There are many reasons you might want to know how to hire a journalist.
- Perhaps you need help telling your story?
- Or you’re looking for a professional journalist to help you get exposure?
- Your business could be seeking a well-connected journalist to help with PR?
- Maybe you are looking for an experienced writer to help with creating some killer content?
- You could even be be a whistle blower, needing help to expose wrongdoing?
In today’s fast-paced media landscape, having a skilled journalist on your side is the key to getting your story heard.
Whether you’re an individual looking to sell a story to the press, a small business looking to boost your PR efforts, or a larger corporation in need of an experienced journalist to lead your communications strategy, finding the right candidate doesn’t need to be tricky.
Case Study Link Journalist Database
Case Study Link includes a database of freelance journalists and press agencies. You’ll find bios and contact details for each one.
Each journalist and agency is established and verified. Here are some tips about how to hire a journalist, and find the most suitable journalist to suit your needs:
Freelance Journalists & Press Agencies
There is a good reason for using a freelance journalist or independent press agency. Importantly, a freelance journalist or agency can act as a barrier between you and publications. Too many people get chewed up and spat out by newspapers, whilst an experienced journalist can protect your interests.
Furthermore, a well connected freelancer or agency will have multiple contacts across publications, cutting out the painstaking work of trying to connect with each publication (which will no doubt receive thousands of submissions every day).
The cost of hiring a journalist
Sadly for most journalists, the industry is not a highly paid one. To make a living, most journalists need to churn out multiple pieces of content each day. Each piece of content needs to meet high standards.
The good news for you is hiring a journalist is often cost efficient due to how fast they work, and how competitive their rates are.
If your story is newsworthy, you won’t need to pay them a penny, as the publication will actually pay you for your story. In fact, they can ensure you earn the maximum payment possible.
Tips on how to hire a journalist
Here are some tips on how to hire a journalist, including when using the database of journalists found on ‘Case Study Link’:
- Define your needs: Before you start searching for a journalist, it’s important to define your needs. What kind of stories do you want to tell? What type of media outlets do you want to target? Do you need a part-time/full-time staff member or a freelancer who can work on a project basis? By defining your needs upfront, you can narrow your search to journalists who have the specific skills and experience you require.
- Look for experience: When hiring a journalist, experience is key. Look for candidates who have a proven track record of success in the type of media you want to target. Check their bio to see examples of their work and make sure they have experience covering topics related to your business or industry. All Case Study Link journalists are experienced professionals. Just check the type of work they generally do.
- Check their references: Before hiring a journalist, it’s important to check their references. Social media reviews are a good place to start. If you Google their name, you’ll get a taste of their writing ability and communication skills.
- Utilise the database of journalists: Case Study Link provides access to leading journalists from around the media world. Check out the Database of Journalists. You don’t necessarily need to pick one journalist – you can utilise different people with differing connections and skills.
- Evaluate writing skills: When hiring a journalist, it’s important to evaluate their writing skills. If you wish to use them on a long-term basis, ask them to submit writing samples or provide a writing test. This will give you a sense of their writing style, ability to meet deadlines, and attention to detail.
- Look for a good fit: Finally, when hiring a journalist, it’s important to look for a good fit for you. Look for candidates who share your or your company’s values and are passionate about the same topics or issues as you or your business. A good journalist should be a collaborative team player who is able to work well with others. Some journalists specialise in true life stories, whilst others focus on business, love and relationships, or other topics. Find one that suits your needs.
Why it’s a good idea to hire a journalist
The main benefits of hiring a journalist are:
- Protection: Providing a barrier between you and publications, to ensure they act in your best interest.
- Experience: Good journalists have great contacts. Going direct to publications is usually fruitless.
- Writing skills: Qualified journalists write to the style of the publication. It can be difficult for inexperienced writers to hit the mark with commissioning editors.
Even as a business, hiring a journalist can be a valuable investment in your company’s communications strategy. By defining your needs, looking for experience, checking references, consulting the database of journalists, evaluating writing skills, and looking for a good fit, you can find the right journalist for your business. Case Study Link is a free tool to make that process a little easier.
Featured image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay