What are regular features?
Regular features are the sections that appear regularly in a magazine or newspaper – whether that's weekly or monthly, depending on the title.
Think of them as the reliable, recurring slots editors return to issue after issue: a "product of the month" page, a reader Q&A, a trends round-up, or a "what we're loving" edit.
Unlike one-off features or seasonal specials, these sections usually have a set format and a regular home in the magazine, which makes them one of the most consistent – and pitchable – opportunities for brands.
Because they run so frequently, regular features are often less competitive than big seasonal or cover-story slots, and editors are usually actively looking for fresh products, brands, and stories to fill them each time.
Things to consider when pitching to regular features:
Themes and times of year
Publications both on and offline will occasionally have special features surrounding a particular event in the yearly calendar or a particular theme. At these times, the editors will be collecting products that are in-keeping with said theme. For example, green/Irish products for St Patrick's day, Christmas items, festival must-haves during summer/festival season etc. This a great time for you to reach an audience or publication that you may have been struggling to reach before. Approach these special features wisely and consider the versatility of your product – but be realistic. There's no point in pitching your swimwear brand to feature during the winter months.
Check your PR calendar to stay ahead.
Deadlines
Friday might be an unproductive day for some, but for others it's when they collect all products ready for a Monday meeting. Do some research into publications to find out when their most receptive day is and, if all else fails, go by trial and error. As you get in contact more often, some journalists might mention that they have deadlines for product features.
Make sure you're updating your database with your new-found knowledge. Don't forget: PR smart – it's unlikely you're going to get any good results if you're pitching your product for a feature the day before it's published.
Who's compiling the feature
Journalists move around a lot. It's important to regularly check that your contact is still the best person to pitch to. If they're not it's unlikely they'll forward your message onto the person who is. Make sure your database is up-to-date with contacts and the roles of individuals. It doesn't hurt to check on platforms like LinkedIn if you're not certain they're the best person for you to be contacting – our guide on how to get your products into Christmas gift guides covers this in more depth.
Your brand. Your PR. Your coverage.
Whether you're pitching for the first time or scaling up your coverage, PR Dispatch gives product and eCommerce brands the press database, expert training, and tools that PR agencies charge thousands for – so you can land your own coverage at a fraction of the cost.