How to Get Press Coverage for Your Startup: A Founder's Guide to Pitching Journalists
Journalists don't cover products, they cover news. How to find the story in your startup, choose the right reporters, write a pitch they can use, and what press releases can and can't do.
Pulltip EditorialOct 30, 2026 · 6 min read
Press coverage can bring a startup credibility, links, investor interest and a burst of users. It can also take weeks of effort and produce nothing. The difference usually isn't luck. It's whether the founder gave a specific reporter a story that fits what that reporter covers. This guide walks through the process for founders pitching US, UK and Canadian tech and trade media on their own.
Disclosure: Pulltip publishes this guide and runs one of the platforms mentioned. See our sponsored content policy.
Step 1: Find the news in your startup
Reporters write about news, not about products. Before you contact anyone, finish this sentence: "This is new because…". If the answer is only "we launched", you need a sharper angle.
Common startup news angles:
Launch of something people can use today, with a clear statement of what's different.
Funding, with the amount, lead investor and what the money is for (only if you're comfortable sharing those facts).
A notable customer or partner, with their permission to be named.
Original data. Numbers from your own product or a survey you ran, with your method explained. Only publish data you can stand behind.
A local first. "The first X in [city or country]" works for regional and trade outlets, if it's true and checkable.
A founder story with a point. Why you, why now, what you learned. This fits podcasts and profile pieces better than news desks.
Step 3: Build a target list of reporters, not outlets
Pitching a generic "news@" inbox is a last resort. Find the individual who covers your area.
Read the last few weeks of the outlet. Note who wrote about companies like yours.
Check each reporter's recent articles and profile for their beat and any stated pitch preferences.
Record why each one is a fit in a sheet: name, outlet, beat, a recent relevant article, contact route, date pitched, outcome.
Use the outlet's official route if one exists. TechCrunch, for example, says on its tips page that press releases and pitches can be sent to its tips email address, and that it reviews incoming messages regularly but can't respond to every one.
Keep it to 10 to 20 well-matched names for a single announcement.
Step 4: Write a pitch they can use
A pitch is a short email, not a brochure. Keep it under 200 words.
Subject line: the news in plain words. No hype, no all caps.
First sentence: what happened and why it matters to this reporter's readers.
Two or three facts: what it does, who it's for, one proof point (a customer, a number you can verify, a funding detail).
Why you're writing to them: reference their relevant article in one line.
What you offer: a founder interview, a demo, data, images, early access.
Links: product page, a press kit folder and your contact details.
Example structure (fill in your own facts): "Subject: [Company] launches [product] to help [audience] [do X]. Hi [name], I read your piece on [topic]. Today we're launching [product], which [does one specific thing]. [One proof point.] Happy to set up a 15-minute demo or share screenshots. Press kit: [link]."
Never invent quotes, customers or numbers. A correction or a retracted story costs more than no story.
Step 5: Prepare a press kit
Put everything in one shareable folder so a reporter can write without chasing you:
A short company description (50 words) and a longer one (150 words).
Founder names, roles, short bios and headshots.
Logo files, product screenshots and a short demo video.
A fact sheet: founding year, location, what the product does, pricing model, funding (if public).
A press release or announcement post, if you have one.
One contact name, email and phone number that will answer on announcement day.
Step 6: Timing, exclusives and embargoes
Give notice. Contact reporters days, not hours, before your announcement date, so they have time to plan.
Exclusives: offering one outlet the story first can increase interest. Be clear it's an exclusive and don't pitch the same story elsewhere until it's agreed or declined.
Embargoes: ask first ("Would you accept this under embargo until Tuesday 9 a.m. ET?") and only send details after they agree. An embargo is an agreement, not something you can declare in a footer.
Pick a time zone on purpose. US outlets work on Eastern and Pacific time, UK outlets on UK time. State the time zone in every message.
Step 7: Follow up once, then move on
One follow-up after a few working days, adding something new (a data point, an image, a customer quote you have permission to use).
No reply is an answer. Don't send a third message on the same story.
If you're covered, thank the reporter, share the article and correct any factual errors politely and quickly.
If you're not, keep the reporter on your list for the next real piece of news.
What press releases can and can't do
A press release on a wire service is useful as a public, dated record of your announcement and as a reference for reporters. It's not a substitute for pitching, and it's not an SEO shortcut: Google's spam policies list "links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts, or press releases distributed on other sites" as an example of link spam. If you publish one, keep links natural and the content factual.
Don't buy fake credibility
Paid "as seen in" placements, bought reviews or purchased followers can backfire. In the US, the FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials (16 CFR Part 465, effective 21 October 2024) bans buying fake reviews and buying or selling fake indicators of social media influence. Earned coverage, a real listing and honest user feedback last longer.
Where Pulltip fits
Press coverage is a spike. A permanent listing is where people land when they search for you afterwards. Pulltip lets you create a free listing shown to visitors in your own country, with paid Global Launch options for worldwide promotion, including one plan with a review article (see pricing for details). Under our sponsored content policy, paid placements and sponsored review articles are identified as sponsored or promoted.
No. Many early-stage founders pitch reporters themselves. What matters is a real story, the right reporter and a short, accurate pitch. An agency can save time but can't create news that isn't there.
What counts as news for a startup?
Something new and verifiable that matters to the outlet's readers: a product people can use today, a funding round, a notable customer or partnership, original data, or a clear first in your market.
Should I send a press release or a personal pitch?
Lead with a short personal pitch to a specific reporter. Keep a press release or fact sheet ready to attach or link. Mass-sent releases rarely get read.
Do press release links help SEO?
Don't count on it. Google's spam policies list links with optimized anchor text in press releases distributed on other sites as an example of link spam.
What is an embargo?
An agreement that a reporter receives your news early but won't publish before a set date and time. Agree to it with the reporter before you send the details; you can't impose it after the fact.
