Editor’s Desk: Help Me, Help You
This topic has been on my mind lately. As an editor, I do a LOT of research. This involves homes to scout and feature, shops and restaurants to visit, products, props, locations, current trends and forecasts. The list goes on and on but suffice it to say…I'm always researching something.
My thought is that there are probably many of you out there waiting to be discovered by an editor. And whether it's a food magazine, shelter publication or other related forms of media there are indeed editors out there looking for you too!
To help you, I thought I'd share my Twelve Tips aimed towards bloggers, homeowners, shopkeepers and product manufacturers looking to get noticed!
1. Have a Search widget installed on your blog. I can't tell you how many times I've given up on a blog because I can't find what I'm looking for. You can find Google search widgets here. Or check with your blog or website hosting service to find out if they have one available for you.
2. Organize your posts. This is very important. Create both Categories and Archives and make sure they are easily displayed on your sidebar or at the top of your blog. This makes it easy for editors to look for specific topics.
3. Highlight your best work. Examples: Top Posts, Projects or Products should be featured or highlighted on your blog or website.
4. Have Email or Contact information displayed prominently. Keep it near the top of your blog or site. Don't make it difficult for someone to reach you.
5. Have links to your social media. Examples: Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Editors will search all forms of media to see who you are and what you're about.
6. Create a Pinterest Board of your work. Fill it only with photos of your home, products, etc. Be sure to label the board MY home or MY products. Do not add anything but your work to this board.
7. Direct Contact. Send an email to the editor with a brief message. Be sure to include all website, blog and media links and a few (1-4) photos of your home or product. Do NOT add the editors email address to your ongoing product, event or store email campaign list without prior approval. This is extremely annoying. Sorry, no better way to put that.
8. Make sure you're a good fit. Be target specific, for example, don't send photos of your stark modern home or amazing dog shampoo to just any publication. Find one that fits your design asthetic or product. Do you homework in regards to the publication. Look through back issues…have they featured a product like yours recently? Do they regularly feature DIY projects? Find out before you cast your net. You want to catch the right fish.
9. Make friends with the magazine or editor. Whomever you're trying to reach out to, find them on Facebook or Twitter, engage in conversation, share useful information with them. They read every comment, trust me. As an editor, I've found lots of story leads this way. You can find me on FB here. I enjoy visiting with you there because the conversation threads are quick and easy to respond to.
10. Publish original content. No one is going to be "famous" for sharing photos of DaVinci's artwork. Editors are looking for fresh, new content and the only way to get that is to create it yourself. I can't stress how important this is enough.
11. Be clever. Pitch your product in a new way. I've heard of cupcakes being delivered, fun videos created, books wrapped in unique packaging. Think outside the box which is not to be confused with "over the top extravagant". Nobody wants an elephant delivering soy candles to their office door.
12. Don't give up. Things take time and in our industry we work nearly a year in advance. If you pitch a spring type product in the spring, chances are we're working on Christmas. Timing can be crucial. Something to keep in mind. Also, just because there isn't an immediate answer, it doesn't always mean "no". It could mean… it's not the right fit, right now, or it doesn't work for a specific issue…something along those lines. I've waited a year or more for certain homes to get the green light on a story. Be patient.
I hope you find these tips helpful and that most importantly, it will connect fantastic, amazing homes, shops, blogs and products with the editors and publications looking for exactly that!
67 Responses to “Editor’s Desk: Help Me, Help You”
wonderful points. I need to rework my blog, I love the idea of a “my pintrest” Thanks for sharing all your Paris photos, its a dream for my daughter and I to go, one day.
Great post with spot-on tips, Heather!
And while I have been noticed by and published in Romantic Homes, Romantic Country and Artful Blogging, I don’t believe I’ve caught your eye yet!
And how I would LOVE to be able to be part of the magazine you contribute to, Country Living.
Heck, being a part of ANYTHING you are a part of would be a thrill!
XOXO,
Anne
This is a great [great] post, thank you for these insights! Especially interesting for a beginner…
Hi Heather,
Thanks for your sweet comment on my Blog.
These are great tips to keep in mind. I think
we need some pointers from time to time… 😉
Have a great week,
xxx Liz @ LizlovesVintage
Very helpful:) I’m bookmarking this post. Someday I want my home featured – somewhere. My husband has done a wonderful job of redoing all the old and turning it into something beautiful and just what I want.
