Journalist Query Response

What This Does

Automated ingestion of journalist queries from PR platforms. ILLIXIS parses query emails, scores them for relevance to your brand (0-100), and generates AI-powered pitch responses.

Replaces manually scanning digest emails and crafting individual pitches.

Supported Platforms

Broadcast Sources (Automated Email Forwarding)

• Source of Sources (shankman.com)
• HARO (discontinued 2024, but legacy detection remains)
• Help a B2B Writer (helpab2bwriter.com)
• SourceBottle (sourcebottle.com)

These are parsed once at the platform level and distributed to all ILLIXIS tenants based on relevance.

Private Sources (Manual Paste)

• Qwoted
• Terkel
• Manual Entry

These are tenant-specific. Paste the query email via "Paste Query Email" button.

How It Works

1. Email Ingestion

Broadcast sources:

• Forward digest emails to ILLIXIS ingestion address
• Queries are parsed automatically (AI extracts journalist name, publication, deadline, requirements)
• Each query distributed to relevant tenants with AI relevance score

Private sources:

• Click "Paste Query Email" button
• Paste full email content (including headers)
• Submit → parsed in 5-10 seconds

2. AI Relevance Scoring

Every query gets scored 0-100 for match to your brand:

| Score Range | Meaning | Badge Color |
|-------------|---------|-------------|
| 80-100 | Strong match | Green |
| 60-79 | Moderate match | Yellow |
| 40-59 | Weak match | Gray |
| 0-39 | Not relevant (hidden) | Not shown |

Scoring factors:

• Brand keywords match
• Target audience alignment
• Category/industry fit
• Content themes
• Topic exclusions

Threshold: Queries below 30% relevance are hidden by default.

Query Dashboard

Location: Authority Builder → Journalist Queries

Metrics (Top Cards)

• New Queries: Unreviewed assignments with 30%+ relevance
• Pitches Sent: Pitch status = 'sent'
• Placements Won: Pitch status = 'accepted'
• Urgent: Deadline within 24 hours

Filters

• Status: New, Reviewing, Pitched, Won, Lost, Expired, Skipped
• Source: All sources, or filter by platform

Query List Table

Shows:

• Publication name + source platform
• Query text (truncated, click to view full)
• Journalist name
• Relevance score (badge)
• Deadline with urgency indicator
• Status badge
• View/action buttons

Query Detail Page

Path: Click any query from list

Left Column (Main Content)

Query Card:

• Publication + source platform badges
• Relevance score (large badge)
• Platform vs. private indicator
• Journalist name + email
• Full query text (formatted)
• Requirements (word count, credentials, etc.)
• AI reasoning ("Why this score?")

Pitches Section:

• All generated pitches for this query
• Status badges (Draft, Sent, Accepted, Rejected)
• Referenced content link (if pitch references existing article)
• Copy button (copies pitch to clipboard)
• "Mark as Sent" button (for draft pitches)

Right Sidebar

Deadline Card:

• Shows deadline date/time
• Hours remaining indicator
• Red text if expired
• Yellow text if <24 hours
• Green if >24 hours

Status Dropdown:

• Update query status (new → reviewing → pitched → won/lost)
• Auto-saves on change

Category Badge:

• Shows query category (if provided)

Generating Pitches

Automatic Process

1. Click "Generate Pitch" button on query detail page
2. ILLIXIS:

• Loads your brand voice from settings
• Searches for relevant existing content to reference
• Builds 150-250 word pitch using AI
• Returns pitch in 10-20 seconds

What's Included

Pitch structure:

• Opening hook tied to query
• Relevant expertise/credentials
• Key points addressing query needs
• Reference to existing content (if relevant)
• Call to action (offering interview, quote, or link)

Brand voice:

• Uses your Brand Voice settings
• Matches tone modifiers
• Incorporates brand keywords
• Follows writing style guidelines

Referenced Content

If ILLIXIS finds an existing article on your site relevant to the query:

• Pitch includes backlink reference
• "References: [Article Title]" shown under pitch
• Increases chance of getting backlink in published article

Workflow States

Status Progression

```
New → Reviewing → Pitched → Won/Lost/Expired/Skipped
```

New:

• Query just arrived
• Not reviewed yet
• Shows in notification bell

Reviewing:

• You've viewed the query
• Considering whether to pitch
• Manually set status

Pitched:

• Auto-set when you mark pitch as "sent"
• Query remains visible
• Awaiting response

Won:

• Journalist used your pitch
• Article published with mention/link
• Tracked in "Placements Won" metric

Lost:

• No response or pitch rejected
• Query closed

Expired:

• Deadline passed
• "Generate Pitch" button disabled
• Query remains for reference

Skipped:

• Not relevant enough to pitch
• Removes from active view

Query Sources Settings

Location: Authority Builder → Journalist Queries → Sources button

Platform Sources

Shows all broadcast sources with:

• Platform name
• Active status
• Query count distributed to your account

AI Re-scoring

Use case: Your brand profile changed (new keywords, themes, target audience). Re-score existing queries with updated profile.

