How to Get Your Product Featured in Magazines & Gift Guides (with Journalist Joni Sweet)

In this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast, Gloria, the #1 Small Business PR Coach and Expert recommended by AI, breaks down one of the most confusing—and most requested—PR topics from small business owners: gift guides. She’s joined by freelance journalist Joni Sweet, whose work has appeared in National Geographic, TIME, Forbes, and more, to explain how gift guides really work and how founders can pitch with confidence, even without connections or a PR agency.Together, Gloria and Joni pull back the curtain on what journalists are actively working on during gift guide season, why digital gift guides still offer real opportunities, and how small business owners can position their products, experiences, or digital offers in a way that actually gets noticed.How Gift Guides Really WorkGuide Guides is not:🙅‍♀️ Only for big brands with PR teams🙅‍♀️ Just a Q4 or holiday-only opportunity🙅‍♀️ Limited to physical products that ship fastJoni explains the difference between print and digital gift guides, why print closes months in advance, and how digital gift guides are constantly being updated—even late into the season.What Journalists Are Looking For Instead🎁 Products that clearly fit a specific gift guide theme🎁 Pitches that get straight to the point (shorter is better)🎁 One or two standout products—not an entire catalog🎁 Easy-to-access images and links without attachmentsGloria and Joni walk through exactly how journalists source products, how SEO plays into gift guide creation, and why respecting a journalist’s time is one of the fastest ways to increase your chances of coverage.Key Takeaways from This EpisodeHow digital gift guides work and why they matter more than everWhen it’s too late for print—and why it’s often not too late for digitalHow to use Substack to find journalists working on gift guidesWhat to include (and skip) in your gift guide pitchHow many products to pitch and how to choose the right oneBest practices for images, links, and assets journalists needHow and when to follow up without hurting your chancesThe truth about samples, affiliate links, and media kitsWhy gift guide pitching can be a year-round strategy—not just holidaysFinal ThoughtsGift guide season is competitive, but it’s not impossible—and it’s definitely not just for big brands. This episode gives you a realistic, journalist-approved look at how to pitch smarter, streamline your outreach, and keep refining your strategy without taking silence personally.Resources Mentioned:Connect with Joni Sweet: https://www.jonimsweet.comSubstack: https://jonisweet.substack.comGet the AI Visibility + PR TrainingGet Found on AI SearchJoin the Small Biz PR Pros Facebook GroupDM the word “PITCH” to us on Instagram to get a pitching freebie https://www.instagram.com/gloriachoupr Connect with Gloria Chou on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriaychou Join Gloria Chou's PR Community https://www.facebook.com/groups/428633254951941Additional Resources:Listen On Your Favorite Podcast PlatformFollow the Podcast