Stories, Thoughts, Diving Deeper Into Affiliate Trends and SEO + Why "Color" Pitches Are SO Dumb
The sun is shining and my solar panels are absorbing oodles of energy, so I’m in a cheerful mood (also added cinnamon to my coffee, so I mean, yay). I hope you’re all feeling like the mad dash for holiday content is mostly behind us and that we can breathe a bit easier now. I have a few stories I’m working on that I’d love your pitches for, some exciting job listings and some deep thoughts.
Before we get to that, I want to sent a major congrats to Sarah Karger for becoming a cow mom the second time this morning! Look at the calf she woke up to!
Today I’ll be combining the main newsletter with the Affiliate Tribe one to spare inboxes.
Also, I feel like I need to start a weekly award for the best press mailer, because some of them are SO thoughtful and sweet. This week’s best is from the team at BJs.com, because they sent literally everything a gal could ever ask for to enjoy cozy nights at home. #blessed
Working on now/need pitches:
Reader’s Digest: Need affiliate-ready laptop and work bags for women that are super cute and stylish. Forget ho-hum, typical laptop bags. I want to fill this story with pieces chic, elevated pieces. Ideally under $400, sorry—I know that’s a tall order, but I have to meet readers where they are! bryce@theluxuryspot.com
NewsBreak: Looking to feature local “bests” and undiscovered spots across New York. ie “This hotel has the world’s most charming indoor pool” or “A bakery in Queens is making traditional Hanukkah donuts filled with this amazing ingredient.” You get the vibe. Other states and vacation spots soon, but starting with New York. bryce@theluxuryspot.com
Extra Good: I got LOADS of positive feedback from PR/direct brands saying how helpful inclusions in the best Amazon gifts under $20 and best Amazon gifts under $50 guides were. Seriously, I love making everyone’s jobs nicer (and I’ll still add to those if you desperately need). Got requests from several PR folks this week to make an under $300 gifts story, so here we are. Please only pitch if your brand is affiliate-ready (skimlinks or amazon) and totally reliable about social media shares. bryce@theluxuryspot.com
Recently published:
Back to my beauty roots! My full, in-depth feature review on Ilia Skin Tint is currently blowing up the internet via RD.com
Alright, alright, alright. This gifts for men piece is finally, totally all done.
Support local! These New York-based businesses ship their holiday goods just about anywhere (for NewsBreak).
A special request from Jen C.: The best plus-size compression leggings on the market (will continue to add/update if you feel like you have a worthy inclusion).
Some good jobs:
Milk Makeup needs a new PR manager. Hybrid, NYC.
US News & World Report needs an associate ed. New York-specific role.
Florida-based ad company needs a part-time PR manager. Work remote.
Let’s talk SEO:
First, I want to shout out Shari at Saatva. If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, they make some of the best luxury mattresses and bedding on the market. More so, their PR team (well, Shari) is swift and adept when it comes to how SEO, social media and PR all intersect. Allow me to explain.
When I mention Saatva in a good, positive story, Shari makes sure Saatva shares the piece on social media. After all, it’s a win for her client. Those links (specifically Facebook and Twitter) have minor, yet still meaningful SEO value. It doesn’t matter how big or small the followings on those platforms are. The SEO value still exists in the same way. She also makes sure there’s an IG swipe up story, and those offer tangible albeit short-lived traffic boosts that publishers of all sizes and shapes LOVE. It’s the modern equivalent of a thank you card.
But Shari doesn’t stop there, and that’s why she’s my best example of a brilliant publicist. She makes sure she adds the mention to the Saatva press page, and offers a do-follow link directly to the story. That means Shari all but promises an SEO boost to the publisher straight out of the gate, and makes the writer’s job easier. She also double-promotes her client in this way, because when people are googling “best sheets” or “best mattresses” or whatever they’re searching for, they’re more likely to click on the stories that include her clients. She does this for magazines of all shapes and sizes, too, and the in-house eds and seasoned SEO pros look at her like a beam of glistening sunlight. We. All. Love. Her.
Be the light, be like Shari. And from what I understand, she’s a one woman show, so she deserves your applause.
I left this open because a lot of y’all can use the tip/share it with your team members. The rest of the email is subscribers-only. And I’ll get to why Pantone pitches are such a waste of energy.