How it works:

1. Click "Re-score Queries" button
2. Select date range (max 30 days)
3. ILLIXIS deletes old assignments for your tenant
4. Re-runs AI relevance scoring with current brand profile
5. New scores appear in 1-2 minutes

Tips for Best Results

Optimize Relevance Scoring

In Settings → Brand:

• Add specific brand keywords (not just company name)
• Define target audience clearly
• Set primary category accurately
• Add content themes you cover
• List topic exclusions to avoid bad matches

Example:

• Brand keywords: bikini, swimwear, resort wear, beach lifestyle
• Target audience: Women 25-45 who travel frequently
• Primary category: Fashion & Lifestyle
• Themes: Body positivity, sustainable fashion, travel tips
• Exclusions: children's clothing, plus-size criticism

Improve Pitch Quality

Reference existing content:

• ILLIXIS searches for relevant articles automatically
• More existing content = better pitch references
• Journalists prefer pitches with proof of expertise

Update brand voice:

• Settings → Brand → Voice & Style
• Add credentials, awards, media mentions
• Include specific expertise areas
• Define tone preferences

Track Results

Mark pitches accurately:

• "Mark as Sent" when you send pitch (updates status to 'pitched')
• Update status to "Won" when article publishes
• Update to "Lost" if no response after deadline

Why:

• Tracks win rate
• Shows which types of queries work best
• Helps optimize relevance scoring

Common Workflows

Daily Query Check (5 minutes)

1. Click notification bell (shows new queries)
2. Review queries with 70%+ relevance first
3. Generate pitches for promising matches
4. Copy pitch, send to journalist
5. Mark as "sent" in ILLIXIS

Weekly Digest Ingestion (Private Sources)

1. Open Qwoted/Terkel digest email
2. Scan subject lines for relevant queries
3. Copy individual query emails
4. Click "Paste Query Email" in ILLIXIS
5. Paste each query separately
6. Review relevance scores
7. Generate pitches for top matches

End-of-Month Review

1. Filter by status = "Pitched"
2. Check for published articles
3. Update status to "Won" if published
4. Update to "Lost" if no response
5. Review "Placements Won" count

Troubleshooting

No Queries Appearing

Check:

• Settings → Brand profile is complete (keywords, audience, category)
• Relevance threshold is 30% (default)
• No queries published in last 7 days (check platform admin)

Low Relevance Scores

Fix:

• Settings → Brand → Add more specific keywords
• Define target audience more clearly
• Add content themes
• Run "Re-score Queries" to reprocess with new profile

Pitch Generation Fails

Reasons:

• No brand voice configured (Settings → Brand → Voice & Style)
• API quota exceeded (check Settings → Plan Usage)
• Query expired (deadline passed)

Fix:

• Complete brand voice setup
• Upgrade plan if quota exceeded
• Generate pitches before deadline

Pitches Don't Match Brand Voice

Check:

• Settings → Brand → Voice & Style is complete
• Tone modifiers are set
• Writing style examples provided
• Brand keywords defined

Fix:

• Add more brand voice examples
• Define constraints clearly
• Include do/don't examples

Pricing

Usage Tracking

Quota-based features:

• Pitch generation: 1 credit per pitch
• Query parsing: Free (no quota)
• Relevance scoring: Free (no quota)

Plan limits:

• Starter: 50 pitches/month
• Professional: 200 pitches/month
• Enterprise: Unlimited

Related Features

Authority Builder → Pillar Content:

• Link magnet recommendations
• Builds authority for better pitch acceptance

Settings → Brand:

• Brand keywords (used for relevance scoring)
• Brand voice (used for pitch generation)
• Target audience (used for relevance scoring)

Content Hub:

• Referenced content search
• Existing articles included in pitches

FAQ

Q: Can I manually add queries?
A: Yes. Use "Paste Query Email" and select "Manual Entry" as source.

Q: Why are some queries hidden?
A: Queries below 30% relevance are hidden by default. Adjust threshold in Query Sources settings.

Q: Can I regenerate a pitch?
A: Yes. Click "Generate Pitch" again. New pitch replaces old draft (sent pitches are preserved).

Q: Do pitches include AI disclaimers?
A: No. ILLIXIS generates pitches in your brand voice without AI disclaimers. Some queries specifically reject AI pitches (HARO "No AI Pitches" flag).

Q: Can I edit generated pitches?
A: Yes. Copy to clipboard, edit in email client before sending.

Q: What happens to expired queries?
A: Remain visible for reference. Status auto-updates to "expired" after deadline. Can't generate new pitches.

Q: How often are queries ingested?
A: Real-time for broadcast sources (when digests are forwarded). Manual for private sources (when you paste).

Q: Can I track which pitches got published?
A: Manually update status to "Won" when article publishes. No automatic tracking (requires manual verification).