outlets are a factor for AI search results. 

Lock In On Your Audience

Once the goal has been established, it’s time to consider the audience. Are you trying to reach a particular lawmaker? Local outlets are a great option because they cover events that your target audience has an inherent interest in following. They also tend to get fewer submissions than national outlets, which creates a lower barrier to entry. 

As an additional benefit, Americans trust local news much more than national outlets. A 2023 survey found that just 32% of Americans said they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in these news sources. A separate study found that 74% of Americans said they had “a lot of” or “some” trust in their local news organizations and 85% believed their local news outlets are at least somewhat important to their community. 

For a peer or customer audience, many organizations will be well served by focusing on trade publications first. The outlet’s credibility and discernment can help lesser known entities show that they have the expertise that’s needed for tough or technical jobs. And, its readers are more interested in the subject matter compared to a publication that covers broader topics.

Time Your Placement

Lastly, there is the probability of placement. The outlets in a narrowcasting strategy likely have fewer submissions to evaluate than a national outlet like the Journal or Times. That said, these publications still turn away plenty of pitches per week, so your piece will still have to be timely, informative and engaging.

Earned media placement has never been and never will be easy, but by taking the time to evaluate just who needs to see a story and why, you can give yourself a better shot at success. 

ROKK Solutions helps corporations, associations and nonprofits find the right outlets to tell their stories. Get in touch with our team to learn more.