By harnessing site searches, free tools, and social media, you can uncover email addresses that will help drive the success of your campaigns.
Finding the right email address can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, especially when you want your pitch to add real value and not get lost in the shuffle. But, with the right approach and tools, it’s not just doable — it’s scalable.
Our team has years of experience crafting successful outreach campaigns, so we’ve seen firsthand what works (and what doesn’t) when finding the right contact information. Personalized outreach campaigns can increase response rates, so taking the time to find the correct email address is worth the effort.
Below is a list of 10 techniques our team has had the most success with. Although they are listed as separate strategies, many can be used in conjunction with others to verify and validate findings.
- Type in Google Search Operators
- Search X Via Google
- Try Hunter
- Leverage VoilaNorbert
- Use Buzzstream
- Try Muck Rack
- Search With Qwoted
- Look on Social Media and Personal Websites
- Use Emailable or NeverBounce to Verify Emails
- Hit Subscribe
- Find Patterns and Guess
1. Type in Google Search Operators
As a first step, go with the basics—mining Google search operators. Here are a few of our favorite search strings to use to find contact information:
- “NAME”
- NAME email
- NAME contact
- “FIRSTNAME LASTNAME” email
- “FIRSTNAME LASTNAME” contact
- site:WEBSITE.com name email
- site:WEBSITE.com contact
- site:WEBSITE.com about
- site:contact
- site:@
- Site:email
These operators are straightforward yet effective for uncovering email addresses and contact details if they exist online. They’re especially useful when combined with a journalist’s name and the website of the publication they work for.
Tip: If you’re not finding what you need, try tweaking the search by including alternative keywords, like “bio” or “team.”
2. Search X via Google
Using search operators to target accounts using X (formerly Twitter) is an effective way to find email addresses, especially for individuals in demand and frequent X users. This approach can also uncover tweets where professionals, like journalists, share their emails with followers.
Here’s how to do it:
- x.com/[X handle] email
- site:x.com/[X handle] “email me”
If the person you’re trying to contact fits these criteria, there’s a good chance they’ve shared their email on X, making it easy to connect.
Tip: Try looking at the person’s X bio as well to see if they’ve listed it there.
3. Try Hunter
Hunter provides a suite of free tools that simplify automating the email address look-up process. If you have the full name of your prospect, try Hunter’s Email Finder. Just type in the information in a search bar, and you’ll get a verified email address in seconds.
Hunter also offers a Chrome extension to find the email addresses behind the websites you’re browsing.
Tip: Hunter’s Email Finder works best when you know the person’s full name and the company they work for.
4. Leverage VoilaNorbert
If you’re looking for an alternative to Hunter, try VoilaNorbert. Similar to Hunter, Norbert lets you input the person’s name and their domain to generate an email address. Its accuracy and ease of use make it a strong option for prospecting.
The tool uses advanced algorithms to match names with the most common email patterns for that company, making it one of the most reliable solutions for prospecting. VoilaNorbert also offers a bulk search feature, which is especially helpful if you need to find email addresses for multiple contacts at once.
Tip: For this tool, you’ll only have a limited number of searches per day without needing to buy credits for more. So, if you’re a power user, you may want to upgrade.
5. Use Buzzstream
Buzzstream is a platform that assists with outreach efforts and PR campaigns. It can help you find on-page emails and uncover influencers’ social media profiles. You can install this tool as a Chrome plugin or a standalone web app.
This tool lets you save email addresses, making promotions easier and more scalable. It also helps with link building by streamlining outreach and tracking prospects for better follow-ups.
You can also use Buzztream to help you generate searches with their email research tool. Enter your prospect’s name, company, and website, and Buzztream will pull potential Google search operators you can try.
Tip: Combine BuzzStream’s email research tool with personalized messaging for the best response rates.
6. Try Muck Rack
Muck Rack is one of the best ways to access journalists. It’s a huge database that compiles reporter information, bios, and links to editorial pieces that the journalist has written. It also includes their social media links. With this tool, you can search for people with filters like beats, media outlets, and location, and it will pull their contact information.
However, it’s important to note that Muck Rack works best with a paid subscription. The free version provides limited access to journalists’ contact details, often not showing their email addresses.
