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PR Essentials: What Is a Media List and Why Is It Important?

PR Essentials: What Is a Media List and Why Is It Important?

Dive into the basics of PR media lists, their role in media outreach, and why they’re crucial for PR success.

Curious about what a media list is and why it matters? The PR pros at Media List Market have you covered.

Whether you’re an influencer, a growing business, or just getting started in the world of public relations, understanding the basics of PR media lists is crucial for effective outreach.

With years of experience crafting targeted media lists that get results, we’ll guide you through the essentials of media lists in this article, including:

  • What is a media list?
  • What is included in a media list?
  • Types of media and publications
  • The importance of media lists for effective PR outreach
  • The benefits of a targeted media list
  • Buying vs. Building a Media List
  • How to use a media list for your PR outreach

  • Ready to dive into pitching with a premade media list? Shop our media lists here, or order a custom media list from the Media List Market team.

    What is a media list?

    In the world of PR, a media list is a database of media contacts and their contact information for sending PR pitches and press releases.

    Typically, a media list will be in the form of a spreadsheet or within a CRM or PR database. These platforms host a large amount of media contact data, allowing users to build their own media lists within the PR database.

    Learn more about Media Lists vs. PR Databases in this blog post.

    PR professionals use media lists to pitch stories and send press releases. So, it’s important to include all the information they’d find helpful in crafting the perfect pitch that reaches the right media contact to maximize their PR coverage.

    What information does a media list include?

    The most basic of media lists include:

    • Publication Name
    • First and Last Name of Media Contact
    • Email Address

    More robust media lists and most PR databases might also include:

    • Website
    • Type of Media
    • Address
    • Phone Number
    • Social Media Accounts
    • Link(s) to Previous Coverage

    At Media List Market, we pride ourselves on having the most comprehensive media lists on the market with more data fields to help you pitch your content with confidence. In addition to all the data fields above, our premium media lists also include:

  • Monthly Website Traffic (UVPM)Know how large your potential audience is. This can be especially helpful in prioritizing which publications to pitch first.
  • Domain Authority (DA) — PR placements are very powerful tools in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) providing valuable contextual backlinks. Knowing a website's domain authority is helpful in understanding its potential impact on your website ranking in the search engines.
  • Newsroom/General Contact Email — Whether you get a journalist’s autoresponder or just want to CC the newsdesk on a press release to make sure it isn’t missed, a general contact email comes in handy more often than you might think.
  • A description about each publication — Knowing your audience is key to landing a PR placement. A brief 1-3 sentence description for each publication gives you information on how the publication positions itself, what it cares about most, and what their audience is like so you can craft the most compelling pitch for each publication.
  • Keywords — Are they Women-Led? Tailored toward Gen Z? Focused on Holiday-themed content? These keywords are included to help you sort through the media list quickly and identify media contacts that are the most relevant to your pitch.
  • Content Pillars — Know which topics they cover regularly so you only pitch relevant content.
  • Tone — A pitch to TIME Magazine should sound different than a pitch to BuzzFeed. Our notes on the overall tone of the publication can help you find the right voice for your pitch so it lands with their audience.
  • Pitch Notes — Helpful PR tips specific to a publication. This includes everything from a link to their annual Best of…awards and notes on the submission process, or letting you know that a publication has a lot of articles written by freelance writers, so contacting a writer directly might be better than pitching the editor. Whatever information we think might help you craft a better pitch and land a placement is included here.
  • Masthead — This is a list of everyone who currently works at the publication and their title. This can help you find any related contacts to those in your media list.
  • Media Contact Bios — Most publications have a page for staff writers with a brief bio and links to their most recent articles. This is always helpful in finding ways to genuinely connect with journalists and pitch them in a meaningful way.
  • Media Contact Title — It’s always helpful to know what role your media contact is working in.
  • Media Contact Social Accounts — We do not recommend sending pitches via social media unless a media contact specifically requests this. Instead, public social media accounts can give you more context on what a journalist is covering and provide insight on how to establish an authentic connection.
  • & more depending on the industry or niche — Our media lists might include even more data fields depending on the specific niche, industry, or media type. We believe the more data, the better the pitch.

  • What types of media would you find on a media list?

