The PR Playbook for Startups: What Actually Gets You Covered

Jan de Vries · 2026-10-26

In part one, we covered the strategy—why PR matters, which stakeholders to chase, and the media channels worth pursuing. Now you have the map. But maps are useless if you don't understand the territory. So let's talk about how to move effectively inside it. Before you fire off your first pitch, there are three practical considerations: what actually earns a journalist's attention, which activities are worth the effort, and how to conduct yourself ethically. ### What Makes Something Newsworthy? You can't pitch just anything and expect coverage. To understand what gets covered—and what doesn't—you need to grasp newsworthiness. If something is newsworthy, it's important and interesting enough to be covered in the media (whether it's a news announcement or not). The "gatekeepers" all have their own perceptions of what is and isn't newsworthy. It varies by outlet, by person, and changes with time. We can break it down into five main components. ### The Five Components of Newsworthiness - **Timeliness:** Short-term timeliness is controllable—you decide when to release funding news, and it's typically covered the same day. Long-term timeliness depends on external developments like breaking news, regulatory changes, or cultural trends. - **Impact:** Scale matters. Bigger numbers make bigger stories—staggering revenue, eye-watering funding rounds, or skyrocketing headcount. But a non-funding action that has an outsize effect on the industry or society is equally newsworthy. A case study of new technology that saved a life, for example. - **Geography:** A national desk may wave aside what a local outlet would treat as a genuine event. Trade titles care about their own patch above all else. Starting close to home is usually the easiest way in—and the lever most startups overlook. Wanting US or UK hits as a small startup in mainland Europe is usually wishful thinking, but European startup outlets may have better openings. - **Name recognition:** A well-known investor, a notable advisor, or a marquee client can elevate an entire story by lending credibility. A journalist who would pass on an unknown startup will often look twice when a familiar name is involved. "Celebrity" counts, especially if you have a real celebrity—like when the legal AI platform Legora hired the aptly-named Jude Law as a spokesperson. - **Conflict:** Newsrooms are drawn to tension and disagreement, but picking fights can backfire on young companies trying to build goodwill. There are exceptions, mostly in the form of a clear, defensible stance on the trajectory of your industry. Mudslinging at competitors is not wise for early-stage startups. Even so, this is a rare exception, not a strategy. > "Before pitching anything, look hard at your own company, technology, product and people, and be objective about genuine newsworthiness versus merely interesting to you." Study your target channels and what they cover. What do they find newsworthy? That will show you what is newsworthy, to whom, and where. ### Activity Tracks: Think Sustained, Not One-Off Across those channels, think in terms of sustained activities rather than one-off hits. Three tracks are worth knowing. **News** is the obvious and easiest one. For an early startup, a funding announcement is usually the starting point. But news is ephemeral—you need more. **Thought leadership** is about sharing your expertise consistently. It's not about self-promotion; it's about adding value to the conversation. Write op-eds, speak at events, contribute to industry publications. Over time, you become a go-to source. **Relationship building** is the long game. Journalists are people, not pitching machines. Engage with their work, offer insights without asking for anything in return, and be helpful. When you do have news, they'll be more likely to listen. ### Conduct Yourself Ethically PR is not about manipulation. It's about building trust. Be honest, be transparent, and don't overpromise. If you make a mistake, own it. Journalists talk to each other—your reputation precedes you. And remember: PR is not a quick fix. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Play the long game, and you'll reap the rewards.