For tech startups, landing a media placement in a top publication like TechCrunch is huge. Getting press for your startup is an opportunity to place your brand in front of thousands of potential customers, tell your story, and, most importantly, build credibility. 

Because earned media yields a ton of value with little effort compared to other marketing strategies, landing press is often a major goal for many startups, especially before or right after launching.

But with media attention comes great responsibility. If your startup is going to be on the front page of a website or publication, then it’s crucial that everything is lined up beforehand. If you want to see your startup’s name spread across the webpages of TechCrunch, then there are a few key steps to take to prepare.

Understand your brand 

There are thousands of startups out there, all of which are vying for the media’s attention. Before you can even get on the media’s radar, though, it’s necessary to have a clear understanding of your own brand. 

During a media interview, there will be straightforward questions about your startup’s background like whether the company was bootstrapped or VC-backed, or the job history of the company’s founders. 

But when the interview starts to dive into the origin and mission of the brand–the more story-driven aspects–that’s when it’s up to you as a startup founder to have a clear story to tell. This is especially important if there is more than one founder. Everyone on the team needs to be on the same page when it comes to how and why the startup was formed, what problem the company aims to solve, and how the company plans to scale over time. 

Keep in mind, your startup’s branding, offerings, and goals may shift after you’ve launched, which is why it’s sometimes better to hold off on media outreach until you’ve actually hit the ground running.

Conduct a brand audit

If your startup is featured, or even mentioned, in an article you can guarantee that your website will see an uptick in traffic. An increase in website traffic means that it’s crucial to have your brand assets, which includes your website and social media channels, ready for potential customers. 

To start, take a look at your homepage. At a glance, is it obvious what your startup does? When scrolling through your website, visitors should pretty quickly have a clear understanding of what your company does and how it can serve them. It’s also important to make sure your website is user-friendly and properly optimized for mobile, especially considering 85% of people believe a company’s website should look as good as or better on mobile than it does on a desktop. 

The same audit should be done for your social media channels. Make sure your company’s website as well as the mission or tagline are included in the bio sections of your Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook pages. It’s also important to feature relevant content that aligns with your marketing strategy and overall brand, whether your goal is to inform, entertain, or inspire.

Define your goals

Before embarking on any new project, it’s absolutely necessary to define your goals. Media outreach is no different. What is the main goal of a PR campaign? Is it to drive website traffic? Establish credibility in your industry? Or simply spread brand awareness? Good PR can achieve any of those goals, but only if they’re outlined prior to media outreach. 

Having a clear understanding of what your startup aims to achieve by being featured in the media will drive the tactics of your outreach. If your goal is to increase your company’s sales, for example, then you would want to land media placements that drive traffic to your website. PR may not be able to directly drive sales, but it can place your brand in front of thousands of potential customers, which would increase brand awareness and website traffic.

About Sam Lauron: Sam is a freelance lifestyle writer and a copywriter at Swyft, which has been listed as one of the best PR firms in Austin and a top digital marketing agency in Denver since its founding in 2011. Swyft has satellite offices where it offers PR in San Francisco and Houston.