Have you ever wondered about the importance of pitching the right content? Not only that, but also finding the right person to send your pitches to? Well, we’ll fix that! Sophie Law, Deputy Editor of Spare Time at Reach plc, gave us the lowdown on what her team is looking for and how PRs can stand out.

What Kind of Content is Your Team Looking For?

“Good quotes from experts are probably the most valuable to us. Pictures/case studies are often less important as we do need content that can be quickly written up.

The main topics we cover and the top-performing sub-sections are:

  • Gardening – roses, orchids, hydrangeas, peace lilies, lawns, weed removal, ivy removal, tomatoes, bulbs.
  • Cleaning – limescale, damp & mould, stains, drains, oven, towels, grout, toilets.
  • Horoscopes – zodiac signs, astrologer tips, Chinese horoscope.
  • Travel (UK and world) – hidden gems, destination dupes, cruise tips, airline tips, flight attendants, hand luggage.
  • Home hacks – radiators, dishwashers, air fryers, washing machines, energy bills, boilers.
  • Health – weight loss, nutrition, weight loss case studies.
  • Food/recipes – food storage, chef tips, simple cooking hacks (e.g. scrambled eggs, roast potatoes).
  • Pests – rats, mice, cats, foxes, and summer pest control.
  • Beauty – hair, skin, make-up tips for older women.
  • Professionals – cleaners, plumbers, chefs, flight attendants, pilots.”

What Should PRs Include in Their 140-Character Headline to Grab Your Attention?

“Make sure the subject is clear right away and include powerful words we can quote in the headline. For example:

  • ‘Black mould will ‘disappear’ from your grout in 30 minutes with 1 powerful natural item.’

Numbers work well: 60-second hack, £1 hack, 60p product.”

What we learned from this?

It’s all about the good stuff! Focus on expert quotes because they’re gold for Sophie’s team. Keep headlines clear, direct, and powerfu and make sure pitches fit their wide range of topics.

If you’re aiming to catch Sophie Law’s attention, it’s all about providing expert quotes, powerful headlines, and relevant content. With such a broad range of topics covered by the Spare Time section, knowing how to tailor your pitch is essential. Sophie wants information she can quickly write up, so clarity and practicality are key.

Using Synapse makes it easy to get your content in front of Sophie and her team without the frustration of whether that pitch lands or not.

If you are ready to improve your pitching strategy, join Synapse and start delivering content that matters.

At Synapse, we understand the importance of connecting with the right people. But what do top journalists actually want from PR professionals?

Here at Synapse, we know the importance of finding the right people to reach to. But what do top editors actually want from PRs?

We asked Rachel Sloper, Affiliate Lead for North, Ireland & Scotland at Reach plc, exactly what her team are looking for and how you can make your pitches stand out.

Q. What kind of pitches are you and the team looking for? 

A. We’re looking for engaging shopping and consumer content based around products from retailers on affiliate programs with competitive commission rates. We cover ‘best of’ product round-ups, reviews and product testing, breakout articles on new products, and problem-solving product-led content, e.g. “I struggled with condensation on my windows for years until I tried this game-changing window vac”.

Q. For PRs wondering when to pitch, are there any timings they should be aware of? 

A. Our conference is at 9.15 am every day of the week, so ideally by 8.30am. My busiest time of the week as an editor is Thursday/Friday as I’m subbing weekend content on top of daily content, leaving very little time to write, so the earlier in the week, the better!

Q. What should PRs include in their 140-character headline to grab your attention? 

A. We’re looking for dynamic problem-solving content that will add value to our readers’ lives, be it something that’s going to save them money/energy, make everyday tasks easier for them, improve their well-being in some way, or just make them feel good about themselves. The focus should always be on what the product/service can do for the reader.

Q. What’s your inbox like at the moment and how do you think Synapse can help? 

A. Having worked as a journalist for Reach for more than 10 years covering many different roles and topics, my email address has made its way onto countless PR databases, which puts me in the firing line for a huge volume of emails, the majority of which aren’t relevant to my current role. I’m looking forward to seeing how Synapse can hopefully narrow it down to targeted content that is relevant to my role leading on affiliates for our regional titles in the Midlands and Northern England, Scotland and Ireland.

Takeaways For PRs:

  • Pitch before 8.30 am to avoid the morning conference rush.
  • Avoid Thursdays and Fridays unless absolutely necessary – these are their busiest days.
  • Focus on product-led content that’s engaging, solves problems, or offers helpful recommendations.

