Gift guide season is here. Some publications started planning theirs over the summer, but if you're an independent brand, or a bigger brand running a bit behind, you can still get in on this. Here's what you need to land your products in this year's guides.
Brand Building Co. Coverage Highlights
Why gift guides matter more than ever
If you sell online, you need to be found. That's true even if you have retail partners.
The best way to be found is through reputable online publications. Search engines love brands that have third-party recommendations from trusted titles, so a place in a top-tier gift guide builds credibility with readers and with search.
This is peak season for brand visibility. Now is your moment.
Step 1: Get your imagery right
Choose the key products you want to push, the ones that make the most sense as Christmas gifts, and make sure each has really strong imagery.
Our rule of thumb:
File size: around 1 to 3MB
Resolution: 300 DPI, so the quality holds up online and in print
Step 2: Draft your pitch
Keep it simple and answer these questions:
What's great about this product?
What makes it different?
Who would love to receive it?
Who would be buying it?
Think about both the giver and the receiver, and let that shape your messaging.
Step 3: Build your press lists
You need media lists that are relevant and up to date. There are plenty of platforms for this, and the team at Brand Building Co is happy to tell you which ones we use.
The most affordable route is a reactive journalist request platform. We Love Editorial works brilliantly. A pricier but very reputable option, and the one we use, is Vuelio.
Journalists post requests like "looking for cosy knitwear" or "looking for great tech products", and you can respond at exactly the right moment with exactly the right product.
Step 4: Be ready to send samples
The brands featured most are the ones that send samples out quickly. Press may need to photograph your product, and some items, especially at a higher price point, need to be tried before they're recommended as a great gift.
Decide your sample budget or unit allocation up front, then say yes.
Want someone to do it for you?
That's your full guide to festive press coverage. If you'd rather have experts handle it, that's what we do. Get in touch with the team at Brand Building Co and we'd love to help.