    Any type of media can be added to a media list if you’re building your own, however standard media lists typically include:

    1. Traditional Print Media: newspapers and magazines
    2. Broadcast Media: television & radio
    3. Online/Digital Media: websites, news and magazines sites, blogs

    Media List Market lists also include:

    1. Trade Publications: industry-specific publications within specific sectors like healthcare, finance, technology, education, etc.
    2. Newsletters: sites like Substack have normalized email newsletters and boosted adoption, especially in the U.S. where over 90% of Americans are subscribed to at least one email newsletter. These newsletters can operate as their own publication and also look for content to include from pitches.
    3. Freelance Writers: Freelance writers contribute to some of the largest publications online, so we include a database of freelance writers and editors who might bring your news to an online publication they already work with.
    4. Podcasts: Podcasts have revolutionized the way we consume information and entertainment, but as of this writing, we are the only media list provider that includes podcasts in our premium media lists. With a vast array of niche topics and passionate audiences, podcasts are a great opportunity to get in front of a new audience to amplify your PR efforts.
    5. Guest Blog Opportunities: Guest blogging and contributed content is a powerful tool for expanding your online presence and establishing thought leadership within your industry. From industry-specific blogs to mainstream publications, our media lists connect you with the perfect guest blog opportunities to drive traffic, improve domain authority, and drive meaningful results.
    6. Influencers: Influencer marketing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern PR, offering a powerful way to connect with target audiences. Collaborating with influencers allows you to leverage their credibility to amplify your brand or message. 

    Now that we’ve covered what a media list is and what it includes, let’s delve into why these lists are essential for successful PR outreach.

    If you’re eager to start crafting your own media list, skip ahead to our comprehensive guide on How to Build a Media List. You’ll also find a free media list template and several examples to kickstart your PR outreach.

    Why Media Lists Are Important for Effective PR Outreach

    In our years of experience, we’ve found that the success of a PR campaign is closely linked to the quality of the media list.

    No matter how great your pitch or press release, if you’re not sending it to the right people, you won’t get coverage. 

    In our client work, we invest a substantial amount of time sourcing relevant media contacts. By targeting the right journalists, editors, and influencers, we maximize our chances of securing media coverage and generating publicity for our clients.

    These are the top five reasons why media lists are important:

  • Targeted Media Outreach: Instead of sending generic pitches to a broad audience (the ol’ “Spray and Pray” technique), media lists allow you to tailor your message to specific journalists or media outlets. This targeted approach increases the likelihood of securing a media placement.
  • Stay Organized: Media lists not only serve as an organizable Rolodex of media contacts, but can also help you keep track of the media outreach you’ve already conducted. Know when you last pitched a journalist, which pitch you sent, how they responded, and when to follow-up all within your media list in spreadsheet or PR database format.
  • Save Time: With a well-curated list of media contacts, you can quickly identify suitable targets for your pitches and press releases. And if you go the route of buying a media list rather than building one, you’ll save hours of work conducting research to find media contacts, and instead will have a curated and organized list that’s verified for you. (Browse our premade media lists here)
  • Build Stronger Media Connections: Media lists are 
  • More PR Coverage: 
  • Now that we understand the significance of media lists in your PR outreach, let’s explore the concept of targeted media lists and their role in boosting media placements.

    Targeted Media Lists: Your Tool for PR Success

    Targeted media lists help streamline PR efforts, ensuring that pitches resonate with their recipients, align with their areas of expertise, and match the interests of their audience. Even if your targeted media list has fewer contacts than a general list, you’re more likely to secure media coverage because you have the right contacts who are interested in sharing your story.

    What is a targeted media list? 

    A targeted media list is a curated selection of media contacts specifically tailored to a particular niche, geographic range, industry, or PR campaign.

    Unlike generic media lists which cast a wide net across various sectors, targeted lists focus on reaching journalists, editors, and influencers who have a vested interest in the topic being pitched. To identify their interest, we examine their recent articles and content, review their social profiles—where they may indicate the types of pitches they’re interested in right now—or read journalist bios on publication websites, where areas of coverage are often listed.

    By honing in on relevant media outlets and contacts, PR professionals increase the likelihood of securing coverage for their stories, products, or events. Ultimately, the precision of a targeted media list enhances the effectiveness of PR outreach, leading to more impactful media coverage and greater visibility for your brand, product, or client.

    The benefits of a targeted media list:

    • Increases chances of media coverage
    • Saves time and resources by avoiding pitching to irrelevant contacts
    • Enhances personalization and relevance of pitches
    • Builds stronger relationships with media contacts
    • Improves overall effectiveness of PR campaigns

    Buying vs. Building a Media List

    When it comes to acquiring a media list for PR outreach, you have the choice of buying a pre-made list or building one from scratch. Each approach has its own set of pros and cons, and PR professionals might use a combination of the two depending on the PR campaign, timelines, and strategy.

    Buying a Media List

    Buying a media list offers convenience and saves time, as it provides immediate access to a curated database of media contacts. With a purchased list, you can skip the labor-intensive process of researching and compiling contact information and get straight to pitching. Additionally, premium media lists often come with additional data fields and insights, such as website traffic, domain authority, and pitch notes, which can further enhance your PR efforts.

    Before Media List Market, the pre-made media list landscape was thin and outdated, with only a few providers offering lists with old email addresses, outdated contacts, and limited categories. Since then, we’ve become the leading online provider of premium media lists by offering 100% verified lists across several targeted industries, updated and maintained monthly for PR professionals and do-it-yourself PR practitioners, alike. Shop our pre-made media lists.

