Three keys to getting your tech PR right

By Steph Dobson

As the number of tech businesses has increased, specialist PR agencies that focus exclusively on creating positive reputations for digital and tech businesses have emerged – Roaring Mouse included.

So how does tech PR differ? Here are three essential rules for successful PR for tech businesses.

1. Create belief

A new tech business is launched every half an hour in the UK, yet 40% will never be profitable.  Why do so many fail to make a mark?

One reason is that they don’t find a big enough market for their product. At Roaring Mouse we work to create three levels of belief for tech businesses that create and grow the market for them.

First, belief in the problem. We create waves that help businesses win the early market by convincing people there is a problem worth solving and that this business is the one to solve it.

Secondly, we focus on belief in the product,  highlighting how it works to solve the challenges and opportunities within a mainstream market.

And finally, belief in the provider. Reputation boosting activities to help an organisation win business at scale, attract talent and investment to support growth.

2. Embrace storytelling

There’s no such thing as a boring product, just boring PR. Products may be technical but it doesn’t mean your storytelling can’t be engaging and fun.

Even where a company is past the start-up stage, founders’ stories can be a powerful way to put your business in the spotlight.

Tell your story with data for longevity. Trends and hard stats have a long life on the internet with people always searching for credible research and statistics.

Look right across the business for news. Technology companies are amongst the most innovative in other areas too. Is there an HR initiative that you should be telling people about?

3.  Maximise your media

Obviously we’re fans of earned media – and advocate focusing effort on the media titles your audience reads, supplemented with key coverage in agenda-setting media.

But there are other tactics that work well too. For tech start-ups going after a very specific audience, smaller media titles or a blog can do a different yet valuable job. On occasion these can cause a powerful trickle-up effect where the story gets picked up by a bigger media title or is used more widely.

Look for new titles. Building a relationship with a media outlet early on in both your journeys can really work.  It’s not a numbers game here, but about reaching the right audience.

Embrace brand journalism. Be your own publisher and don’t underestimate the power of your own media – your websites and social channels – to amplify the drumbeat of your regular media coverage and build your brand.

When you need to get a specific message to a difficult-to-reach audience, think about some paid media support. But don’t waste budget buying space in media you could get into anyway.