Most replies to a #journorequest are ignored. Not because the sender was unqualified — because they were slow, off-topic, or made the journalist do extra work. This is what separates the replies that get quoted from the ones that get scrolled past.
1. Speed beats everything else
Journalists work to same-day deadlines and usually take the first usable answer. Not the best answer — the first usable one. A reply four hours later is generally a reply too late.
In the requests we monitor, a stated deadline of “EOD” or “today” is routine. Some are answered and closed within the hour. If you check the hashtag once a day, you are competing for the leftovers.
2. Answer the question that was actually asked
If a journalist asks for a dermatologist and you are a nutritionist, do not pitch. Irrelevant replies are the single biggest reason journalists mute the hashtag — and they remember which names waste their time.
Read the request twice. Note the outlet, the angle, and who specifically they want to hear from. If you are not that person, move on. There will be another request on Wednesday.
3. Send finished copy, not an offer to talk
This is the biggest practical difference between amateurs and people who get quoted regularly.
Do not reply with “happy to help, shall we set up a call?” You have just added a task to the journalist’s day. Instead, give them two or three quotable sentences they can paste straight into the article:
“Most people overwater in winter. The roots are dormant, the soil stays wet, and that is when rot sets in — I’d water half as often from November.” — Jane Smith, Head Gardener, Example Gardens
You have done their job for them. That is why you get used.
4. Put your credentials in one line
Name, job title, organisation. That is exactly what appears in print beside your quote, so hand it over pre-formatted. Do not attach a CV. Do not link to a 2,000-word bio.
5. Follow the contact instruction exactly
If the request says email, email. If it says DM, DM. Journalists filter on the channel they chose, and a public reply saying “DM’d you!” is noise in a thread they are already struggling to read.
6. Be a human, briefly
Short, plain, no marketing language. No “I hope this email finds you well.” No paragraph about your company’s mission. The entire reply should fit on one screen.
What not to do
- Do not pitch your product. They want a source, not a sponsor. The coverage is the reward.
- Do not send a press release. Nobody has ever been quoted from one.
- Do not reply to everything. It is visible, and it gets you blocked.
- Do not chase. If they used you, you will see it. If they did not, follow-up will not change that.
- Do not ask for a link. Some outlets link, many will not, and asking marks you as someone doing SEO rather than helping.
A reply template that works
Hi [name] — [one line: why you are the right person].
[Quote 1: a specific, concrete claim they can print.]
[Quote 2: a second angle, or a number.]
Happy for you to use any of the above. [Name], [Title], [Company]. Available on [phone/email] until [deadline] if you need anything more.
That is the whole thing. Under 120 words, no attachments, nothing for them to chase.
When to walk away
If the request is from an aggregator account rather than a named journalist, if there is no outlet mentioned, or if it reads like a lead-generation form, it is usually not worth the effort. Genuine requests name a publication and a deadline.
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#journorequest is a public hashtag created by journalist Sarah Ewing in 2008 and used freely by journalists worldwide. It is not operated by any single company. This site is an independent monitoring service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to ResponseSource Ltd or its JournoRequests service.