How to get PR (in 2026)

1. Which publication do you want coverage in—and why? Most people say they want “PR” without being clear about what they want out of it. PR does not drive sales. If you want pipeline, this is the wrong tool. PR can drive awareness—but awareness with who? Buyers, investors, recruits, regulators? Different audiences read different publications. Once you've identified your target publication, ask yourself: 2. What do journalists at that publication actually cover? Most things companies want covered are not interesting to journalists Big publications don’t care about: - Product launches - New features - Generic partnerships Go look at the headlines from the last week of your target publication. Here are some from the WSJ: - ‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company - The AI Boom Is Coming for Apple’s Profit Margins - The $100 Billion Megadeal Between OpenAI and Nvidia Is on Ice - OpenAI Plans Fourth-Quarter IPO in Race to Beat Anthropic to Market You need to honestly ask yourself whether the headline you are pitching would fit amongst that list. In most cases, if it's not controversial, does not involve a big dollar amount, or doesn't involve a celebrity, it's simply not news. Also, don't forget the cardinal rules that "news" has to be "new", meaning it can't be something that was already announced. Once you find a story at a publication that is similar in shape or form to what you want covered, you've found your target. 3. Do you actually need a press release or the newswire? A press release is functionally: - A factual blog post - Written in the third person - With an embargo date at the top Historically, press releases existed to be distributed via a newswire—a paid service that blasted your announcement to newsrooms everywhere. In 2026, most tech companies do not need this.You can contact journalists directly over email with a few bullet points, or even better, you can explain it in a live conversation. Newswires still make sense in a few cases (public companies, regulatory disclosures, very broad announcements). But for most startups, they add cost without increasing outcomes. If you’re already talking to the right journalist, the press release is optional. 4. How to pitch journalists The ideal state is that you don’t pitch at all. Over time, if you’re helpful and credible, journalists will know your company, reach out for comment, and ask you about news proactively If you don’t have a relationship, one common tactic is offering an exclusive. An exclusive means you give one journalist first (and sometimes only) access to the story. In exchange, they commit to covering it.