Today we are going to talk all about how to get featured in RED magazine.
Red is a fantastic publication and is probably the main publication that my clients who are selling to women or women in business, want to get into. It is a lovely glossy magazine with a great reputation.
To help you with insights on how to get into Red, I am going to share with you some top tips that I have learned from the editor recently.
Of course there is the big caveat that I need to state, which is that the best way to get into Red is to buy the magazine and see where you fit. Do your research first!
Perhaps you have already done it or its on your list of to dos, but in the meantime, let’s cover what I learned from the lovely editor Sarah Tomczak on these topics:
- Exactly who reads Red – so you can tailor your pitch perfectly
- The different sections of Red Magazine (that you can pitch for)
- How to successfully pitch for coverage in Red (insider info)
So let’s dive in!
Who Reads Red?
Red is aimed at Generation X, women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, with the 40s age range being their core focus. This audience is very open minded, happy to try new things with more disposable income than most.
The premise of the magazine is that it is everything that is relevant to a woman’s life. The editor also stressed about what she called the ‘perfectly imperfect’. So focusing on being real about life and being a woman in this world.
Their readers are 50% parents, 50% not, so as you can imagine they do cover a wide range of topics, including parenting.
What Topics Do They Cover In Red?
This is a (fabulous) monster of a magazine I think you will agree!
- Style
- includes the shopping pages that share products that you can buy today. They champion young and mid range designers and the high street.
- Features
- a lot of effort is put into their feature sections with articles such as memoirs, trends pieces, factual and real life.
- a 6 page read section and culture fix all about books, theatre and the arts in general.
- Fashion & Beauty
- they have just started doing shoots again after lockdown which is exciting! FUN FACT – The Group Beauty Director and Group Beauty Editor work across 3 different titles – Good Housekeeping, Prima and Red! Same family but different audience profiles (busy ladies!)
- Real Homes
- homes are often provided by a designer or a homeowner.
- also includes shopping suggestions based on what is shown in the homes
- Self
- wellbeing, physical and mental health.
- Again the health editor works across the 3 titles, so you could use the same ideas but you would tweak the story slightly. For example…RED could have the feature “Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System” as their readers are more into the holistic approach to health, whereas Prima would feature “Ten Things You Can Do Now to Combat Your Cold.” to cover the different mindsets of the readers.
- Travel
- 7 pages covering all things travel. Obviously staycations and holidaying close to home are hot topics now, but they are also being mindful that they work 3-6 months out and considering what may be hot then, in this very changeable environment we are in.
- Favourite Thing
- back page feature of favourite things they have seen that month.
Note: Red is committed to championing smaller British brands. A brand that someone has lovingly created is something that Red is really interested in.
OTHERS
- Living
- Shopping/Shopping News
- Relationships
- Food
- Recipes & Cookbooks
- Finance
- Eco
Two particular interesting areas that were good for female entrepreneurs:
- Spotlight Page
- A one page feature on small emerging British brand in fashion, beauty or interiors. Sarah did state that as much as a female entrepreneur is interesting, just a woman having her own business is not enough to be featured. You need to focus on what is unique and different about what you offer. What is going to speak to the Red reader?
- How I Got Here Page
- all about one woman’s career journey. In the past they have featured a nurse, psychologist etc.
Sarah also talked about Red Online which is actually run by a completely different team and is mainly focused on reactive topics and sharing things that they have seen out in the world. They do things such as
- hotel roundups
- product roundups
- wellness
- fashion
It is important to note that all the magazine content ends up online eventually once the magazine is out of print (to encourage you to buy the print of course!)
Red also has different themed editions based on the month. For example:
January – drinks
February – Spas
April – Family
August – Cocktails – what’s not to love about that?!?
They also cover different influencers, such as style, digital, beauty, living etc.
Overall, loads to go at I think you will agree!
So Now What? How Do I Get Featured?
- Review the sections within the magazine and see where you fit in order to pitch!
- Sarah communicated that short, succinct emails are the best way to pitch to the magazine. If you attended my Media Bio Masterclass and took action, you will have been through the process of doing the thinking behind your media bio, sharing your expertise and nailing your story which will make your emails super succinct and to the point for the pitch.
- Make sure you pitch for a page or a section you know exists! This is why it is so important to do your research on the publication before you contact them.
- Be aware that their print deadline is 3-6 months in advance (although Christmas topics/items are typically sought after in July)
- Always include an image (<1MB in size for a single image)
TOP TIP – they don’t have a specific contact for their gift guides. The gift guides are handled by the specific section. So if you have a beauty gift you would like to be included in the beauty gift guide for Christmas, then you need to pitch to the beauty editor in July.
As always get used to their website and their magazine and be aware of what opportunities there are there for you and your business.
Good Luck pitching!
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
You can catch the video all about how to get featured in Red now:
https://www.facebook.com/CheerleaderPR/videos/734682730439919/
I’m offering some spots for 2 hour 1:1 Strategy Calls to help you to get clear on where you focus your PR efforts going forwards. To book your Strategy Call click here.
