In public relations, the name of the game is “earned media.” This is the PR term for a client appearing in the mainstream media.
There are many different examples of earned media. It could be a news story written by a journalist who deems the client newsworthy in some way—from a new campaign to a timely perspective on current affairs. Another example is a cable news or podcast interview, with the client being booked to discuss recent events. There are other ways to get featured: For instance, you may pitch a client to be included in a popular newsletter or showcased by a famous influencer, leaning into another established brand for publicity’s sake.
The one necessity for earned media, as opposed to paid media that entails advertising or another form of marketing, is that media coverage comes about organically and without a fee. It is our job as PR professionals to identify opportunities for clients to be featured in unpaid ways, on their own merits. That’s how we become PR experts—rather than simply “paying to play,” we seize opportunities for earned exposure.
One underrated PR platform is the opinion page, which can be a gold mine for PR experts who have clients with unique expertise.
Showcasing Clients’ Expert Views
Whether the subject matter is related to branding, economics, politics, tariff policy or Taylor Swift, opinion editors look for topical written content that can change people’s hearts and minds. These opinion editors work at newspapers with international, national, regional or local reach, in addition to online publications without print circulation that are still eager to highlight the top opinions of the day.
From traditional newspapers to blogs, the rule is the same: If there is a qualified expert who can deliver a newsworthy opinion, it will be given strong consideration. Of course, different publications have different points of emphasis. You shouldn’t really pitch opinion content about popular culture to a legacy business publication, just like an op-ed about taxes or regulations wouldn’t work for a Hollywood blog.
It is up to you as a PR professional to find the right fit for an op-ed, and there is a general process for taking an idea from the brainstorming phase to the point of “placement”—getting the piece published. Just like with a news story or a podcast appearance, you need to monitor the news cycle and determine how certain clientele can fit into public discourse when you’re pitching clients. For example, if U.S.-China trade policy is front-page news, the time may be right to put forth an expert on global trade.
Good Writing Is Key
Once you’ve identified an expert, the op-ed then needs to be drafted and edited for final approval, at which point you can pitch it to opinion editors for review. As a PR professional, you have the proper contact information for reporters and other media contacts, and the same logic applies to opinion editors who review written content. As long as you pitch them high-quality content that is not self-promotional (i.e., promoting the client too much), the editors will review op-ed submissions in good faith.
Remember: Content is king, and only the best content will be picked for publication. Some news outlets may receive hundreds or thousands of submissions per day, so you and your clients need to work together to create content that can compete with the best of the best. Poorly written pieces won’t stand a chance, especially if you’re pitching a major publication; opinion editors just have too many alternatives to pick bad writing over something else.
Good writing, however, can reach millions of potential readers. The opinion page is a golden opportunity because op-eds are still widely read by content consumers who want to learn about differing perspectives on a given issue. They are a platform for thought leaders to demonstrate their subject matter expertise to a target audience that is interested in diving deeper. Plus, once an op-ed is placed, it can be used for social media content, website blog posts and other purposes—valuable content leading to more content of value.
Place op-eds, and you will gain newfound respect from your clients, who deserve outside-the-box thinking in a crowded media environment. The opinion page is not the be-all and end-all in public relations, but it is certainly an important arrow in any PR expert’s quiver.
This article originally appeared on the Forbes Agency Council CommunityVoice in April 2025.
