Ever wondered how journalists sift through the sea of bylines in their inbox, and decide which ones make the cut? Curious to know how your target trade publications differentiate between thought leadership and contributed content?

These questions were at the heart of our Advertising Week New York panel, ‘Industry Journalists Tell All…’ Moderated by Mary Cirincione, Associate Director & Vice President (Propeller US) at Propeller Group, the panel featured insights from Luz Corona, Community Editor at ADWEEK, and Lydia Dishman, Senior Editor (Growth & Engagement) at Fast Company. 

Definitions in Black and White

Luz began by highlighting the differences between thought leadership and standard op-eds: “The best pieces have actionable insights. It’s not rambling; it’s structured. It’s rooted in expertise, from someone that can really speak on the subject.”

Lydia took it a step further, arguing that the time is ripe for thought leadership to undergo a rebrand. “When I hear someone is a thought leader, I immediately think of someone with a PhD in corporate bullshit. These pieces need to be more than just a conflagration of corporate jargon – it has to really advance the conversation.” 

Following this school of thought, conversation turned to editorial privilege. Bandwidth remains a problem, meaning that editors make the final call. It was telling that each panelist had their own perspective, illustrating that there’s no ‘one size fits all’ strategy for working with publications and journalists. 

For Lydia, the ideal starting point is sending across an entire piece – but not for the reason you might expect. “I like to see a fully-fledged draft, because there can be a nugget in there – a sentence or a paragraph – which could spin into a whole other piece.” In contrast, Luz prefers a more concise approach, with a few bullet points more than enough to tell a unique story that she’s not heard before. 

Both panelists shared the same sentiments on tone of voice. Lydia acknowledged that while she tries to preserve the author’s voice, she reserves the right to change headlines, subtitles, and content. Similarly, Luz noted that although ADWEEK allows for revisions to ensure pieces fit into the publication’s mold, this can be detrimental to the author. 

Building the Right Bridges

Relationships play a major role in the success (or failure) of pitching – and this extends beyond editors and reporters. If you want to write for a trade publication, you need to consume the content they’re publishing, and familiarize yourself with their preferred topics. 

In Lydia’s case, this is table stakes for anyone in PR: “Start with Google, and figure out if the publication has ever previously engaged your client. Doing your homework, and knowing how they’ve covered them, allows you to enter the conversation with a fresh, interesting angle.”

Luz echoed these sentiments, stressing that it’s clear if you’re not tuned in to the publication’s POV. What’s more, she argued that there’s no excuse for this knowledge gap. “Look at the best-performing articles on our site; they’re a signal for what’s resonating with our audience. If a piece is trending for a few days, and there have been follow-up articles, you may have the perfect voice to accompany the topic.”

(Which) Content is King? 

The battle between evergreen pieces, and timely content that taps into current affairs, is nothing new. While Luz believes that the latter consistently gets the most traction, there is a caveat. 

“It can’t just add to the noise. Tell us what you see, what you think, and what we can learn from it. These personal essays perform the best; pieces that speak about a lived experience that can benefit the wider industry.”

However, it’s not just the content’s genre that should be factored into the equation. Choosing the right thought leader is paramount – with Lydia noting that they don’t automatically have to be from the C‑suite. 

“I get plenty of pitches telling me that a particular CTO has the perfect solution for digital transformation. My head caves in every time – because no one has cracked the code for this yet. If it offers serious, actionable advice, I’m happy to take it. Unfortunately, the majority are lazy pitches trying to promote a job title that doesn’t get recognition outside of trade publications.”

That said, Luz pointed out that C‑suite content does have a place in the ecosystem, provided it has a unique perspective. “One piece that would work well, which we haven’t published yet, is an argument for why you should stay at your company. When C‑suite thought leaders are authentic, and minimize the buzzwords and the jargon – that’s when it gets real.” 

The panelists also touched on the power of vulnerability, and how it can pay to drift away from success stories. As thought leaders, it takes a certain sense of self confidence to be honest when you get things wrong. As Lydia put it: “Only good can come from paying it forward. After all, being vocal about your mistakes allows others to learn.”

Penny for their Thoughts

The future of thought leadership hinges on trade publications being sufficiently supported. While consistently engaging with and consuming their media helps, it’s paid subscriptions that truly matter. 

Lydia identified that this challenge hasn’t appeared overnight. “There’s a lot of free content out there, and unfortunately we’ve backed ourselves into a corner. This was the most effective way to gain a competitive edge a few years ago. However, it’s become abundantly clear that this model is no longer sustainable.”

Building on this, Luz highlighted the ongoing struggle that publishers are facing in their search for viable revenue systems. “Paywalls are still very much in play – it’s what we use at ADWEEK. Voice pieces are free for 30 days, before being placed behind a paywall. The reality is that subscriptions are the lifeblood of our industry; they fund our paycheck.” 

The Journalist Wishlist

With the session coming to a close, our panelists shared their thoughts on the types of thought leadership pieces they’d keep their eyes out for – as well as the best-in-class methods for getting articles on the front page. 

In Luz’s case, this means following the right submission channels. “Please don’t pitch to me directly. Use the submission form – I promise it doesn’t disappear into the void. Also, make sure you don’t ramble – your piece should be actionable and insightful. Don’t just throw jargon in there. Instead, utilize relevant data and statistics.” 

Lydia’s parting words emphasized the importance of having a pitch that gets down to brass tacks. “Journalism 101 – tell me why I should give a shit. Aim to distill your message into five sentences. If you can craft a headline (which, even though I won’t use, is good for the thought process), even better.”