5 Places to Get Press for Your Startup
Creating Buzz for Your Startup
Getting press for your startup can be quite a task. Before reaching out to journalists and writers, you have to ask yourself whether what you’re pitching is newsworthy. A product launch alone isn’t newsworthy, so you have to think of something interesting to readers. You could do this by telling a story about how you came up with the idea for your startup. Try to think about the type of readers the publication you’re reaching out to has and relate to them.
For general press coverage, sites like HARO and Hey Press can help you find journalists that write your industry/product in particular. Hey Press has an extensive database and takes the work out of finding tech journalists to write about your business.
In addition to journalist databases, there are a few other media outlets you can reach out to start a conversation, pitch a story, or a news release.
Tech Blogs
Tech blogs like Tech Crunch are always open to sharing new ideas and products. Tech Crunch has featured many startups in the past, and you could be one of them if you follow one rule: be interesting. When reaching out to any blog, you have to give them a reason to be interested in what you have to offer. Also, make sure you pay attention to whether the blog you’re reaching out to features your type of startup. For example, if you’re a social networking or web-based startup, you might be better off reaching out to a site like Mashable.
Social News Sites
Social news sites such as Reddit allow you to submit content like text posts or direct links. The more attractive your post is, the better. If users like what you post, your post could move to the front page, increasing your startup’s exposure. As stated before, your content has to stand out and get readers excited about what you have to say.
Online Tech Publications
Tech publications like Wired are dedicated to showing how technology is changing every aspect of our lives. They, too, are always looking to share great tech ideas. To stand out, make sure to read the kind of pieces about startups they’ve written in the past. If you feel like your startup would be a great feature, you can pitch it to their press center.
Social Media
A powerful and straightforward way to engage with journalists is through social media. Many journalists are very active on social networks like Twitter or Facebook. For example, you could create a list of journalists related to your industry and engage with them months before your product launches. This way, the journalists will already know who you are before you even reach out to them.
Regional Press Coverage
Reaching out to your local news station can be another way to get your startup some press. Like any other outlet you choose, you will have to convince reporters that your story is worth covering. Local coverage could lead to range in neighboring cities/states and ultimately result in greater recognition of your startup.
To conclude, there are many ways to get the press to cover your startup. It is certainly not easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort. The key is to be interesting and share a unique and compelling story that the writer will look forward to sharing.