Pitching to Reach plc requires understanding their daily workflow and providing valuable, product-focused content. Rachel Sloper made it clear.

Synapse makes this process simpler by connecting you directly with editors like Rachel who are looking for the right stories. 

Want to get your affiliate pitches noticed? Join Synapse and make sure your content reaches the right inbox at the right time. Sign up today and see for yourself!

Hey there,

Welcome to The Loop – Synapse’s weekly insider for the latest journo requests, expert PR tips, standout stories, and headlines you’ll actually want on your radar.

Flat out? We get it. If you don’t have time to jump into the marketplace, just fire your pitch over to pitches@synapse.media and we’ll post it for you.

Here’s what’s hot this week:

🔥 MUST READ

…advice we’ve spotted from the experts

Yes, it’s another tip from journalist Rosie Taylor, and yes, it’s worth it.

“Journalists love stats. Well, that’s not quite true…” – Rosie breaks down why stats alone aren’t enough to land a story and what you need to add to make your pitch stand out. Quick, sharp advice you can use straight away.

👉 Read it here

🔎 JOURNO REQUESTS

Here’s what journalists are currently looking for on Synapse:

Or head to the marketplace now to look at requests yourself.

🗞️ PR-Y STUFF

Here’s what we’ve read this week so that you don’t have to:

  • Google and Meta are losing grip on UK ad market, Amazon and TikTok on the rise – advertising with national and regional news brands grew at a far slower rate than the overall market in 2024. read more
  • Are ad giants in trouble? – City A.M. reports on why traditional advertising holding companies are struggling to stay relevant. read more
  • PR pro’s LinkedIn post prompts Transport for London signage change – a social media post highlighting accessibility issues led to updates. read more
  • PRWeek reveals UK Top 150 Consultancies 2025 – rankings show strong sector growth despite economic challenges. read more

📆 NEXT MONTH’S HOOKS

…just because we don’t want you missing out on stuff.

  • 5 June: NBA finals begin.
  • 5 June: UK Environmental Accounts ONS data release – fresh ONS data tracking how the UK economy impacts the environment, from carbon emissions to green taxes.
  • 10 June: Searches for Father’s Day gifts peak – according to 2023/2024 stats
  • 13 June: Download Festival begins – Last year’s attendance was around 75,000 people.
  • 17 June: Royal Ascot opens – MailOnline reaches 7 in 10 Brits who bet on horse racing.
  • 19 June: Isle of Wight Festival – Ranks 6th for festival fame.
  • 25 June: Glastonbury Festival begins – Last year’s content pulled in 11M article views for MailOnline alone.
  • 25 June: F1 movie release date – starring Brad Pitt
  • 27th June: M3GAN 2.0 release date – a sequel to the hit horror of 2022.

✨ BEFORE YOU GO

Got a story, expert, or a pitch but short on time?
Send it over to pitches@synapse.media and we’ll get it in our marketplace for you.

Ever wondered how to catch the MailOnline’s attention when pitching your PR story?

We sat down with Bridie Pearson-Jones, Executive Editor, Femail at the MailOnline to hear what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to pitching her.

Q: What’s the best time to pitch?

A: “First thing is best. We’re often tied up with breaking news, so time-sensitive requests later in the day can be tricky.”

Q: What’s your inbox like right now, and how can Synapse help?

A: “We get hundreds of emails a day, so a filter system to streamline pitches would be a game-changer.”

Q: Is the festive period a good time to place stories?

A: “We’re in every day, so keep pitching!”

Q: What kind of pitches are you and the team looking for?

A: “We’re a broad church, but it needs to be relevant and catchy for MailOnline readers—think stories that are evocative, widely relatable, and not too local or pluggy.”

Tips for PRs:

  • Pitch early, ideally first thing is in the morning. Time-sensitive pitches later in the day are more likely to get missed.
  • Make it relevant and catchy because your story needs to resonate with MailOnline readers. Think broad appeal, emotion, relatability.
  • Avoid anything too niche, local, or overly promotional.

Making your pitch stand out to Bridie Pearson-Jones at Femail is all about clarity, relevance, and value. Their team wants widely relatable and evocative content, having in mind ‘the catchier, the better’.

By using Synapse, you can streamline your outreach and ensure your pitches are delivered to the right people without getting lost in overflowing inboxes.

Ready to start impressing Bridie and her team? Join Synapse today and make your pitches count.