Get Featured in The State Journal-Register

Space in a local publication goes first to public affairs, emergencies, schools and sports. That leaves little room at The State Journal-Register for a business owner or professional who sends in a story idea cold, even when the story has a real local tie. A guaranteed placement removes that uncertainty: the piece is arranged with the publication in advance, you approve the draft, and it publishes on sj-r.com inside a written window, usually one to two weeks. It is a real article on the site that you can put in a proposal, a deck or a profile.

What The State Journal-Register covers

The State Journal-Register is a local news publication serving readers in Illinois. Publications in this category report on the things that shape everyday life in a community: local government and public services, schools, business openings and closings, development, public safety, weather, sports, arts and events. The coverage is defined by geography. If it happens in the area or affects the people who live there, it is a potential story.

Business and community stories sit comfortably beside civic news. A local publication is where readers expect to learn about a new restaurant, a practice adding a location, a contractor finishing a visible project, an artist’s exhibition or a company setting up in the area. The writing is plain and factual, the local connection is stated early, and the subject is someone or something readers can find nearby.

Who reads The State Journal-Register

The State Journal-Register’s readers are people with a stake in the area: residents, families, business owners, local officials, professionals and people thinking about moving to or investing in the community. The publication serves readers in Illinois, and they read local news for practical reasons. They want to know what is happening near them, which businesses are new, and who is doing work worth knowing about.

That matters for anyone whose work depends on local reputation. Real estate agents, advisers, physicians, attorneys, contractors and restaurateurs all win business through familiarity and word of mouth. A story in The State Journal-Register adds to both, and it can be shared on your site, in your office, in proposals and across your social profiles.

What local coverage in Illinois does for you

For most companies, the people who matter most are within driving distance. A feature in The State Journal-Register speaks to that group directly, because its readers have a stake in what happens in Illinois. Coverage there can support word of mouth, give your sales conversations a local reference, and show up when someone in Illinois looks for information about you or your company.

Those who ask for coverage in Illinois are often professionals whose work depends on reputation in a defined area, such as attorneys, physicians, financial advisers, builders and agents. Event organizers, schools and hospitality venues are common as well, along with national brands that are launching a new location in Illinois.

Local news runs on specifics. A story that says a clinic opened on a named street, hired locally and offers a service the area lacked will hold a reader. A story that says a company is passionate about excellence will not. Before anything is written, the facts, the place and the timing need to be clear.

We start by choosing one of the angles below. Most businesses and practices have two or three that would work, and the best choice is usually the one with the clearest local connection and timing.

What weakens a pitch

• A national message with a town name added. Local readers can tell when a story was not written with their community in mind.
• Jargon. Industry terms that work in a trade magazine lose a general local audience, so plain language serves the story better.
• Overstated community ties. If the connection to the area is thin, say what is true and build the story on something else.
• Everything at once. A feature that tries to cover history, services, awards and future plans together leaves readers without a clear takeaway.