Former AP, PC Week and Computerworld journalist Bob Scheier helps develop thought leadership content for global B2B companies. He is very, very good at it. In this Q&A, Bob shares tips and tricks for getting techies to come across with clear, usable insight.
SWMS contributor Bob Scheier writes: Everyone and their brother seems to be looking for “thought leadership” these days – the unique, thoughtful insights that show you understand the technology you sell, and the industry you’re selling into.
Protocol has not only hired a boatload of top journalists in its first 18 months, but also has recruited almost 200 contributors whose work appears in a thought leadership vertical called Braintrust. If you represent thought leaders, you’ll enjoy this Q&A with Protocol associate editor Kevin McAllister — your pitch contact — and Protocol president Tammy Wincup.
Industry Week senior editor Laura Putre wants your contributed content and is willing to do more than most gatekeepers to get it.
Andreessen Horowitz is looking to hire an editor to manage guest posts. The VC firm’s 936-word want ad reveals much about good contributed content. PR pros can go to school on this one, using these universal insights when pitching any outlet.
The Wall Street Journal is about to ramp up The Experts, the contributed content operation affiliated with Journal Report. WSJ is open to vetting new “panelists” (contributors) in each of six areas: energy, health, leadership, retirement, small business and wealth management.
— Updated Mar. 2, 2021 — Here is our latest and best list of titles and authors known to produce CEO profiles. The possibilities on one hand have shrunk considerably. On the other, literally dozens of publications will consider CEO pitches — but the context has to be there.
Nothing brings PR anxiety like crickets, especially when you pitch contributed content and include the submission. Was the pitch bad? Was the piece bad, or both? Or neither! Or maybe “they just didn’t see it, so I’ll ‘float it to the top of their in-box’ in a day or two.”
With few exceptions, contributed content gatekeepers are operating the way they always did before Covid-19 — serving the readers who buy products, manage teams and have projects to deliver. Here’s what nine of them said this week.
Placing contributed content ideally comes without strings — “pitch it, place it, forget it” — but that’s not how it works at Third Door Media, publishers of Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. Third Door is in the community business. Community editor Wendy Almeida wants to help but you must help her too.
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A thousand words about The Messenger, a well-funded news startup that had a few challenges out of the gate? Read for yourself (password probably required) with an eye toward whether the NYT’s audience is being served.
Mia Sato at The Verge has the story. Hollywood writers aren’t the only writers with livelihoods at stake.
SWMS turns 25 today — only because our subscribers made it possible. Thank you for all the support over all the years.
David Carr has the story on the Similarweb blog.
In descending order: who’s still left at ZDNet and TechRepublic; cheat sheets on SF-based tech reporters and AI in retail; Esther Ajao Q&A; cheat sheets on DEI, AI newsletters, accessibility and podcasts for retail investors; Larry Dignan joins Constellation Research; Robin Wauters podcast; cheat sheet on room videoconferencing systems.
If you’re interested in a truly global picture of how tech is transforming business and society, explore Rest of World, a fascinating newsletter franchise.
The new section, DR Global, will focus on the Middle East and Africa, where build-outs are now off the chart.
The 11-year-old newsletter can’t find a buyer, so 22 more employees are shown the door, says Insider.
Aisha Majid, from the terrific newsletter PressGazette, has all the data.
