Op-eds Offer Opportunity in the Coronavirus Era

The competitive PR landscape has become increasingly rugged terrain amid the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. 

Many newsrooms are cutting or furloughing reporters as the crisis delivers damaging blows to an already-struggling industry. Meanwhile, many journalists who are working have shifted full-time to the Coronavirus beat. 

Unless you have a news pitch that is highly relevant, unique, and directly tied to the crisis, it’s tough to break through. 

Yet there may be a place that is more accommodating – opinion pages. 

For starters, op-eds have a distinct advantage over pitching a story because the work is largely done when it arrives in an editor’s in-box 

Of course, it needs to be well written, relevant, and framed with the full awareness and sensitivity to the crisis. It should also offer a unique point of view and a call to action.

Here are five ways you can maximize your chances of getting your op-ed placed:

Provide a unique take: While there is no shortage of Coronavirus coverage, there is demand for perspective into how it is affecting organizations in unexpected ways and carry with them some insight that would be relevant to a broader audience.

Showcase your expertise: The crisis has called upon all types of organizations to step up and deliver on their core strengths. Think about how your expertise and experiences can help others navigate the crisis and think about it in new ways.

Highlighting an issue overshadowed by Coronavirus: The whales still need saving and music and arts can provide a needed balm in a time of great anxiety. Look for tactful ways in which you can draw attention to an ongoing need that hasn’t gone away despite the global pandemic. 

Delivering an unexpected insight or solution: The crisis has spawned a wave of creativity both in how organizations get work done, and how they deliver their services or goods to clients and customers. The ah-ha moments that emerge in that process may make for relevant op-ed fodder.

Spinning forward to recovery: While none of us know when or how, this too shall pass. If you can offer a thoughtful perspective on some aspect of the post-crisis world, you might catch an editor’s interest. For instance, we’re working on an op-ed with a client advocating for the establishment of a community college in Pennsylvania that highlights how the need for the school will be even more acute in the aftermath of the crisis as workers look to retool and financially strapped students explore affordable options. 

Of course, there is no guarantee that your op-ed will find a home.

But if you are able to provide unique or thought-provoking insights, it might be the best shot at getting your message out in the next few months. 

P.S. Looking for more advice on writing and placing an op-ed, download our free e-book, The Op-Ed Option.