"The hard truth is that 90% of pieces that clients and leaders think should be an op-ed should actually be a corporate blog post or LinkedIn newsletter. Opinion editors are simply not interested in a gentle thought piece or a soft sell. They want a real opinion: something bold that is going to spark engagement. This is the most difficult rule of placing op-eds, because it requires both executives and PR pros to flex different muscles. We're trained to help our clients avoid controversy."
"Even the boldest opinion won't break through in this media environment if it echoes what other thought leaders have already said. Scan existing commentary on your topic and identify the prevailing narrative. Then ask: Is your leader bringing a fresh perspective, an overlooked data point, a contrarian conclusion? If yes, that's your hook. If not, scrap or reshape the idea until it offers something distinctive."
"An op-ed is a powerful tool for influence and thought leadership. But it's also one of the most difficult types of earned media placements to secure - now, more than ever. Getting an op-ed placed today feels harder than it used to be because it is. For the past five years, newsrooms around the U.S. have been shrinking or even eliminating editorial and opinion content. That means fewer slots overall, and higher competition for them."
Newsrooms across the U.S. have shrunk or cut editorial and opinion content over the past five years, reducing available op-ed slots and raising competition. Placing an op-ed now requires a bold, specific opinion rather than brand journalism or a gentle thought piece. Executives and PR teams must accept controversy and invite debate; a useful litmus test is whether any reasonable person would strongly disagree with any line. Op-eds must bring fresh perspective rather than echo existing commentary, often by surfacing overlooked data or contrarian conclusions. Effective placement also requires planning for lead time and aligning timing with editorial cycles.
Read at PR Daily
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