PR + Content for Growth by Kat Mañalac and Craig Cannon

Content Marketing Fundamentals

• Definition of Content: Any material created and distributed via owned channels (blogs, YouTube, podcasts) to attract a specific audience.
• Pre-requisite for Content: Founders must first validate product-market fit ("make something people want") before investing in content or press; content cannot rescue a product with high churn.
• Content as Product: Apply product development principles to content by identifying a clear target market and creating material that specific customers want, rather than just content the founders enjoy making.
• Case Study (Zapier): Zapier initially targeted Hacker News users, only to discover that HN's interests did not fully overlap with their actual customer base, highlighting the need to target the right audience with content.
• Goal Setting: Early-stage companies should focus on one of two measurable goals:
  • Engagement: Relevant for social companies (tracking time on site).
  • Conversions: Relevant for most other companies (tracking sign-ups, sales, or downloads).
• Analytics Setup:
  • Primary Tool: Use Mixpanel or similar tools to track user behavior, click paths, and duration on site.
  • Facebook Pixel: Install immediately to capture visitor data for future remarketing, creating a custom audience that is cheaper than broad targeting.
• Platform Selection: Identify where the target audience congregates (e.g., Reddit, Instagram, specific blogs) based on direct user feedback and referral data; do not assume a platform works for all.
• Idea Generation Strategy: Avoid derivative content by implementing a high-volume brainstorming process where only 5–10% of ideas survive, similar to The Onion's editorial process, to filter out biases and average ideas.
• Production Discipline:
  • Time Allocation: Dedicate significant time (hours to days) per piece to ensure quality rather than forcing a rigid weekly schedule that compromises output.
  • Personnel: Assign content creation to individuals with domain expertise (e.g., co-founders, lead developers) rather than general marketing staff.
  • Editorial Standards: Be prepared to edit aggressively and kill 25% or more of created work; recognize that the ultimate competitor is all of the internet (e.g., entertainment, news) for user attention.
• Promotion Necessity: Founders must actively and repeatedly promote their own content across channels (e.g., Twitter, email lists); relying solely on organic discovery is ineffective.

Press and PR Strategy

• Role of Press: Press is not a scalable user acquisition strategy but serves to generate early inbound traffic, attract investors/employees, and improve SEO.
• Timing for Press:
  • Standard Approach: Wait until a product is launched and has early traction before pitching.
  • Exceptions: Pitch pre-product for novel hard-science/biotech companies or wait years for companies with long development cycles; most media outlets no longer cover very early-stage startups without a story.
• PR Firms: Early-stage startups should not hire PR firms due to high retainer costs; founders must build their own media relationships, treating PR as a form of Business Development (BD).
• DIY PR Preparation:
  • Research: Spend ~30 minutes/week reading industry news and compiling lists of relevant publications, outlets, and specific reporters.
  • Calendar Planning: Map out potential pitches over 3–6 month increments aligned with company milestones (e.g., fundraising, hiring, product updates).
• Pitch Components:
  • One-Sentence Pitch: A jargon-free summary of what is being built and for whom (e.g., "Orbi: flying robots that help businesses monitor inventory").
  • Three-to-Five Sentence Pitch: Adds context on why the solution is better than the status quo, market data, and notable founder or market details.
  • FAQ Preparation: Draft succinct answers to standard reporter questions (e.g., "Who is your competitor?" "How are you making money?") without memorizing them verbatim to avoid sounding robotic.
• Pitch Mechanics:
  • News Hook: Determine "why now" by connecting the story to current trends, fundraising rounds, or industry events.
  • Exclusivity: Offer an exclusive story to a top-tier reporter to increase the likelihood of coverage; avoid pitching multiple outlets simultaneously at early stages.
  • Warm Introductions: Prioritize warm introductions over cold emails to achieve response rates of 50%+ compared to the 10% rate of cold outreach.
  • Timing: Allow at least two weeks for the process of introductions, meetings, and publication; avoid pitching during major industry events (e.g., WWDC, TechCrunch Disrupt).
• Best Practices & Pitfalls:
  • Do: Be accurate with data, follow up politely once or twice, and actively promote published stories on owned channels.
  • Don't: Lie about metrics, demand draft reviews (which reporters view as a threat to editorial integrity), suggest specific headlines, or follow up excessively.
• Measuring Success: Post-campaign evaluation should determine if the press coverage achieved specific goals (e.g., new user sign-ups, investor inbound, SEO ranking improvements).

Q&A Highlights

• No Product-Market Fit: If press reaches out before PMF, founders should nurture the relationship by acting as an industry expert but should not spend significant time pitching until the product is ready.
• Personal vs. Company Blog: Hosting content on a personal blog (e.g., "Title by [Name]") can be effective for human connection, but hosting on the company domain is generally preferred for SEO.
• Influencer Marketing: Paying influencers is often not worth the conversion cost for early-stage startups; organic endorsements or sending samples (e.g., Boosted Boards) are more effective strategies.
• Content Frequency: Founders should not compromise quality for a weekly schedule; aiming for one high-quality piece per month is a strong benchmark for pre-PMF teams.
• Clickbait vs. Authenticity: Avoid clickbait headlines and stock photos; instead, craft headlines that genuinely appeal to the target audience's interests and needs.
• Celebrity Endorsements: While celebrity attention is generally positive, founders should be prepared for potential brand association risks with controversial figures.
• Ongoing Communication: Reporters generally do not want regular updates on product progress; communication should be reserved for significant news or announcements unless a specific press list relationship exists.
• HARO (Help A Reporter Out): Engaging with reporters via HARO to provide expert commentary on industry topics is an effective way to build relationships without immediate self-promotion.