TwitterDM
Hooray! Twitter eliminated the 140-character limit on direct messaging (DM), time to get pitching! Pause, take a deep breath and first be sure you’ve got a relationship in place.
Sure, on the surface this seems like another opportunity to send personalized, longer messages to the press contacts you’ve been chasing, working hard to parlay a reporter’s needs into great coverage and a lasting relationship. But dig a bit deeper, and determine if sending a DM to a reporter with whom you don’t currently have an established relationship seems more like an invasion.
That being said, if you have that established relationship with a reporter (i.e. more than a few interactions), use your best judgment regarding how they would react to a Twitter DM. Better yet, many times reporters will explicitly mention in their bios (Twitter or publication) if they accept pitches via Twitter. Just like any other media relations, do your research before diving head first into that unlimited-character DM.
As PR practitioners, we’re always looking to improve the way we create and foster relationships with key reporters. While a majority of journalists are on Twitter, it’s important to keep the tools we regularly use on hand, and remember to first focus on establishing a relationship before deciding whether or not to pitch via DM.