Thank you Heather for these wonderful tips! I have owned my little Shoppe for 9 years and have always wondered what it takes to have that spotlight on a shop! We are a great mix of vintage and new located in a century old house.
Always appreciate your insights!
Kathy
Thank you for the informative post. I’m in the midst of reassessing my blog and many of your suggestions will come in handy in that process.
Meg
thx. I don’t have a blog yet, ha ha abit behind the times but some day hope to have one. Great tips and my fav magazine.Just figuring out pinterest kind of creeped out about twitter. I use FB to keep track of the kids.
Very interesting. I love well organized blogs….guess I better get to work on mine.
Thanks
Happy Day
Thank for sharing your advice and wisdom with us. This is a long term goal and dream to one day be featured in a magazine. While my blog content, my home nor my projects are worthy yet. I hope to continue to grow in 2012 and who knows maybe one day.
Thanks for the great insider tips. I’m a new blogger and can definitely use wonderful advice like this.
Really nice of you to take the time to write this down – very interesting on a topic I never pondered that much about before. 🙂
Thanks so much for this awesome post! I’m just barely beginning to go pro as a freelance writer and this is SUPER helpful.
Great post, thanks for all the tips.
Amen, especially to tip #1….I was just on an artist’s blog today and couldn’t find what I was looking for and there was no search widget…gave up! Very good of you to take the time to inform everyone.
Many gracious thank yous for this wonderful list!
This is a great post. I added a board of my work to my Pinterest per your recommendation. Somehow I thought it would be conceited to pin your own work, but apparently it’s helpful!
I’m glad you said to make a pinboard for my own work. I felt like I was being selfish to do that…But, now that I have “permission” onward I go! haha!
Btw- I found this post via Pintrest. I’m glad I did . Your site is FULL of eye candy!
An informative, detailed, wonderful post. I added my search button, and am working on my Pinterest, email, etc. I am like Amanda – I thought it might be bad to post our own Art or Work.
I do have a question – when you personally go to Blogs in search of the new and the unique – do you like to see a clean sidebar, keeping it minimal, or do you like to see a lot of color and pop – Blog lists, follower button, colorful links to other blogs, extra photos, music bar, etc.?
Thank you Heather for great insight to what an Editor is looking for.
Thanks so much for the great tips!
Your generosity of thought is very much appreciated.
Absolutely love these tips, thank you! They’re very helpful as I am beginning to contact editors for my food photography!
Great question…a “busy looking” blog doesn’t immediately keep me from researching it. And I always have my computer on mute so I don’t ever hear the music. I respect the fact that blogs are designed and reflect the person who owns it. I admire lots of different blogs regardless of the amount of sidebar content.
For me personally, the most crucial aspect of a blog is ease in navigation. Make things quick & easy to find. If I’m looking for before and after shots of your home I don’t want to scroll through 1000+ posts to find them. It’s too time consuming.
Hope this helps! So glad to hear that some of you are implementing my ideas already! You rock!!
Great tips! Thank you so much!
hi Heather,
I so appreciate your tips here and it is so kind of you to share them. it is a little dream of mine to have my work published and to also work for a magazine the likes of Country Living. What you have shared is very helpful and informative, thank you!
Love this Heather! And I speak as a fellow magazine editor 😉
These were great tips! I can’t imagine Country Living would ever have a need to feature custom paper dolls but this gives me a starting point for other publications. Thank you Heather!
oh yes, I have to admit, having a magazine shoot our cottage would be a total thrill! You just gave me the push to get my blog more organized, thank you!
After three months my blog partner and I are sitting smack dab in the middle-zone, when most bloggers give up. We’re doing what we can to attract new readers to all this great content we’ve poured our hearts into.
We’ve implemented a lot of these ideas but will continue to get better and to improve. Should you choose to discuss unique ways of getting publicity and readership we’ll be first in line.
Good luck to all the other bloggers.
Now back to work!
Your post couldn’t be any more timely. We’re a rather new blog and so all the information we can gather from those with more experience is wonderful. All of your suggestions and ideas will be put into practice.
Thanks again…we have much work to do:)
Wow, thanks so much for the great tips! This is really helpful!
Thank you for sharing your insights. As a follower of your blog, I share many of your posts on my facebook page. So much great information here.
Thanks for the tips. It’s fun to think, er, dream, that our little piece of bliss could be a feature story some day!? You never know…
Thanks for sharing-I have many Pinterest boards, but not one with just my work. Heading over to change that. Cheers
Great advice!