Tip: A paid account is highly recommended to unlock full access to the database and valuable insights.
7. Search With Qwoted
Like Muck Rack, Qwoted is another platform that provides access to journalist contact information, including emails for some reporters.
Qwoted is particularly useful if you’re looking for journalists actively seeking sources for upcoming stories, as it features live requests from reporters. You can filter your search by industry, location, or expertise, ensuring you connect with the most relevant journalists in your niche.
Tip: Before reaching out to the journalist, make sure your pitch aligns with the report’s request and what they’re looking to cover.
8. Look on Social Media and Personal Websites
Social media and personal websites can be a great source of contact information. For example, check the prospect’s Facebook or YouTube profiles. Visit their company page on Facebook and explore the “About” section, where they will frequently list email addresses.
Some YouTube creators will often include contact details under their channel’s “About” tab. Smaller journalists will often link directly to personal Facebook pages that may display their email.
Don’t forget to search for personal blogs or portfolio sites. These often have a dedicated contact page or include email addresses in the footer. A quick Google search of their name and company can lead you right to these valuable resources.
Tip: If finding an email address doesn’t work, try direct messaging them. These channels are less commonly used, making them stand out and highly effective at reaching hard-to-contact people.
9. Find Emails on LinkedIn
Thanks to its extensive database of users and networking tools, LinkedIn can be one of the most powerful platforms for finding professional email addresses.
Here’s how you can use LinkedIn effectively to locate the emails you need:
- Use LinkedIn integrations: Tools like Wiza integrate seamlessly with LinkedIn to extract verified email addresses from profiles. Simply input the person’s name and company; these tools will cross-reference data to provide the most likely email address.
- Export your LinkedIn connection data: Through LinkedIn’s Settings & Privacy, you can request a copy of your data, which may include your connections’ email addresses. While this method takes a bit more time and only works if you’re already connected to someone, it may uncover their info.
Tip: You can also try looking at the person’s Contact Info or About section to see if their email is listed there.
10. Use Emailable or NeverBounce to Verify Emails
Verifying saves a step in the process that will otherwise return an email as undeliverable. You get 100 free verification requests per month, and then you are prompted to upgrade your account.
However, if you run out, there are a few more options for verifying email address deliverability:
- Emailable: Emailable scans email addresses for deliverability and flags invalid ones. It also provides detailed insights, such as whether an email is disposable, risky, or associated with spam.
- NeverBouce: If you have a large email list you want to test, NeverBounce is especially helpful. It can spot outdated or inactive addresses.
These tools are especially helpful if you are unsure if someone still works at a company or if a website seems very old.
Tip: High bounce rates coming from your email address can get marked as spam and negatively impact your sender’s reputation, so ensuring you send to an accurate address is crucial.
11. Hit Subscribe
If whoever you’re trying to contact is linked to a company or brand, subscribing to their newsletter or a product update list can sometimes lead to discovering their email address.
Often, these emails come from specific team members or departments, and you might find their name and contact info in the sender field or within the body of the email.
Tip: Pay attention to the “Reply-To” field in emails. Sometimes, it contains a more direct contact address or personal email, even if the main sender’s email is generic.
12. Find Patterns and Guess
When all else fails, you can also find patterns and guess their address when sending a cold email. For example, when someone has a website that is their full name, they will most likely have an email address that reads firstnamelastname@name.com.
You can also try variations that many publications follow, like:
- first.last@publication.com
- firstinitiallastname@publication.com
Tip: Tools like Hunter.io and those mentioned above can be a great way to cross-check and test these guesses.
Make Every Pitch Count
Finding the right email address is only part of the equation. By following the strategies above, you’ll improve your chances of reaching the right person and ensure your outreach template is targeted and thoughtful.
If their email is nowhere to be found, they likely prefer not to be pitched. Instead of forcing the connection, focus on creating quality, value-driven pitches that resonate with your audience. A meaningful and personalized approach benefits both you and your recipient, leading to stronger relationships and better results.
Need help with targeted outreach? Contact Siege Media today to see how our personalized digital DPR services can drive backlinks and boost your visibility.