    Building a Media List

    On the flip side, building a media list allows for greater customization and control over the selection of contacts. By conducting thorough research and vetting potential media outlets and influencers yourself, you can ensure that the list aligns closely with your specific campaign objectives and target audience.

    However, building a media list from scratch requires significant time and effort, as well as ongoing maintenance to keep the list up-to-date and relevant. To help you through the process, we’ve created this comprehensive guide on How to Build a Media List, and a free media list template to kickstart your research.

    Buy or Build: Deciding on Your Media List Approach

    Ultimately, the decision between buying and building a media list depends on your budget, time constraints, and specific objectives of your PR campaign.

    For those seeking a hassle-free solution with access to top-quality, up-to-date media contacts, purchasing a premium media list from Media List Market may be the ideal choice. You can browse our selection here, or request a custom media list.

    Buying a Media List

    Building a Media List

    • Saves time
    • Customizable to your needs
    • Access to extensive contacts
    • Can include niche or local contacts already in your network
    • Immediate access to get straight to pitching
    • Builds your own familiarity with media contacts
    • Maintained and updated for you
    • Highly targeted to your specific PR campaign
    • Assured high-quality, verified contacts (from Media List Market)
    • Can be more cost-effective over time
    • Limited customization options (though you can request a custom media list here)
    • Requires manual ongoing maintenance
    • Less control over the scope of media contacts
    • Time-consuming process
    • Initial cost
    • May require subscription to an email finder/verification service for hard-to-find contacts

    While building your own media list offers its own set of benefits, including unparalleled customization and control, the investment of time and resources required may not always be feasible—especially when time is of the essence.

    That’s where buying a meticulously curated media list can be a game-changer. With immediate access to a comprehensive network of contacts already organized for you, you can leapfrog hours of research and manual compilation, saving time and accelerating your outreach.

    Both buying and building media lists have their place in the realm of PR, and our agency and publicist customers often use a hybrid approach, using our media lists and building their own.

    Whether you’re looking for immediate access to verified media contacts, or prefer the hands-on approach of crafting your own media list, we’re here to support your PR journey every step of the way.

    Download our free media list template to kickstart your own research, or browse our selection of media lists to purchase a ready-made list.

    How to Use a Media List for Your PR Outreach

    Once you have your media list in hand, it’s important to know how to effectively leverage it for your PR outreach. Here are some tips for making the most of your media list:

      1. Customize Your Pitches: Tailor every pitch to the interests and preferences of each media contact on your list. Personalized pitches are more likely to resonate with recipients, avoid being blocked, and result in more media coverage. Utilize the data fields in your media list like relevant articles, pitch notes, or beat/coverage to craft unique pitches that provide value for each recipient.
      2. Follow Up Strategically: After sending out your initial pitch or press release, follow up with media contacts with consideration. It’s helpful to be able to track open-rates and click throughs, so you can see who is engaging with your pitch. Our general recommendation is to follow-up a couple weeks after your initial pitch to all original recipients with more helpful or relevant information, and do a second follow-up only with journalists and editors who have engaged with your message(s) (by opening and/or clicking).
  • Focus on Building Relationships: Yes, you want media coverage for your brand or product, but media outreach works best with a long-term perspective. You may not get media coverage the first time you pitch an editor, but if you continue to provide quality pitches, communicate considerately, and try to be genuinely helpful, chances are that an opportunity may arise in the future. That’s why it’s important to focus on building relationships with your media contacts, rather than treating your correspondence as a single transaction.
  • Stay Organized: Keep your media list updated with accurate information and notes on interactions or coverage. At Media List Market, our Evergreen service maintains and updates your media list for you, otherwise we recommend refreshing your media list before every campaign or at least once every quarter. To keep track of your interactions, you can upload your media list to a CRM, or track your outreach and follow-ups manually on a spreadsheet.
  • By leveraging your media list effectively, you can maximize your PR outreach and increase your chances of securing media coverage for your clients or organization.

    Targeted Media Lists: The Ultimate Shortcut to Effective PR

    A comprehensive and targeted media list is often the key to unlocking PR success. Whether you choose to build your own media list or purchase a premium list from Media List Market, the key is to have a reliable, targeted database of media contacts at your fingertips.

    If you’re ready to take the DIY approach, download our free media list template and follow our comprehensive guide on How to Build a Media List.

    Alternatively, if you’re looking for a hassle-free solution with immediate access to verified media contacts, explore our collection of premium media lists tailored to various industries and niches.

    At Media List Market, we pride ourselves on offering the most comprehensive and up-to-date media lists on the market, complete with valuable insights and data points to enhance your PR efforts.

    Browse our shop of media lists today and let us help you streamline your PR outreach so you can secure impactful media coverage.

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