I needed it!
HUGS and blessings to you as you make your home!
~Leslie
This was really helpful! Thank you for the advice. Look forward to 2012! Have a wonderful day! Hugs lulu
invaluable advice!! thank YOU
Great tips Heather! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on what goes through an editor’s mind!
One of the things I am currently wrestling with is using a personal trademark on my photography. I know that you do and I am curious if you think that a is crucial to one’s success at getting “found”.
I see many of my photos and original content on the internet and most of the time there is some sort of link back to my blog or web site….but maybe I’m being naive here!
Any thoughts?
Kelley ; 0 )
Heather, I appreciate this post. It’s helpful and gives good advice… thank you. I tried to comment here yesterday, but it got lost. The funny thing is, I wanted to alert you to a Timber Press giveaway, and how delighted I was to be asked by them to share a post about their new book, *Free Range Chicken Gardens.* I read the book last night, and lo! Of course: your beautiful coop is in the book! I guess, I did not have any real news to pass along. And I am reminded that you are obviously in a good position to help people like me bring more good traffic to our blogs and work… so thank you, again!
Hi Kelley,
I’ve gone back and forth with watermarking my photos. In a perfect world…I wouldn’t have to. But now, with the onslaught of images being used and reused endlessly without proper credit, I’m afraid I’ve gone back to watermarking.
So many sites like Tumblr, Pinterest and many blogs don’t accurately credit the true copyright owner/photographer.
Other things I do to protect my images are resizing them and only posting low resolution images to the web.
Hope this helps! ~H
Heather,
Thank you so much for sharing this info with us! These tips are so helpful…I was like others thinking maybe I should not pin my own photos/products but like your suggestion for labeling as you mention. I have always enjoyed your blog and admired you and am happy to be a new fan on Facebook now. 🙂 I have fretted a bit about watermarking my photos, as well, but I finally decided that it just has to be done. I have had some of my pictures used in other places with the person claiming them as their own. That is just so frustrating after I spend so much time taking them and editing them for my blog and shoppe. I’m like you…with all the social media and such, it just seems necessary.
Hugs, Ann~Margaret
Thank you for the timely post, Heather. One if our goals this year is to have our work featured in print, so your tips are surely appreciated. Off to organize my categories and add the ‘my pinterest’ board!
Shannon
Thank you so much for sharing all these informative and helpful tips!
Have a nice weekend,
Monika from Germany
Heather
You might be interested in my friends terrariums they are beyond fabulous. If you don’t publish her someone will. She is that good.
Here is the link
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/402064_156819121096767_100003060407944_209976_1526203708_n.jpg
Hello Heather!
What if you are trying to get someone else’s home featured in a magazine? There are two women in my community who have homes and yards that NEED to be in a magazine. They are full of beautiful plants, amazing antiques and their homes are equally as beautiful. They are truly inspirational and the ideas that people could get from them are endless. So, what would you suggest for that kind of situation?
Thank you!
Heather
How kind to share your knowledge. I am off to put your information to good use on my own blog. I kinda chuckle at times and think I have to be a great artist,photographer,SEO expert,writer,html expert,have an updated blog,pinterest,and facebook keep my etsy store and web store filled and current. Then try to explain all this to strangers when they ask what do you do.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this information. As a new blogger learning as I go, I especially appreciate information that is presented well. With so much to learn, some offerings can be a bit overwhelming.
I actually found your blog via a pin on Pinterest and am so glad. I’m looking forward to following future posts.
These are amazing tips! As someone who is starting a marketing and PR business, these are such great tips to tell clients, and for myself! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks so much for these thoughtful and helpful tips! This post (and your follow-up on some of the questions here) has been such a helpful read.
I’m in the very beginning stages of writing a book about the monthly craft and sewing nights I host (the project how-tos, how to get that much borrowed supplies together, how to talk small businesses into sharing goods to use as prizes for the events, etc., etc.) and I definitely feel overwhelmed sometimes about not knowing what editors really want or need from prospective authors.
One of the things I wonder (and worry about) a lot is how much publishers want you to post publicly on your blog versus how much of the extra good stuff to save for print publication. If you see that all the fabulous pictures and projects have already been posted on someone’s blog, are you more like to pass it up because it’s “old news” and it’s already been posted and shared for free? Or is that how you find the beginnings of pieces you want to publish? I’m nervous about sharing too much/not sharing enough.
