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Sounding Off: Jessica Alas “The Latina Journalist with a Blog: Make sure you know how to pitch her”

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jessica.alasJessica Alas is the Media Relations Director of Multicultural Markets and Hispanic PR Wire.

I recently wrote about the three people you need to add to your radio press list now, and today I want to discuss why the Latina journalist with a blog should be included in your media relations campaign.

As marketing and PR practitioners focus on new strategies to reach upscale Latinos via blogger relations, the plethora of mom and lifestyle bloggers can sometimes be overwhelming.  As a result, some have had to rely on blogging networks to do their outreach.  Unfortunately, nothing can take the place of thorough research.  That extra time you dedicate to going through each and every single blog on your list and knowing the topics that blogger is interested in covering will really matter in the long run.

Making sure that blog is written by an actual journalist makes a world of difference.  Pitching will be much easier and cleaner since the Latina journalist by day and blogger by night is well-aware of ethics and deadlines.   She owns her own blog, she knows what it takes to produce quality content, and she may even have extra space to dedicate to your story on her blog that she may not have at her media outlet.

So while Latinos continue to acculturate, Latina journalists want new avenues where they can continue to produce quality content.

claudia solisBlogging have piqued their interest, as Peruvian-American journalist Claudia Solis can attest.  She explains that she is interested in telling a good story, well written, and above all, produced as she would do for mass media.“The Internet has given journalists an immense opportunity to voice our interests without having to reduce and generalize it, as is normally done in traditional media,” she says.

mary avilesShe says the lack of blogs with quality content in Spanish is one of the reasons she and Venezuelan-American journalist Mary Aviles (photo) launched  MamienTransicion.com completely in Spanish.

 

Paola Hernandez JiaoMeanwhile, Latina journalist Paola Hernández Jiao  says her blog even appeals to non-Latinos.  Many of them follow HappyLifeandStyle.com and appreciate reading about the Latino culture and customs.  “They send me positive feedback. Being bicultural and bilingual, and married to a German, I can share about our multiple cultures, in particular my Latino culture,” she says.

Six tips to keep in mind when pitching

Anything goes:  Don’t worry if your stories do not have a Latino angle.  “Hispanics have the same interests as other women in this country with the added mindfulness that our culture plays an important factor. There is a huge range of topics that appeal to the majority of Latinos,” says Solis.

Food, entertainment and events have no barriers:  Solis explains that “posts on family traditions like food, music, or sports are the glue of Latinos”.   While Hernández Jiao agrees that food a post do well, and adds that some of her most successful content have been about local events.

Fashion and beauty are always hot topics:  Hernández Jiao dedicates quite a bit of her posts to fashion and beauty and has also written about quinceañeras. “As Latinas, we take pride in looking good and tend to spend more money on beauty items, such as make-up, hair products, and perfume, than women in the general market.”

Business, finance and entrepreneurship:  There are numerous studies to support that Latinos still believe in the American Dream of entrepreneurship and home-ownership. Pitches that have to do with saving money, investing, and organizing finances are of prime interest.   “Latinas are launching small businesses like no other group. “They are no longer at home. They are transitioning, taking the lead, and exercising control over their finances”, says Aviles.

Family and human interest stories are given top priority:  Solis says she regularly cites examples of Latinas who inspire her as she discusses lifestyle, work and motherhood. “Our blog is a reflection on motherhood in these days where women want to not only be mothers but also professionals. Our intention is to not to “sell” to women but to present well written stories that reflect elements of their own experience,” says Aviles.

Don’t forget the news:  Latina journalists are well aware of the news value of a particular story, and the story angle that will work for her blog.  “We like to deal with polemic and timely issues but also we like to have the authority to speak, investigate and offer content that inspire,” says Solis.  Hernández Jiao points out that she is not afraid to write stories about immigration, which she feels is a sensitive topic. While Aviles believes that people connect with stories that reflect themselves.

Jessica Alas has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and media relations practitioner, Jessica Alas leads PR Newswire’s multicultural media relations efforts, helping the Hispanic, African American, Asian American and Native American media with tools and services to facilitate their work as journalists and bloggers. She also manages PR Newswire’s multicultural media relationships with websites, trade shows and conferences. Prior to her role at PR Newswire, Ms. Alas was National Entertainment Content Producer for Netmio.com and Head of Miami Operations for LaMusica.com.

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