Content Creation

General vs. Niche Outreach

CopyPress

March 26, 2013 (Updated: February 3, 2023)

One of the first steps in forming an outreach plan is determining who you pitch to. When choosing an approach, there are two roads that you can travel along: general outreach or niche outreach. Do you target blogs all around the internet or do you focus on a specific segment like mommy blogs, health food blogs or Chicago-based blogs? This choice can have a direct effect on ROI and client happiness. Here’s my pro/con list to consider when deciding what types of blogs to pitch to:

General Outreach

Pros:

Numbers Game: Usually if you send X amount of pitch emails out, you are likely to get Y amount of responses. By playing this numbers game you will be able to manage your time more effectively. You will be able to move from topic to topic and have a number in mind for the amount of work to do for each.

Lessens the Monotony: The ability to switch your mind set is important to stay fresh and focused for a longer amount of time, which will ultimately increase productivity.

Reaching the Masses: Using a “spray and pray” method of outreach is a good way to save time while outreaching and as mentioned before. Using a generic pitch template and sending it to mass amounts of people is a method that can yield undeniable results.

Cons:

Lack of Personalization: Although you will be able to come in contact with numerous amounts of bloggers, it is likely that you will not have the time to personalize each and every single email.  This makes it less about connecting with the blogger and all about the end result.

Less Knowledge: Many bloggers like to know that the content is high quality and the person providing the content is well-versed in that specific area. If you are simply trying to come in contact with as many people as possible, chances are that you are not too knowledgeable about each topic, therefore unable to maintain an in depth conversation about the category that you are pitching.

Insincere: Oftentimes a blogger will not respond to a pitch because there is nothing original about it. People can usually tell when another person is not being sincere and will ignore you to move on to the next email.

Niche Outreach

Pros:

Better Pitches: While searching for a specific category, especially one that you are interested in, you will not only have more time to spend on an individual pitch but you will be able to find articles that you can specifically reference. People have a need to be heard, and relating to a blogger is truly fulfilling that need!

Knowledge of Category: It is imperative to be able to have a dialogue with a blogger about the specifics of an article, or even a topic as a whole. After doing search after search, you tend to learn and understand much more about a certain category.

Relatable: If you have a sincere interest in a specific category, it will show in your pitches and you will be able to form a lasting and beneficial relationship with a blogger. This is a must-have with outreach. When you relate you can truly connect and there will be no issue with a blogger feeling that you are not sincere.

Cons:

Topic Overload: After mining and searching for a blog that fits all of the proper standards set, your brain tends to turn to jelly. You read a lot of articles that are similar and it gets tiring. This task can become extremely monotonous at times. Switching search techniques usually helps to combat this effect.

Fewer Options: If you are doing outreach to a niche market then chances are you run out of bloggers to contact, or it may seem like you have contacted EVERY blogger for that certain category. This will be a struggle with the “numbers game” since the number of sites will be limited quite a bit.

At CopyPress we blaze our own path and push boundaries by focusing on building relationships. We are constantly improving and finding ways to become effective and efficient. Remember, even if you’re in favor of one type of targeting over another, you have to listen to the wants of the client to follow their vision. The customer always comes first.

CopyPress

CopyPress writer

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