Again, thanks so much for sharing your expert advice!
Really great tips. Most of my career has been in college admissions and really, so many of the same tips (yes, even a Pinterest board because, counselors are human too), could apply to really any goal you’re going after. Be it publication, college admission, a new job…really great tips.
Bernadette
Hi Heather, Great postwith so much information. It really help me see what I was missing from my blog. I was wondering if it would be ok if I put this post on my blog http://dianeackers.blogspot.com/
..I would link to your site and give credit to you. I think my followers could really use this advise..
Thank you for sharing, Diane
Great questions Katie!
I’d say that goes by the individual editor but in most cases, we’re looking for fresh homes, stories and projects….ones that have not been overly exposed.
Readers are paying for content so there’s a strong need to give them features that aren’t available for free online.
As for unique project stories such as DIY that are posted on blogs…those are usually reshot to give them a fresh perspective.
And lastly, exposure online is where a lot of editors find content. So I say keep sharing what you love on your blog, you never know who’s got their eye on what you’re up to! ~H
That Pinterest! What did we all do before them?
Thanks for finding me…so glad you’re here! ~H
Vicki, your job description is hysterical! Love it! ~H
Hi Marci,
First off, do they want to be in a magazine? It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If so, you/they would need to find the right publication that fits their design style and approach an editor.
Good luck! Sounds like they’re beautiful! ~H
Hi Natalie!
I haven’t seen the book yet. Almost forgot our coop was in it! Thanks for the reminder. Will look for it at the bookstore! ~H
Thanks Heather! I really appreciate the helpful feedback!
Hi Heather, thx so much for your tips and further input to questions! I feel that I’ve start-stopped, start-stopped so many times, it’s a bit like missing the forest for the trees! I just finished renovating my website The Romantic Mom….and now I see more ways to spin-off from this general theme. With 4 kiddos at home, I keep trying to come up with innovative ways to do more right from our own ‘square foot garden’ so to speak. Your guidance has given me some much needed direction in a rather foggy world out here. Appreciate it!! : D
Hello, Heather! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this vital information. Some of these points are easy to overlook in and among the myriad details that go into creating a blog or site, yet can make all the difference in getting connected. You really made me take a fresh look at my sites – I can’t say I have ALL these suggestions covered yet but am working on them! Many thanks for this and your continued expressions of beauty and style.
Georgianna
It has been pointed out to me that Pinterest should not be used for self-promotion, so I deleted those boards…
Hi Annette,
Here is the guideline as established on Pinterest’s website:
Avoid Self Promotion
Pinterest is designed to curate and share things you love. If there is a photo or project you’re proud of, pin away! However, try not to use Pinterest purely as a tool for self-promotion.
As you can see, they encourage you to Pin your work as long as your boards and entire Pinterest account isn’t dedicated to solely promoting your self/work.
I believe the larger part of the problem with Pinterest is the mass abuse of using other peoples photos, work, etc. without permission by the copyright owner and in addition, not linking to the original source. But that, in and of itself, is an entirely different topic we could spend hours upon hours discussing.
Thanks for your input…love the conversation here! Always great insight from everyone! ~ H
Hi Diane,
Thanks! You’re welcome to post a portion but not my entire entry and I appreciate the credit and link back! Thanks for wanting to spread the word.
Best,
Heather
Very good points. The most important being that you should always target the correct publication with your creations. As an editor, I find that 90% of the rejections I give are because someone did not read the guidelines, submitted exactly the sort of article/story/book that I was NOT looking for, or blatantly disregarded my submission rules.
Heather,
Thanks so much for this post! I came across it on Pinterest and am now a dedicated follower of yours! (Your advice in action!) I’ve already done most of your suggestions, but am going to work more on organizing my blog better. I feel like it’s organized pretty well, in a very simple, straightforward way, but I love your suggestion of organization by topics. I also hadn’t even broached the idea of contacting editors directly. Thanks for so many great suggestions! Virginia from livelovediy.com
Awesome post and some really great tips! I’ve shared with my readers as well
Great stuff!! And reading through the comments…even more great info!! I would love to see an even more in-depth follow-up post to this. So, I have most of these things done. What now? How do I go about putting myself out there and get myself in the eyes of editors?
Have a great 2013!
Heather,
I found this on pinterest and I’m so glad that I did. I’m a wedding photographer and trying to get featured is not only overwhelming, but also a challenge. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Have a great weekend!
Comments are closed.