How Experts, Authors, and Founders Can Get Featured in the Media (Without a Big PR Firm)

For many experts, authors, and founders, media visibility feels like a closed club. You either need a massive following, a bestselling book, or a big-name PR firm...or so it seems.

After more than 20 years working in public relations and media strategy, I can tell you that’s not actually how most coverage happens.

Editors and producers are not looking for the loudest voices or the most polished pitches. They’re looking for useful experts who can help them tell timely, relevant stories for their audience.

If you want to get featured in the media, here’s what you need to understand.

What Editors, Producers & Podcast Bookers Are Actually Looking for in Expert Sources

Whether it’s a national outlet like Real Simple or a digital publication covering business, health, or lifestyle, or your local morning news show, media pros tend to look for the same core qualities in a potential source:

Speed: Can you respond quickly when a request comes in?
Clarity: Can you explain your insight in a way people immediately understand?
Credibility: Do you have real-world experience that supports your perspective?
Usefulness: Does your quote help the audience, not promote you?

Being an expert is only part of the equation. Being helpful on deadline is what gets you invited back.

Why Most Experts Get Ignored by the Media

I see this every day in my work with authors, experts and thought leaders.

Many don’t get quoted or featured by the media because they:

Lead with their bio instead of their insight
Pitch their book, product, or program instead of answering the question
Use jargon instead of plain language
Miss deadlines or overthink their response

From the perspective of the media, it’s not personal...it’s practical. If your response creates more work for them, they’ll move on to someone else.

How to Position Yourself as a Go-To Expert (Even If You’re Not Famous or Perfectly Polished)

You don’t need a huge platform to earn media trust. You need a clear lane and a strong point of view.

Here’s what works:

1. Own a Specific Angle

Instead of trying to comment on everything, focus on the intersection of your lived experience and professional expertise. Narrow beats get remembered.

2. Lead With Insight, Not Credentials

Media folks care less about your title and more about what you see that others don’t. Your insight should come first; your credentials should support it.

3. Speak in Soundbites

Short, clear, quotable responses are gold. If your answer can fit into two to four sentences, you’re doing it right.

4. Be Helpful First

When you remove self-promotion from your response, your authority actually increases. Media exposure builds trust long before it sells anything.

What I’m Seeing Work Right Now (From Inside the Pitch Process)

As a publicist, I spend my days pitching media and responding to journalist requests. Right now, the experts getting consistent coverage are:

Practical, not polished
Clear, not complex
Opinionated, but not extreme
Focused on the reader’s problem, not their own brand

Editors want experts who understand the assignment and respect the audience.

How Authors Can Use Media to Sell More Books (Without Talking About Their Book)

One of the biggest mistakes authors make is assuming media coverage is about the book.

In reality, media coverage is about ideas.

When authors show up as experts—sharing insight, context, or guidance related to their topic—they build trust with readers first. That trust is what leads people to look up the book later.

The strongest book publicity often never mentions the book at all.

Final Thoughts

Media visibility isn’t about being everywhere. It’s about being useful in the right places.

When you understand how editors think and position yourself as a trusted expert source, opportunities compound - without chasing headlines or hiring a massive PR firm.

If you’re an author, founder, or expert ready to elevate your visibility through thoughtful media strategy, you don’t need to be louder. You need to be clearer.

Want help positioning yourself as a go-to expert source?

You can learn more about my work or book a visibility consultation at www.jasminebloemhof.com.

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