Building Press campaigns
A press campaign isn't just "write a press release and hope." It's a structured effort to generate earned media coverage around a specific angle, targeted at specific publications and journalists.
Campaign types
Outrigger supports four campaign types, each suited to different situations:
Product launch
When: You're releasing a new product, feature, or major update Angle: What it does, who it helps, what problem it solves Target publications: Industry press, tech press, product review sites Timeline: 2-4 weeks from announcement
Thought leadership
When: Your team has unique expertise or data worth sharing Angle: Expert perspective on an industry trend, original research, contrarian take Target publications: Industry publications, business press, podcasts Timeline: Ongoing: aim for 1-2 placements per month
Data study
When: You have original data or insights from your platform/customers Angle: "We analyzed X and found Y": journalists love original data Target publications: General business press, industry press, data-focused outlets Timeline: 3-6 weeks including data preparation
Expert commentary
When: There's breaking news or trending topics in your industry Angle: Your team provides expert analysis on current events Target publications: Anyone covering the story: speed matters Timeline: 24-72 hours: this is reactive, not planned
How Outrigger generates campaign ideas
When you create a new campaign, Outrigger's AI analyzes your brand brief, recent industry news, and keyword data to suggest campaign angles. These aren't generic: they're specific pitches tailored to what journalists in your space are currently covering.
The idea generation considers:
- What topics are trending in your industry right now
- What angles your competitors haven't covered
- What unique data or expertise your brand brings
- What buying-intent keywords lack press coverage
Setting up a campaign
Step 1: choose campaign type
Select the type that matches your current opportunity. Most brands should start with thought leadership (easiest to execute) and add data studies as they build momentum.
Step 2: define the angle
Write a one-sentence pitch: "We're helping agencies measure AI visibility with the first Share of Model tracking tool." This becomes the hook for every pitch.
Step 3: draft the Press release
Outrigger generates a draft press release from your angle, brand brief, and campaign type. Edit it to add specific details, quotes, and data points. The AI gives you structure: you add the substance.
Step 4: build your journalist list
Select journalists from Outrigger's discovery tool or add your own contacts. Target 20-40 journalists per campaign: enough for coverage probability, not so many that you're spamming.
Step 5: generate personalized pitches
Outrigger generates a personalized email pitch for each journalist based on their recent coverage and beat. These aren't templates: each pitch references why this story matters to that specific journalist's audience.
Step 6: send, follow up, track
Send pitches, follow up after 48-72 hours if no response, and track who opens, replies, and publishes.
Campaign workflow
The full lifecycle:
Idea → Release Draft → Journalist Selection → Pitch Generation →
Send → Follow Up → Coverage → Track Impact on SOM
Each stage is tracked in Press with status updates. You can see at a glance which campaigns are active, which pitches are pending, and which have resulted in coverage.
Campaign cadence
For maximum AI visibility impact, aim for:
- 1 active campaign per month for single brands
- 1 campaign every 2 weeks for agencies managing multiple clients
- Reactive commentary whenever relevant news breaks (bonus, not scheduled)
Consistency is more important than volume. One well-executed campaign per month builds steady press velocity: the signal AI models weight.
In Outrigger
Press manages the entire campaign lifecycle. Create campaigns, generate press releases, build journalist lists, send personalized pitches, and track coverage: all from one module.