If BrightonSEO reminded us of anything, it’s this: great coverage starts with a great pitch. We launched Lloyd’s Pitch Clinic and met loads of you who actually get why pitching smarter matters.
Couldn’t make it to Brighton? No worries, there is still time for you to post your first-ever pitch and be part of our First Pitch Club (and win something for it). So, keep that momentum going, and get it seen by the right journalists.
Right, now welcome back to The Loop – your weekly scroll of what actually matters: stories, dates, requests, and tips worth reading.
Synapse team attending BrightonSEO conference (October 23-24)
🔥 MUST READ
…advice we’ve spotted from the experts
✨ PR pro Vicky Voitenko, Head of Operations at OBA PR, shared one of the best breakdowns we’ve seen on what real journalist relationships look like – the kind that turn you from a cold inbox pitch into a trusted expert source.
Her key takeaway? The best PRs don’t just pitch stories – they position their clients (and themselves) as the go-to voices journalists call when news breaks.
“Most PRs pitch when they need coverage. The ones who win provide consistent value before they need anything.”
Vicky outlines a 7-step framework built on research, relevance, and trust – a must-read for anyone serious about media relationships that last.
✨ Another great tip we want to mention is Digital PR Charlie Clark‘s tip from his talk at BrightonSEO this past week, who discussed how AI-powered search engines are changing the way people discover content online and what that means for PRs and SEOs.
Want to dive deeper? Scroll through his key takeaways here
🗞️ PR-Y STUFF
Here’s what we think you should see this week:
- The pressure’s on: Why PRs must prioritise value, not volume – In his latest Substack, Stephen Waddington argues that PR needs to move away from chasing coverage numbers and focus on delivering genuine business impact. With budgets tightening and AI reshaping workflows, the value conversation is becoming more urgent than ever. read more
- Google accused of promoting fake content to millions – Press Gazette reports that Google’s Discover news feed has been surfacing fake or AI-generated stories to millions of users, raising fresh questions about the platform’s role in amplifying misinformation and eroding trust in real journalism. read more
- Cloudflare CEO: Google must ‘play by the same rules’ on AI – In an interview with Digiday, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince called for greater accountability from Google, arguing the tech giant shouldn’t get a free pass as AI reshapes the web. Prince says transparency and fair standards are essential to protect publishers and level the playing field. read more
- AI is “stealing traffic and undermining trust” warn publishers – Publishers are warning that AI search tools are not only diverting traffic from news sites but also spreading misinformation with inaccurate answers while eroding audience trust in the process. read more
- Freelancers demand control over AI use of their work – A Press Gazette survey shows most freelance journalists want stronger safeguards around how AI tools access and reproduce their content – calling for transparency, consent, and fair compensation as standard. read more
🔎 JOURNO REQUESTS
Here’s what journalists are currently looking for on Synapse:
Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Irish Star, Birmingham Live, Manchester Evening News:
Reach plc:
Insider Digital:
Newsquest:
- Looking for some expert comments regarding the date homeowners need to bring garden furniture in with the change in weather and the start of winter
- Looking for expert comments on how to get rid of a cold fast
- Looking for expert comments on why gardeners should cut holes in the garden fence
- Looking for expert comment on the ways you can make a radiator heat up faster
Real Homes/Future:
- Looking for designers to explain how to style throw pillows, with top tips on choosing size, patterns, quantity, fluffing up, etc.
- Looking for designers to explain the valuable everyday pieces in grandparents’ kitchens that might be worth a lot
Freelance:
- Looking to speak to decluttering experts for a piece on The English Home website.
- Looking to speak to an electrical safety expert who can briefly explain how to use an electric blanket safely
MailOnline:
Or head to the marketplace now to look our requests yourself.
📆 NEXT MONTH’S HOOKS
…because we don’t want you missing out on stuff in November .
🛍️ 3rd: 1 in 4 Brits start Christmas shopping early – according to Google Trends, Christmas shopping ideas peak.
🎆 4th: Bonfire Night – 27% of Brits attend a fireworks display, worth £248m to retailers, according to MailMetro.
💷 6th: Bank Rate Announcement – Monetary Policy Committee meets again
📈 7th: Google Trends shows spikes in “gift guides” from this week onward
❄️ 7th: Battersea Power Station’s riverside ice rink, Glide, reopens in London
🎖️ 8th: Searches for ‘Christmas adverts’ peak
🎄 9th: ‘The Christmas Chronicles’ searches peak in the UK, according to Google Trends
❄️ 14th: Hyde Park Winter Wonderland – London’s attraction opens doors for visitors
👑 14th: King Charles’ 77th birthday
🎬 14th: ‘Now You See Me: Now You Don’t’ – UK release date, starring Dave Franco
💳 20th: Searches for ‘Black Friday deals’ begin to rise.
🧙♀️ 21st: ‘Wicked: For Good’ – UK release date, starring Ariana Grande
🛒 22nd: 71% of last year’s Black Friday shoppers pre-planned purchases, according to MailMetroMedia.
📊 26th: UK Autumn Budget announced – overview of the UK government’s plans for taxation, public spending, and the economy.
🍿 26th: The final season of ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ hits screens
🖤 28th: Black Friday
🦊 28th: ‘Zootopia 2’ – UK release date
