By now, you hopefully have a targeted media list that contains the names and information of all the reporters you’re building relationships with and trying to get to cover your company. And while it’s important that you focus on building quality relationships with these reporters, that might not be enough to get them to notice your news. Fact is, your competitors are probably targeting these same reporters too, and your pitches might be getting lost in the mix.

So, what else can you do to get the reporters you’re targeting to pay attention to your news? The answer is pretty simple, really. You need to figure out where these reporters are getting their news.

Let me explain. The reality is that reporters don’t just sit back and wait for stories to come to them. They’re not refreshing their inboxes every 5 seconds waiting for someone like you to send them a good lead. That’s just not how it works.

The fact is that most reporters get their stories from blogs. It’s true. I remember seeing a study a while back where about 9 out of every 10 journalists admitted to using blogs for story research. Another 65% said they used social networking sites. And you can bet those numbers have only grown since those studies were done.

Here’s how it typically works. A blog runs a story. Then, that story gets popularized through bigger blogs, social media, sites like reddit, and so on. Then, that’s when the major news outlets really popularize the story and get it the most attention.

That’s why I’ve always encouraged you to target smaller blogs and to not look down on small-time PR opportunities. You never know what these little stories will turn into.

So, what does all of this mean for you? It means you need to start figuring out where your reporters are getting their news. And how can you do this?

For starters, you should be reading all of the influential blogs in your industry. You should be building relationships with bloggers and finding PR opportunities on relevant blogs in your niche.

You should also connect with the reporters you’re targeting on Twitter, Facebook, and other social sites to see which sites they tend to link out to. Pay attention to the sources of the stories they share and add those sites to your list.

Finally, keep reading the articles published by the reporters you’re targeting, and pay attention to what smaller sites they link to and cite in their work. These are the sites you’ll want to start with.

What are some other ways to find out where the reporters you’re targeting are getting their news? Share your thoughts and suggestions by commenting below. 

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download your free copy of 8 Shocking Secrets Press Release Distribution Firms Don’t Want You to Know here: http://www.ereleases.com/landing3.html